Category: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Introduction to Symbolism in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Society fuels the idea of how people should live their lives through many vessels, including the likes of social media and advertising. People positioned higher class or celebrities display lives that everyone holds on a pedestal, as a building block to live up to, meaning everyone wants to advance to their level. While these standards are not technically bad and do indeed help people succeed, the influence of these factors builds a singular path in which people begin to piggy-back off of others’ success, contributing to no deviation, which also creates a societal flow that puts down people breaking off in other directions. While this is more of a modern system, Shakespeare uses this theory to aid in the ebb and flow of the story of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Shakespeare’s big idea throughout the play of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the idea that people should break away from societal norms, cutting their own path against the grain. He demonstrates his thinking of this through symbolism, metaphors, and tone.

Within the play, the characters of Hermia and Lysander fall madly in love, but along the lines of Athiean rule, they can not marry unless the father of Hermia approves of Lysander. When her father denies her request and explains to her that she either marry Demetrius, submit to a life of nunnery, or be put to death, all of which are aided by king Theseus’s word, her and Lysander cut their own path and decide to leave Athens to become who they want to be. The risk of decisions like these throughout the play are great, but these decisions allow the characters to grow and to get what they want through their own means.

Shakespeare also highlights these choices and his overall big idea with the support of literary devices, such as symbolism, metaphors, and juxtaposition. These techniques help build the story and anchor our understanding of the choices the characters make and how the outcomes play out.

Symbolic Elements: Night, Woods, and the Moon

One of the more predominant literary devices used within this play would be that of symbolism to show how people can control their own path. Many of symbols can be found within his writing, including the likes of the night, the woods, and the moon. The night can symbolize the darkness and a state of blindness, mischief and madness, while the woods give a set of danger and risk, as symbolized by the action of Lysander and Hermia escaping from Athenian law. These characters set their plan into motion at “deep midnight”(1.1 223), using the cloak of darkness as cover. As in the case of mischief, the woods is the epicenter of the story, the place where all three separate storylines intertwine and bend to each other. Later in the play, Hermia declares, “Dark night, that from the eye his function takes,/ The ear quicker of apprehension makes./ Wherein it doth impair the seeing sense,/ It pays the hearing double recompense. Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found;/ Mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound,”(Act III, Scene 2, 177- 182). Lysander, under the spell of Puck’s potion, abandoned Hermia in a blind state of lust. Hermia, not being able to see well, pursued Lysander by sound, trying to find her love. The first line, “Dark night, that from the eye his function takes”, symbolizes blindness and madness caused by the cloak of night. This can also symbolism the blindness of love and lust within the play, giving a representation through Hermia’s eyes. Her wandering aimlessly to the sound of Lysander’s footsteps also gives an example of her breaking away from societal norms, following the person she loves most, even if her father doesn’t approve. Another example of symbolism in A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the moon. The moon within the play is a symbol of time and waiting, and we also see this early on in the play. Within the text, Shakespeare writes,” Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour/ Draws on apace; four happy days bring in/ Another moon: but O, methinks how slow/ This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires,”(1.1 1-4). This quote is from Theseus and we see the symbolism of the moon in this quote. Theseus is eager to marry Hippolyta, his bride he won, but complains as time lingers on, blaming the moon as he believes it drags on the days.

In total, these examples help aid in Shakspeare’s big idea throughout the text by showing how people should break from societal chains and go their own path. The Woods were a closed curtain, allowing people to truly express themselves on how they feel instead of adhering to Athenian law. The moon was seen as the passage of time, allotting people’s patience for what they believe is right and teaching people that success or power does not come instantly.

Metaphors and Their Role in Character Development

In addition, Shakespeare uses metaphors to build his stance on people going against the grain of societal boundaries. Shakespeare writes, “I am your spaniel, and, Demetrius,/ The more you beat me I will fawn on you./ Use me but as you spaniel; spurn me, strike me,/ Neglect me , lose me; only give me leave,/ Unworthy as I am, to follow you,”(2.1 203-207). Helena compares herself to that of a loyal dog. Not only is she willing to follow him, but she is showing her lack of self-worth when she encourages him to “spurn me, strike me, neglect me.” By encouraging Demetrius to treat her poorly, the audience sees what little self-value Helena has for herself; she would rather be looked down upon, ignored and beaten by the one she loves than be within another and treated well, willing to follow Demetrius forever, no matter how mean he is to her. This shows her breaking away from society because Demetrius doesn’t want her, but she feels being with him is the best for both of them, and she pursues this no matter how many obstacles he throws her way. The words “beat me” actually are what they mean. Demetrius threatened to take violent action against her. Earlier in the play, Hermia compliments Helena and tells her that Demetrius will love her, to which she replies, “Call you me fair?/ That fair against unsay./ Demetrius loves your fair: O happy fair!/ Your eyes are lode-stars;”(1.1 183-185). Here, Helena criticises Hermia for calling her beautiful, claiming that Demetrius loves Hermia and will never love herself. She uses this as a way to set her own roadblock, breaking down her own self esteem to give herself an excuse to break societal chains. Within real life, people do this all of the time, giving excuses for why they shouldn’t do what they want and instead “go with the flow”. Shakespeare capitalizes on this, showing that people need to not be their own worst enemy.

All in all, Shakespeare uses metaphors to help build his major idea of people breaking down societal chains and cutting their own path. Within the example of Helena, she cuts through the blockades Demetrius puts up for her, rolling with the punches and finally getting what she wants.

Tone Variations and Their Impact on the Play’s Atmosphere

The final literary device Shakspeare uses within A Midsummer Night’s Dream is tone. Shakespeare uses a group of mostly three tones within the play: somber, comical, and bright. The play starts off in a light tone as Theseus and Hippolyta voice their opinions on their upcoming wedding but quickly turns sour as we get into the conversation between Lysander and Hermia about their forbidden relationship, Hermia stating, “If then true lovers have been ever crossed,/ It stands as an edict in destiny./ Then let us teach our trials patience,/ Because it is a customary cross,/ As due to love as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs,/ Wishes and tears, poor fancy’s followers”(1.1 152-157). Within this conversation, Hermia loses hope and starts to accept the fact that she can not marry Lysander and must obey her father. The lines “If then true lovers have been ever crossed,/ It stands as an edict in destiny” states that she believes that she believes that their relationship is not just meant to be. This is an example of conforming to societal norms, limiting her free will. Another example of this somber tone is a little bit earlier in the play, where Theseus tells Hermia, “Take time to pause, and by the next new moon,/The sealing-day betwixt my love and me/ For the everlasting bond of fellowship,/ Upon that day either prepare to die/ For disobedience to your father’s will,/ Or else wed Demetrius, as he would,/ Or on Diana’s altar to protest/ For aye, austerity and single life,”(1.1 85-92). In this quote, Theseus tells Hermia that she either listens to her father and marries Demetrius, submits to a life of nunnery, or be put to death. This carries a dark tone because this puts her in a position in which she either marries someone she doesn’t want to or be put to death. This is an example of societal norms, trying to mold Hermia into something she doesn’t want to be. This limits her, ultimately leading to her running into the woods with Lysander.

