Love's Drawback
Tyler Bowman
Ms. Smith
Soph. Lit
07 December 2009
Love’s Drawback Some people are lucky, love is not burdensome. That is not the case for three couples in William Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For Lysander and Hermia, Helena and Demetrius, love is ever changing like the seasons, while Oberon and Titania’s love is challenged by one major obstacle. Love seems to be a simple matter, but the three couples face complications in love such as culture, supernatural influences, and jealousy. A common problem for a young couple that worship each other is defying rules and their parents opinion. Egeus, the father of Hermia brings his family problems to the Duke of Athens; Egeus is about to commit his daughter to a marriage she does not want. Egeus wants Theseus to back him up as he tells him, “As she is mine, I may dispose of her;/ Which shall be either to this gentleman,/ Or to her death, according to our law” (1.144-46). Egeus has no affection for his own daughter; he talks about killing her without any remorse. Egeus is self-centered and does not care about Hermia’s view, he never asks her what she wants, it is only about him. Her father thinks he is doing the right thing for her, but he is not. He does not care about who his daughter actually loves; he cares only about his money and family honor. A father should never consider killing his own daughter. Egeus would not second-guess his decision, if Hermia refused to marry Demetrius. Hermia’s response to what her father just said is, “So I will grow, so live, so die, my lord,/ Ere I will yield my virgin paten up/ Unto his lordship whose unwished yoke/ my soul consents not to give sovereignty” (1.1.81-84). Hermia shows how much she loves Lysander. Many women from this time period would not care who they married, as long the man could take care of them. Hermia is taking a stand that if she cannot have her true love then she will not have anyone. If she is not allowed to marry Lysander then she is
Ms. Smith
Soph. Lit
07 December 2009
Love’s Drawback Some people are lucky, love is not burdensome. That is not the case for three couples in William Shakespeare’s, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For Lysander and Hermia, Helena and Demetrius, love is ever changing like the seasons, while Oberon and Titania’s love is challenged by one major obstacle. Love seems to be a simple matter, but the three couples face complications in love such as culture, supernatural influences, and jealousy. A common problem for a young couple that worship each other is defying rules and their parents opinion. Egeus, the father of Hermia brings his family problems to the Duke of Athens; Egeus is about to commit his daughter to a marriage she does not want. Egeus wants Theseus to back him up as he tells him, “As she is mine, I may dispose of her;/ Which shall be either to this gentleman,/ Or to her death, according to our law” (1.144-46). Egeus has no affection for his own daughter; he talks about killing her without any remorse. Egeus is self-centered and does not care about Hermia’s view, he never asks her what she wants, it is only about him. Her father thinks he is doing the right thing for her, but he is not. He does not care about who his daughter actually loves; he cares only about his money and family honor. A father should never consider killing his own daughter. Egeus would not second-guess his decision, if Hermia refused to marry Demetrius. Hermia’s response to what her father just said is, “So I will grow, so live, so die, my lord,/ Ere I will yield my virgin paten up/ Unto his lordship whose unwished yoke/ my soul consents not to give sovereignty” (1.1.81-84). Hermia shows how much she loves Lysander. Many women from this time period would not care who they married, as long the man could take care of them. Hermia is taking a stand that if she cannot have her true love then she will not have anyone. If she is not allowed to marry Lysander then she is