A Midsummer Night's Dream Essay

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What Fools These Mortals Be

In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare, there are many aspects of love. Many characters present a dark feeling of love towards others. Helena believes her friendship with Hermia has changed ever since men have entered their lives. Helena reacts to this adjustment in her life with jealousy. Theseus shows his love for Hippolyta in a more manly way rather than romantically. He believes in the more dominant type of love, where man overpowers woman. Egeus, Hermia’s father, is an ignorant man. He does not care for his daughter’s happiness with Lysander but for his own well-being. Shakespeare approaches the concept of love in a negative way. Helena and Hermia are best friends but ever since men have made an impact in their lives, Helena has been left out. She believes her friendship with Hermia has taken a turn for the worst. She feels jealous because she wants to be like Hermia, she wants to be loved by Demetrius and have the characteristics that he loves about her. She misses her simple friendship with Hermia, “So we grow together, Like to a double cherry, seeming parted, But yet a union in partition, Two lovely berries moulded on one stem; So with two seeming bodies, but one heart;” (III.ii.208-212) Helena explains how close she used to be with Hermia. They have branched apart and wish she could be like her because men like her and she is beautiful. This represents the fact that when a relationship is put between friends the love in the middle of the friendship can waver. Helena feels jealous and that is never good. Though friendship love seems disorderly, Theseus and Hippolyta’s love is complicated. Theseus feels he needs to be firm as a lover. He is not the romantic type. He believes in hiding behind a bold manly figure. Though he truly desires Hippolyta, he does not accept anything but being the dominant person. He earns Hippolyta’s hand in marriage because he conquered her and her people. Theseus proudly exclaims, “I woo’d thee with my sword.” (I.i.16) This quote could be taken in a derogatory way but a sword represents a strong object or a manly approach to impressing Hippolyta. Right from the beginning we observe Theseus’ idea of love. He sees love as something that can be won, which is clearly a very negative way of receiving love. Another example of a dominant type of love is Egeus’ parental
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