Concluding Analysis: Breaking Societal Norms and Individual Paths

All in all, Shakespeare uses tone throughout the entire play, switching between somber, comical, and bright and happy tones. These tones are used to help develop the situation the characters are in. He uses this to support his big idea by bending how readers read the play and building situations where the characters feel discouraged and have to overcome obstacles.

Shakespeare’s big idea also is reflected heavily in multiple other writing pieces, including the likes of A Road Not Taken by Robert Frost and A Letter To My Parents by user Barely_breathing. In A Road Not Taken, the author views a problem in life as two roads, writing, “And sorry I could not travel both/ And be one traveler, long I stood/ And looked down one as far as I could/ To where it bent in the undergrowth;/ Then took the other, as just as fair,/ And having perhaps the better claim,/ Because it was grassy and wanted wear;/ Though as for that the passing there/ Had worn them really about the same,”(Frost 2-10). In this quote, the author views both paths, one well beaten by footprints and used, and the other overgrown with grass and weeds. These two decisions symbolize any we come across in life, one that the majority take, and one that verges off into a new direction. Society wants us to follow in each other’s footsteps and go the same way. People need to see that it’s okay to try something new and follow their heart in any direction it takes them. Going against society is how people pull ahead of the crowd and land on top, succeeding in their practice.

Similar to this point, A Letter To My Parents follows the author’s life and how she couldn’t live up to her parents’ expectations, stating, “I realized, Dad, that I could never make you happy by bringing home a boy for you to interrogate. I realized who I was, who I am, is a disgrace to you,”(ALTMP 7-8). The author broke away from her parents’ expectations, realizing that what her parents wanted for her wasn’t good for her. In this quote, the author apologizes to her father for coming out lesbian. While this in society is not wrong and is encouraged, her father views this as bad. She carved her own path out of the situation her parents made for her and made her way through what she believed was right for her.

For some people, love may be something good, but for others, it can be an emotion that causes fear. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses “Daphne and Phoebus,” The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne,” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, you are able to find Differences across themes, like reversed roles, characters, dialogues, and images. Also, there are similarities across themes, topics, and tone. In all, both the painter and writers want to let the audience know that love can cause fear.

To begin with, love can cause fear. The similarities across the theme would be topic and tone. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses “Daphne and Phoebus,” The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne,” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, you are able to compare the tone of the main characters. In Ovid’s story, Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the elders painting, you sense both Demetrius and Daphne’s fear. In both Ovid’s Metamorphoses and The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne” Daphne makes it clear she wants nothing to do with Phoebus or Apollo, but he seems to not understand that the more he tries to get her to love him, the more her fear rises and her instinct to flee. The same goes for Demetrius. To continue, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Demetrius does not appear to be that afraid of Helena, he is afraid that she will keep him away from his one true love which causes him to want to get away. ‘Help me, father! If your streams have divine powers change me, destroy this beauty that pleases too well!”(Ovid’s 6)”I’ll run from thee and hide me in the brakes”(midsummer 235). This helps support how Apollo, Phoebus, and Helena’s love caused daphne’s and Demetrius true tone which is fear. Moreover, love is a topic compared between Ovid’s Metamorphoses ” The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne,” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Additionally, love is shown by Apollo, Phoebus, and Helena. Each person tries to show how much they care about Daphne, and Demetrius, but are pushed to the point that their love

For some people, love may be something good, but for others, it can be an emotion that causes fear. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses “Daphne and Phoebus,” The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne,” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, you are able to find Differences across themes, like reversed roles, characters, dialogues, and images. Also, there are similarities across themes, topics, and tone. In all, both the painter and writers want to let the audience know that love can cause fear.

To begin with, love can cause fear. The similarities across the theme would be topic and tone. In Ovid’s Metamorphoses “Daphne and Phoebus,” The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne,” and Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, you are able to compare the tone of the main characters. In Ovid’s story, Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the elders painting, you sense both Demetrius and Daphne’s fear. In both Ovid’s Metamorphoses and The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne” Daphne makes it clear she wants nothing to do with Phoebus or Apollo, but he seems to not understand that the more he tries to get her to love him, the more her fear rises and her instinct to flee. The same goes for Demetrius. To continue, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Demetrius does not appear to be that afraid of Helena, he is afraid that she will keep him away from his one true love which causes him to want to get away. ‘Help me, father! If your streams have divine powers change me, destroy this beauty that pleases too well!”(Ovid’s 6)”I’ll run from thee and hide me in the brakes”(midsummer 235). This helps support how Apollo, Phoebus, and Helena’s love caused daphne’s and Demetrius true tone which is fear. Moreover, love is a topic compared between Ovid’s Metamorphoses ” The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne,” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Additionally, love is shown by Apollo, Phoebus, and Helena. Each person tries to show how much they care about Daphne, and Demetrius, but are pushed to the point that their love has gone too far. In the elders painting, you see how Apollo is trying to reach out to Daphne, even as she is turning into a tree. To continue, in Ovid’s story Phoebus is too driven by his love for Daphne that he does not even care if she is a tree or not. Along with, Helena is also blinded by her love for Demetrius that she does not care if she is in the forest where animals may kill her.”Even like this Phoebus loved her and, placing his hand against the trunk, he felt her heart still quivering under the new bark”(ovids 7). “The wildest hath not such a heart as you. Run when you will. The story shall be changed: Apollo flies and Daphne holds the chase. (midsummer 240) In other words, Helena, Apollo, and Phoebus were too focused on their love, to even realize that it has driven both Daphne and Demetrius away.

Next, the differences across themes would be reversed roles, characters, dialogues, and images. In The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne”, you notice that instead of seeing four characters you see three. This is different because, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses “Daphne and Phoebus”, Cupid is mentioned, but is not seen in neither The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne” nor Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.”Venus’s son replied ‘You may hit every other thing Phoebus, but my bow will strike you: to the degree that all living creatures are less than gods, by that degree is your glory less than mine.”(ovids 2)To continue, when cupid is not seen in the painting, it causes suspicion, because in Ovid’ s story he is someone who shot arrows out of anger and pettiness, but now in the elder’s painting, it is as if he was not there. In addition, you are also able to know who caused daphne’s fear and Phoebus’s love, which never seems to end. Furthermore, in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” you are able to notice the reversed roles. To continue, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses “Daphne and Phoebus”, Daphne is the one who is running away in fear, While in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it is a man named Demetrius, who is running away with fear.” Thou told’st me they were stolen unto this wood, And here am I, and wood within this wood Because I cannot meet my Hermia. Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.”(midsummer 200)This helps understand that instead of a woman running away it is now a man, which shows, the reversed roles. In addition, the dialogues are different because in The Elder’s “Apollo and Daphne” words are not exchanged but when you read Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the dialogue between Demetrius and Helena are long and focused. Meanwhile, in “Ovid’s Metamorphoses” Daphne and Phoebus do not exchange enough words to make a dialogue, but mostly details. To continue if you look at all three only The Elder’s painting is an image while the others are not. In all, these are the Differences across themes.

In conclusion, people do not realize the amount of fear they cause just with their love. Hence, Love can cause fear. In all, the painting, poem, and story, all have their differences and similarities across, themes.

Love is a cruel game that has no rules. The play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare, is about the unstable and conflicted relationships between four couples. The play is set in Athens where everything starts to go wrong with the upcoming wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta, which is happen in four days. Lysander and Demetrius change their feelings of love and commitments for both Hermia and Helena in this short period of time. Through these characters, Shakespeare shows the precarious and fickle nature of romantic love. Their relationships are full of confusion, conflict, and chaos, which become themes that drive the play. Lysander switches his love for both Hermia and Helena showing how unpredictable love can be. Lysander and Hermia planned to run away in order to escape the Athenian law which holds them apart. They showed how devoted they truly are by fighting against any authority figure who opposes their love. After they ran away and spent their day in the forest, Lysander decides to sleep in the woods for the night because Hermia looks tired and he doesn’t know where they are. After they say good night to each other, Lysander promises his love and loyalty to Hermia by saying “Amen, amen to that fair prayer say I, And then end life when I end loyalty!” (Shakespeare Act 2.sc. 2 68-69). Lysander believes that nothing can separate them and just nothing can alter his love for Hermia. However, Lysander does not realize that his loyalty to Hermia is going to end that night. Oberon, the king of the fairies, feels bad when he sees Helena chasing Demetrius, therefore he sends Puck to drop the love potion into Demetrius’s eyes. Unfortunately, Puck mistakes Demetrius for Lysander who is also wearing Athenian clothes. Under the strong effects of the nectar, Lysander leaves Hermia alone in the forest and pursues his new true love, Helena. In response of Hermia’s worries and pursuits, Lysander says “Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, let loose,

Love is a cruel game that has no rules. The play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare, is about the unstable and conflicted relationships between four couples. The play is set in Athens where everything starts to go wrong with the upcoming wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta, which is happen in four days. Lysander and Demetrius change their feelings of love and commitments for both Hermia and Helena in this short period of time. Through these characters, Shakespeare shows the precarious and fickle nature of romantic love. Their relationships are full of confusion, conflict, and chaos, which become themes that drives the play.

Lysander switches his love for both Hermia and Helena showing how unpredictable love can be. Lysander and Hermia planned to run away in order to escape the Athenian law which holds them apart. They showed how devoted they truly are by fighting against any authority figure who opposes their love. After they ran away and spent their day in the forest, Lysander decides to sleep in the woods for the night because Hermia looks tired and he doesn’t know where they are. After they say good night to each other, Lysander promises his love and loyalty to Hermia by saying “Amen, amen to that fair prayer say I, And then end life when I end loyalty!” (Shakespeare Act 2.sc. 2 68-69). Lysander believes that nothing can separate them and just nothing can alter his love for Hermia. However, Lysander does not realize that his loyalty to Hermia is going to end that night. Oberon, the king of the fairies, feels bad when he sees Helena chasing Demetrius, therefore he sends Puck to drop love potion into Demetrius’s eyes. Unfortunately, Puck mistakes Demetrius for Lysander who is also wearing Athenian clothes. Under the strong effects of the nectar, Lysander leaves Hermia alone in the forest and pursues his new true love, Helena. In response of Hermia’s worries and pursuits, Lysander says “Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, let loose, or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.” (Shakespeare Act 3. sc. 2 270-271). Lysander brakes Hermia’s heart with those words. After Puck put the nectar on his eyelids, he falls instantly in love with Helena and violently out of love with Hermia. Lysander claims to have no recollection of the previous night, and pours out torrents of abuse on Hermia. Through these fluctuating events, Shakespeare shows the reader how fragile love is with Lysander’s broken promises and rude comments.

Demetrius’s obsession with Hermia causes him to abandon his relationship with Helena, his previous lover, which leads to a series of consequences for all the characters. Initially, in love with Helena, Demetrius changes his feelings and becomes attracted to Hermia. Helena told Demetrius the plan of Lysander and Hermia so that he will be grateful and will hopefully fall in love with her, however, her plan does not work. Helena follows Demetrius all the way to the forest and continues to express her love to him. Even though Demetrius walks away in disgust, she still does not give up. Helena’s actions lead Demetrius to reject her aversively. He shows his spite by saying “Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, For I am sick when I do look on thee.” (Shakespeare Act 2.sc.1 218-219). Nothing can hurt Helena more than the person she loves not appreciating her feelings. Demetrius is being excessively rude and insensitive when Helena professes her love towards him. Nevertheless, when Demetrius begins to reciprocate her love after Puck drips the love potion on his eyes, she understandably believes he is mocking her. He lovingly professes, “O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine! To what, my love, shall I compare thine eyne.” (Shakespeare Act 3.sc.2 140-141). Demetrius previously stated that Helena makes him sick, but all a sudden, he swears to love her until his death. Moreover, Helena assumes that the physical appearance is the reason why Demetrius loves Hermia. Therefore, when both Lysander and Demetrius express their love to her, she does not believe it because she thinks there is no reason for them to give up the captivating and beautiful Hermia because her personality and looks have not changed. Shakespeare displays that love is fluid because any factor can contribute to the capriciousness of love, which reflects a lack of awareness of the complexity of the other’s situation.

Oberon’s revenge on his wife Titania represents how easily relationships may change because of trivial conflicts. They fight over childish topics and resort immature behavior. Oberon is jealous of the Indian boy who Titania takes meticulous care of. In response Oberon yells:“Tarry, rash wanton. Am not I thy lord?” (Shakespeare Act 2.sc.1 65). Oberon enforces the idea that Titania should be obeying and paying attention to him, which in this case, is to give him the Indian boy. Titania also expresses her power and tries to make herself Oberon’s equal. Her refusal and actions displease Oberon so he decides to humiliate Titania in order to achieve what he wants. He commands Puck to put the love potion on his wife’s eyes. Puck does Oberon says and makes Titania fall in love with Bottom who has a donkey head because of Puck’s spell. When Titania wakes up with the potion on her eyes, she completely falls in love with Bottom and

no longer in love with Oberon. She says:“I pray thee, gentle mortal, sing again. Mine ear is much enamored of thy note, So is mine eye enthralled to thy shape, And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.” (Shakespeare Act. 3.sc.1 139-143). The fact that Titania falls in love with someone other than her husband demonstrates the inconsistent nature of love. As a result of the potion, Oberon successfully distracts Titania, so Titania agrees to give him the Indian boy. She releases the boy so easily also illustrates feelings may just be a delusion. Oberon and Titania do not completely trust each other, and are jealous of one another. More importantly, due to their lack of communication, they both want to hold power over each other in order to obtain their goals. Throughout the play, Shakespeare shows the readers that love sometimes may just be an illusion, and there are no guarantees in love.

Shakespeare demonstrates how changeable love can be with the three couples. Lysander fails to keep his promises to Hermia and turns his love towards Helena. Demetrius changes his feelings constantly throughout the play. Oberon retaliate upon his wife Titania. These all illustrate the uncertainty of love. Nowadays, under some circumstances, it is pretty predictable that love will become fragile or at least uncomfortable, even in the durable relationship. Most couples drift into comfortable attraction and settle into a deep emotional attachment. However, all feelings disappear because of an argument. Shakespeare proves that love may be easily changed by revealing the flip-flop feelings between the couples.

Introduction

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (c. 1594–1595) belongs to the period from Shakespeare’s experimental, a similar comedy to his mature, romantic, philosophical, jolly vein. The play develops the motif of love as an imaginative journey from reality into a fantasy world created by the one and only artist, Shakespeare.

Plot Summary

A Midsummer Night’s Dream involved four plots elaborating four groups of characters: the court party of Theseus, the four young lovers, the fairies and the rude mechanicals or would-be actors.

The story was opened with Theseus and Hippolyta planning their wedding, which takes place in four days. Egeus marches with full of vexation, bringing the complaint against his child, his daughter Hermia along with two young men. Lysander and Demetrius. Demetrius has the consent of Egeus to marry his daughter, Hermia but Hermia is in love with Lysander. Egeus is furious to Lysander because his daughter’s heart which manipulatively filch and turned her obedience, which is due to her fathers. Hermia had to choose or else according to the law, her death will immediately provided. After what happened, when the night hits, the two young lovers decided to escape Athens. They make their intentions known to Hermia’s friend Helena, who is in love with Demetrius and Helena for her last effort to gain Demetrius’ love, she tells him about the eloping. Helena annoyingly follows Demetrius behind.

In the other part of the story are the two different groups of characters, the fairies and the rude mechanicals or would-be actors. Fairy Queen Titania and Fairy King Oberon are arguing because Titania refuses to give Oberon custody of the Indian boy she is raising. Oberon sends Puck, the trouble-maker, out to find a plant called love-in-idleness, the juice of which makes any person dote on the next creature he or she sees. The second are the actors rehearsing a play that they hope to perform for the duke and his bride.

Back to Oberon and Puck, the terrible way of Demetrius treating Helena caught the eye of Oberon, Oberon instructs Puck to put some love juice in Demetrius’ eyes at a moment when Helena will be the first person he sees upon waking. Mistaking Lysander for the Demetrius Puck puts love juice in Lysander’s eyes. Still in pursuit of Demetrius, Helena wanders past and awakens the sleeping Lysander; he immediately falls in love with her. As the night continues, Puck wanted to undo his wrongdoings but in the end he made things even worst. Both Lysander and Demetrius end up falling in love with Helena who believes that Lysander and Demetrius are making fun of her. Now, Hermia challenge Helena to a fight because of jealousy but Puck confuses them by copying their voices until they are lost separately in the forest. The four young lovers fell asleep. While sleeping, Puck reverses the spell on Lysander and casts a spell so none of the lovers will remember what has happened.

But before all that happens, when Puck already obtains the flower, as for revenge, Oberon tells him to spread its juice on the sleeping Titania’s eyelids. As Titania opens her eyes, the first thing she saw was the most ridiculous of the Athenian mechanicals. Titania immediately falls in love with him. Oberons’ plan was successful.

The morning comes, Theseus and Hippolyta discover the sleeping lovers in the forest and take them back to Athens to be married—Demetrius now loves Helena, and Lysander now loves Hermia.

When the ceremony has come to an end, Theseus decides that it is time to the mechanicals or craftsmen to perform their play, the “Pyramus and Thisbe”. The craftsmen finally present their hilarious play.

Critique/Analysis

While reading Shakespeare’s masterpiece, as a reader, it was like riding a roller coaster. The book, for me, was very challenging to read. The words, dictions and definition used was not usual. Patience is highly needed.

Sorrow we know can go beyond itself; so, according to Shakespeare, can pleasure go beyond itself and become something dangerous and unknown The Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton (2019). It is connected when we talk about relationships, along the way it clearly depicts how relationships can involve a great amount of cruelty, with the potential to spread discord throughout society and even in ourselves.

Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream uses imagery. As we know, imagery uses the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch to describe a scenario or event. It is shown in the story that it clearly uses the imagery, one example would be the fairies. Shakespeare also used literary devices like allusion, assonance and alliteration. Allusion or the reference to an external idea. Assonance, where the words begin with the same vowel such as “arm, ’d” and “aimed”. Alliteration where words begin with the same consonant such as “loos’ed” and “love-shaft”.

Conclusion

In the story, we can say that, our parents has the biggest impact in our lives, ourselves, in our perspective and even when it comes to making decisions. Egues as a father in the story, threatens his own daughter to marry the man she doesn’t even love which made Hermia, her daughter’s name, to fight back. Also, Oberon did brainwash his partner Titania using the love potion just to get and seek revenge. Demetrius chases and forcing his self to someone who don’t even look him and love him as what he is.

People tend to do things the way they want it, the way they like it without any critical thinking, without stopping, looking and even worst without listening for the possible things that may affect because of their doings just to satisfy themselves.

Throughout the play, relationships especially romantically, are portrayed as a force that can spread, like an illness. At one point, you and the whole earth become infected.

It is both amazing and scary when human desire cross the boundary between reality and fantasy. A Midsummer Night’s Dream also shows the heartfelt, extreme and intense human love. It indicates in the story how much love can contagious and how much it affects as an individual.

Vocabulary

1. Nuptial adjective Meaning relating to marriage or weddings
2. Methinks verb Meaning it seems to me
3. Dowager noun Meaning a widow with a title or property derived from her late husband
4. Revenue noun Meaning an increase usually measured in money that comes from labor, business, or property
5. Merriment noun Meaning a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter
6. Melancholy noun Meaning a state or spell of low spirits
7. Vexation noun Meaning the act of making unwelcome intrusions upon another
8. Filch verb Meaning to take without right and with an intent to keep
9. Beseech verb Meaning to make a request in an earnest or urgent manner
10. Barren adjective Meaning producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
11. Hymns noun Meaning a religious song
12. Aye adverb Meaning used to express agreement
13. Vantage noun Meaning the more favourable condition or position in a competition
14. Avouch verb Meaning to declare to be true or genuine
15. Devoutly adjective Meaning firm in one’s allegiance to someone or something
16. Confer verb Meaning to give the ownership or benefit of formally or publicly
17. Enthral verb Meaning to hold the attention of as if by a spell
18. Spleen noun Meaning an intense emotional state of displeasure with someone
19. Edict noun Meaning an order publicly issued by an authority
20. Progeny noun Meaning the descendants of a person, animal, or plant

Shakespeare was definitely a man of culture who’s oft credited for several things ranging from tropes present in our media, our modern language, and some of the most renown works that have stood the test of time with several adaptations and interpretations. One of the tropes that Shakespeare liked to tinker with often in his works would have to be the ‘Pastoral’ trope. First and foremost, what is the Pastoral trope; or rather – Pastoral literature? Pastoral literature is the idealization of nature and purity of life outside the hustle and bustle of city life. This is fairly prominent in two works in particular: As You Like It and Midsummer Night’s Dream where a good portion of the play takes place in a forest but with different connotations. This essay will simply serve as a comparison of the Pastoral elements present in As You Like It and Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Despite popular belief; As You Like It has prominent Pastoral elements in it, and it also pokes fun at the aforementioned trope. While the shepherds are minor characters that serve as the comic relief, they end up playing a major role in regards to influencing the main characters – who are all from royal families. The city they live in is portrayed as corrupted, and their luck has gone down South. This is a par for the course for this trope, especially since nature serves as their only escape and as a means for them to partake in opportunities that the court actually forbids. For example, Rosalind can marry and galavant about with Orlando, and Duke Senior ended up making his own court in the forest where his group make music and enjoy the fat of the land.

Despite the play poking fun at the genre as a whole, it follows the Pastoral trope to a ‘t’; almost formulaic in nature where there’s a return to society after an extended period of banishment or exile. In this case, the experiences in the Forest of Arden ended up changing each of the characters for the better. Duke Frederick joined a monastery and gave up his power. Duke Senior learned of the joys that a simple life can give him after being banished. This shows off nature as this very powerful healing force. The play doesn’t entirely idealises nature, and it does talk about some of the possible problems of living on the fat of the land alone. In As You Like It, it’s all purely physical discomfort. Duke Senior compares what’s waiting for him back at home to cold weather, and he preferred the latter. It was a very apples and oranges-esque comparison.

Shakespeare poking fun at the Pastoral trope continues in full swing with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Now, Pastoral literature also touches on love. death, and as a way to serve as some social commentary. A Midsummer Night’s Dream’s central plot focuses on love and can somewhat represent Pastoral literature in that aspect. However, in this work, Shakespeare portrayed the forest as a place fraught with chaos and borderline nightmarish in comparison to the city of Athens. This is the antithesis of the genre as a whole, yet there are still several Pastoral elements in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at play here.

At the very start, Hermia and Lysander are running into the woods as an attempt to escape the injustices of the city. Hermia is forced by her father to marry Demetrius or else there would be punishment, either she’s going to die or be sent to a nunnery, and it follows the law of Athens which is dubbed the ‘ancient privilege of Athens’ (MND I.i.42). Since Duke Thesus is a representation of the court, this escape into the woods resembles traditional Pastoral literature; akin to escaping the country due to harsh laws.

From here on out, however, this is where Shakespeare heavily deviates from Pastoral literature. Puck mistook Lysander for Demetrius and made the former fall in love with Helena and out of love for Hermia. The play becomes more and more complicated and convoluted as more people become involved. Like Oberon attempting to amend this mistake by making Demtrius fall in love with Helena. This is Hell on Earth for Hermia because now the love of her life is smitten with another. It becomes even worse for Hermia because prior to all of this, no man loved her, and she believes that this was all some cruel joke. She also believed that one of her best friend is in on it as well, based off her comment, ‘Lo, she is one of this confederacy!’ (MND, III.ii.195).

Everything is resolved once Puck and Oberon make everything right in the forest, and then Theseus states that both of the couples should wed. In the end, the two couples didn’t end up returning to the woods, but they end up going back to the city. It shows the reader that the city can also be rational and peaceful once the unfair laws were done away with.

In Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare portrays this idea of love as being a hardship where the character Helena represents the sad truth of a one-sided love. For example, Helena loves Demetrius but he has his eyes set on Hermia. Meanwhile, Hermia loves Lysander but her father wants her to marry Demetrius. Throughout the play we see that women are ready to give up everything to chase after a man for the assurance of love.

Helena is a character who falls in love with Demetrius. He however has no interest in Helena as he is madly in love with Hermia. On the contrary, Hermia wants to get married to the lovely Lysander and so they decide to elope. Hermia’s father wants her to marry Demetrius and if she does not accept this order by her father then the “law of Athens yields you up (Which by no means we may extenuate) To death, or to a vow of single life.” This means that if Hermia were not to obey her father, she would have to die or be sent to a nunnery.

Helena is desperate for Demetrius’ love but he does not acknowledge it. She constantly seeks for his attention but does not receive it. Instead, Demetrius showers Helena in insults but she does not let that get to her. In the beginning of the story, Helena’s desperation is visible when she seeks out advice from Hermia about winning over Demetrius’ love. She wants to understand how Demetrius loves her so much and how the feelings Demetrius has for Hermia can be transferred to Helena. Helena soon finds out about Hermia’s plan to elope with Lysander and gets infuriated. She admires how love can be delightful and romantic for a few people. She wonders “How happy some o’er other some can be! Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so. He will not know what all but he does know. And as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes.” Helena wants to know what makes her so different from Hermia who is happy in love.

Helena is a very thoughtful firm lady. After discovering Hermia’s plan to elope with Lysander. She decides to share this news with Demetrius to use as her way to get him to fall in love with her. She intends to lead him to Lysander and Hermia.She hopes to get Demetrius alone and make him fall in love with her. In her head, Helena is thinking “I will go tell him of Hermia’s flight: then to the wood will he tomorrow night pursue her; and for this intelligence if I have thanks, it is a dear expense: But herein mean I to enrich my pain, to have his sight thither and back again.” In act 2, Demetrius gets agitated and begins to talk ill about her and commits that he can never love her but she does not give up. Helena is adamant to stay loyal to Demetrius and it’s almost as if she believes she has an obligation to serve him and die for if necessary. She says “I am your spaniel; and Demetrius, the more you beat me, I will fawn on you. Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, neglect me, lose me; only give me leave…”. The theme of women being submissive to men appears once again.

Helena in some perspective may seem like she is pathetic and pitiful but in another perspective, she seems determined and courageous. Shakespeare uses Helena to represent that women will go that extra mile for the men they love. They will spare their life for the desire of love. Love makes them obedient to men.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard III, and Much Ado About Nothing are all plays that are concerned with several kinds of problems like having trouble distinguishing reality from fantasy, trying to separate truth from untruth, and seeing the truth within the truth. The plot of each play relies on the ability of actors to tell convincing lies and have them be believed by the other characters and audiences alike. Each play does, however, suggest a different point of view about how dishonesty can lead to a myriad of consequences and also bring to light how there can also be consequences when trying to uncover the truth, various consequences that can come along with trying to dig too deep and find out things they may or may not have been better left untouched.

Audiences and readers alike need to bear in mind just how each play’s message might be affected by being delivered in such a way that the audience’s belief and acceptance of illusions, misdirection, and established pretenses that help the audience to watch a play and suspend their disbelief for a few hours so that they can fully immerse themselves in the world that the play creates just for them. However, metadrama is a very popular way to change the impact that a play has on its audience and those who study it later on. Metadrama is the deliberate inclusion and manipulation of references to drama and theater in the course of a play created by the person who wrote the play. Shakespeare, famously known for his use of metadrama in his plays, made a point to use metadrama to further express the themes and concepts that he labors over so that the audience can see and better understand what is happening in the plays.

Shakespeare’s use of metadrama in his plays allows the audience to be directed in a certain way or to suggest certain themes and ideas to them in a more direct manner. Certain examples of metadrama include plays within plays, characters breaking the fourth wall, talking about the art of drama, and characters using disguises. These kinds of metadrama, and others like it, both break and uphold the illusions and pretenses that are set forth by the very art of the play itself; since audiences do expect certain aspects of the play to be maintained as they watch it unfold like a people watching animals at a zoo.

Audiences expect a certain level of deception from seeing a play, however, since the creation of the play itself (Shakespeare certainly perfected the art of the play to a degree) audiences have enjoyed seeing that deception pierced and openly acknowledged in front of them. It’s amusing to a good portion of people to see the illusion of entertainment shattered, there’s just something viscerally satisfying about a play acknowledging that it’s a play in one way or another.

Metadrama is an effective way to get a point across to the audience and poke fun at themselves at the same time. Shakespeare especially uses metadrama to affect the audience’s understanding of his plays and the moral questions about truth and human nature that his plays suggest and discuss throughout the few hours it takes to put them on. Using metadrama in his plays is a successful way to allow the viewing audience to genuinely think through the problems they are going through especially in the time of Shakespeare when many of the topics that were covered were more relevant to their daily lives; whereas in today’s modern times, we have to sometimes stretch and rethink certain points and themes to help them translate to what is going on to fit modern events and ideas (especially since the attention spans and memory retention abilities of millions of people around the world have decreased rapidly due to advancing technology and information that can now be available in mere seconds to anyone with even the most basic of phones these days).

In Midsummer Night’s Dream, there are several examples of metadrama that help get Shakespeare’s points across while still making it entertaining for the audience to watch. This play is famously known for being the stuff of fantasy, creating a world where the characters and audiences alike struggle to distinguish fantasy from reality and lies from the truth. The characters are knee-deep in the lies that they tell to each other and themselves to continue living in fantasies of their creation or break other people out of their own; especially when the fae are involved in multiple of these lies and fantasies that were carefully constructed, but can be easily broken and manipulated by those who have morals and ideals quite different from the mortals with whom they are missing with for reasons that only they can truly understand and express. While other plays use metadrama rather effectively for their purposes, Midsummer Night’s Dream uses metadrama with a certain precision like when actors are putting on a play within a play or talking about how life is filled with fantasy and lies while in a play specifically centered around about fantasy and lies (and their consequences when left unchecked for too long and rampant miscommunication). Miscommunication inherently breeds drama, especially when relying rather heavily on metadrama to express the points and themes so intricately laced throughout the play.

Shakespeare’s use of metadrama in his plays is very deliberate and allows his audiences throughout the ages to enjoy and think about the play’s contents further than if he had just written the play so that audiences could strictly view it. Metadrama allows the audience to have a chance to both experience and interact with the play in a new and different way while discovering the truth and dispelling the fantasies that have been put together piece by piece for the players to live through and think everything over. Shakespeare is a master of metadrama, especially in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

In Richard III, the use of metadrama is not completely obvious, but once you dig a little deeper, you’ll find that it’s one of the plays that uses it most effectively. In a classic dramatic method, Richard III is revealed to be the most unrealistic of Shakespeare’s history plays, Richard II being an obvious exception, but we’re not here to talk about that. People have even called Richard III the most strictly theatrical of Shakespeare’s historical plays, the actors are giving soliloquies, talking about drama while being in a play, and breaking the fourth wall with the audience. The metadrama of Richard III is centered around an original villain who conspires with the audience to create a dark comedy so that he can trick and ultimately kill the other members of the court and cast. A total of 166 lines in soliloquy or talking straight to the audience come right from the mouth of this actor/villain. Buckingham is the only one who seems to give him a run for his money, who can ‘counterfeit the deep tragedian’; he deceives everyone and does everything possible to get what he wants, even at the cost of people’s lives. Everyone except for two people, one of which is his mother.

Another play that does an excellent job of showing Shakespeare’s use of metadrama is Much Ado About Nothing, the theme of appearance versus reality has almost always been considered important to the play’s central values and structure. During the entire play, all of the main characters were deceived at one point or another, by each other or one of the other smaller characters.

Throughout the play, it is often noted by critics and audiences alike, that there is a failure to observe and act sensibly based on the situations they encounter. Some critics argue that the theme of appearance vs reality is in most of Shakespeare’s plays but not in Much Ado About Nothing because of the deliberate acts of deception by the characters, and they argue this does not happen in this play, that it is more explores the power of appearances and the theater itself in reflections. Scholars and critics alike have written articles and whole books about how Shakespeare uses his plays to present a lover’s imagination, the ‘play-within-a-play’ that metadrama expresses; in this play, this pops up rather often, especially when the characters have less than stellar interactions. Several significant plot lines occur when the play-within-a-play takes place during the play, notably when Benedick believes that Beatrice is in love with him.

As anyone can see, the three plays discussed here are all excellent examples of how Shakespeare uses metadrama in his plays to express certain themes and points while allowing the audience to experience and interact with the play in fun and creative new ways so that they can think about events that either already happened or could in their own lives.

This passage from A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare is situated at the beginning of the play and forms part of the exposition. In it, Lysander and Hermia are together alone for the first time on stage. They are both upset because Hermia is forced, by her family, to marry Demetrius or to become a nun when she is completely against it. However, Hermia is passionately in love and physically attached to Lysander, we can see this from the use of imagery as well as metaphors that one gives to another. This passage is significant to the play as love is seen between two characters, Lysander and Hermia. We can also determine that the morals of the play are based on this passage, this is due to the confusion that love creates and implies between the different characters. This passage is a reminder, implying that love is only there for a short period of time and is certainly not perfect, thus confusing.

The passage starts off with a literal description that Lysander gives to Hermia. The phrase “How now, my love! Why is your cheek so pale?” directly tells us that Lysander is attached (in love) to Hermia. This is seen by the compliment, “cheek so pale”, that Lysander gives to Hermia. Pale cheeks are usually light pink colored and pink is often associated with sweetness, playfulness, romanticism, and tenderness. Therefore, Lysander describes Hermia to be someone that is light and charming in emotions as well as beauty. The first phase of the passage is then supported by “How chance the roses there do fade so fast?”. We can directly see that the word “roses” is linked to “pale” colors. The word “roses” is linked to virginity, innocent, and love in which they are all used to create different images in the passage. Lysander is also asking why her beautiful pale-rosed cheeks turned pale so fast, therefore, he knows and interprets that there is a problem running in their relationship. Directly after Lysander mentioned to Hermia why the pale roses on her cheeks have left, the phrase “Belike for want of rain, which I could tell /Beteem them from the tempest of my eyes.” implies that she wants to cry and to shower (between) her cheeks with her tears. The word ‘the tempest’ is relatively significant as it reveals that although Hermia is dry-eyed, she still has some emotions and still is extremely in love with Lysander. This all started when she has been told she was forced to marry Demetrius or become a nun.

From lines 5 to 8, “Ay me!…different in blood”, Lysander implies that love always meets certain types of obstacles, this is mostly seen in the phrase “The course of true love never did run smooth”. This phrase suggests that the longevity of love between a couple never always runs positively and that love meets some defects. Lysander then gives an example, “But, either it was different in blood”, inferring that the problem happening between them might be that each of the lovers has different social standings from one another. The word “blood” is linked to the social class of each family and is not to be confused with the race of the characters. The next series of phrases is a moment in the passage where the two lovers show to us, readers that they really have an extremely strong connection with each other. This is seen by the use of punctuation and repeatedly answering and agreeing with/to each other with a significant amount of enthusiasm and humor. The phrase “O cross! too high to be enthralled to low” spoken by Hermia, is a continuation of Lysander’s reference and another example that she uses to describe a “complicated” relationship. The word “cross” is a biblical allusion that Hermia uses to represent humiliation. Humiliation is represented in this phrase as Hermia makes reference to how “awful” (ironic) it would be if one was too high on the social ladder and fell in love with someone beneath you. Lysander replies to Hermia’s statement by answering “Or else misgraffèd in respect of years” which connotes that if the lovers would be different in age, then it would also be humiliating. The sequence of phrases and the interaction between the two lovers is then concluded by Hermia saying “O hell, to choose love by another’s eyes!”. Hermia is making ironically making a reference to the current situation they are in by saying, “How bad must it really be and what hell, to have your love life determined by someone else!”.

The 3rd and final part of the passage given by Lysander, “Or, if there were sympathy in choice… So quick bright things come to confusion” implies that even though lovers can be in the best match, their love will eventually be ruined by consequences such as death, war or even sickness. So, therefore, their love affair would only last for a small instant and amount of time, thus the phrase “making it momentary as a sound”. Love and the time that lovers spend with each other might be as fast and sudden as a lighting or even a dream, “swift as a shadow, short as any dream, brief as the lightning in the collied night”. The last phrase of the passage, “So quick bright things come to confusion.” shows and demonstrates to us readers that even though love can be the greatest thing for a small instant of time, intense things like love are quickly destroyed without us even realizing. There is soo much happening that important and meaningful things such as love can disappear in instants.

In conclusion, Shakespeare’s uses of literary techniques such as imagery, allusions, and metaphors are all assembled to describe how love really is and how quickly it can be destroyed. This passage also gives us, readers, a message that love is something that we need to enjoy at every instant as it disappears as “brief as the lighting”.

In “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” by William Shakespeare, several characters reveal selfish and self-centered behaviour that result in unhealthy relationships. To begin with, Helena demonstrates self-centered behaviour when she exposes Hermia and Lysander’s plan to run away. In addition, Hermia’s behaviour towards Helena shows selfishness when she blames Helena for Lysander and Demetrius loving her instead.

Furthermore, Oberon shows signs of being self-centered when he wants to take the Indian boy from Titania. Overall, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” contains characters that are selfish and self-centered. Helena, Hermia, and Demetrius prove that unhealthy relationships are caused by the selfish behaviour of individuals. To start, Helena displays self-centered behaviour when she uncovers Hermia and Lysander’s plan to run away. Helena thinks that by telling Demetrius, it will win his heart.

Helena says, “I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight: Then to the wood will he to-morrow night. Pursue her; and for this intelligence. If I have thanks, it is a dear expense:” Helena is risking their healthy relationship to meet her wants. She is willing to sacrifice her best friend by doing something that is important to herself. Helena only cares about Demetrius loving her. As well, Hermia displays selfish behaviour when Demetrius and Lysander love Helena instead. Now that they both love Helena, Hermia can not be happy for her best friend. Hermia says to Helena,”O me! You juggler! You canker-blossom! You thief of love; what, have you come by night. And stolen my love’s heart from him?” Straightaway, Hermia accuses and calls Helena names. The selfish behaviour of Hermia causes her to see things from only her point of view. She does not care about how Helena might feel. In result, they are both full of anger at each other.

Last of all, Oberon’s behaviour when told about the Indian boy reveals self-centered behaviour. Both Oberon and Titania want to have possession over the Indian boy. Oberon is only concentrating on what he wants and does not take consideration for Titania. Oberon says, “ Do you amend it, then; it lies in you: Why should Titania cross her Oberon? I do beg a little changeling boy, To be my henchman.” Oberon does not care about the meaning the Indian boy has towards Titania. Oberon only cares for himself and only wants power and attention. This effects the relationship Oberon and Titania have and causes Oberon to cast a love potion on Titania. All in all, in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Helena, Hermia, and Demetrius have selfish and self-centered attitude in situations which cause unhealthy relationships.This novel, it shows multiple characters which have traits of selfishness and self-centeredness. This impacts the building of unhealthy relationships. First, Helena expresses her jealousy of Hermia through the behaviour of being self-centered. Seeing Demetrius only love Hermia causes Helena to ruin a friendship by revealing Hermia and Lysander’s secret plan. Secondly, selfishness in Hermia is shown when Lysander and Demetrius are attracted to Helena from a love potion. Hermia immediately expresses her anger on Helena and starts an argument within their friendship.

Lastly, Oberon challenges his relationship with Titania when he exhibits self-centered behaviour. Oberon’s actions clearly show what extent he would go to for power. In summary, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by William Shakespeare show unhealthy relationships built from many selfish and self-centered characters.

Shakespeare’s objective of illusions and reality play upon the context of his play and the management of liminal spaces throughout his work. ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ composed by William Shakespeare was written in 1595/1596 and published in 1600 (this was during the Renaissance) explores the liminal distance between reality and illusions through literary materials such as characterisation and setting. In this Analytic study, I will review these components and how they will illustrate the process of liminal spaces and their effect on the audience and their world.

Shakespeare’s play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ reviews the perceptions of illusions through personalities and how they alter the audience’s perspectives on the world. Shakespeare’s character Lysander develops a sentimental relation to Helena when Puck accidentally mistakes him for Demetrius and places a minor quantity of the ‘Love-in-idleness’ on Lysander’s sleeping eyes instead. “Not Hermia, but Helena I love”–Lysander (page 51, Act 2 Scene 2 line 119) before Lysander went to sleep, he was in affection with Hermia and was running away with her so they could marry one another, as Lysander awakened, he became affectioned with Helena because of Puck’s small mistake. The liminal connection being between the two experiences was Lysander’s sleeping state, the ‘Love-in-idleness’ formed a deception in Lysander’s perceiving, situation A being his infatuation for Hermia and situation B being his newfound yearning for Helena after he wakes. The Audience can depict this scheme by considering that one day you can have a correlation or a sentiment but after being asleep you can have an opposing emotion or opinion to a position.

Shakespeare showcases reality in the play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, by establishing a distinctive point (the forest) to detach the suburb to separate between illusions and reality. When the audience is introduced to the Court, it is when Hermia tries to infer with Theseus and her father to let her marry Lysander, by the conclusion of the discussion Hermia has to appoint whether she would willingly “Either to die the death or to abjure”–Theseus (page 7, Act 1 Scene 1 line 65) or “To live a barren sister all your life”–Theseus (page 7, Act1 Scene 1 line 72) for if she determines to not wed Demetrius. This shows a significant part in the plotline as it serves as the outcome of Lysander and Hermia to run abroad to the peripheries of the forest to remain happy and to wed one another in tranquility. The scene then attends to Demetrius going into the forest to find Hermia and Helena follows him in a quest to commit his love to her, which Shakespeare introduces the audience to Oberon and Puck who cast the ‘Love-in -idleness’ spell on the Nobles. The liminal connection that Shakespeare captures the audience through between the Court and the Forest is the controversy between Lysander, Hermia and Helena as they are conferring the runaway plan. This short period follows on how these characters were simulated, therefore, in reality, knew every decision they were making but once every four characters stepped into the Forest, they soon became unknown to what was occurring around them as they had entered the illusion of magic and love. The audience can relate to there are still arranged marriages occurring across the world, and some decisions we make on our own love interests are against what our peers say. Shakespeare’s writing and plays are still relatable to audiences today because of this is a prime example of humans trying to find their soulmate.

The Bell Shakespeare team’s quote applies to the plot of Shakespeare’s play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ as the art of theatre is an enclosed space away from the reality of life, to showcase a mythical story for personal entertainment. An example of this shown in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is when the Mechanicals put on the play for Hippolyta and Theseus for their wedding. This scene is of huge importance as it becomes a play inside a play to the audience.

To conclude this, analyse the quote “Theatres are the ultimate ‘liminal spaces’, neither reality nor pure illusion” I agree as a play based on facts about cultural elements, human experiences/the human experience and imagination, to create an entertaining piece of work for the pleasure of audiences. Shakespeare represented Liminal spaces well throughout his play to showcase that time might feel like one night but, it could be four days.