Theme Analysis: A Midsummer's Night Dream Act 1 Scene 1
Midsummer’s Night Dream Essay
“He was not of an age, but for all time”, said Ben Jonson describing William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare is one of the world’s most renowned play writers of all time. His plays will remain forever relevant in the lives of all human beings. Love’s difficulty is a theme explored in many of Shakespeare’s plays. In the play, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Shakespeare has conveyed this theme brilliantly, using a variety of techniques, symbols, themes and a script that brings the theme to the audience. Love is a theme that will always be relevant.
Act 1 scene 1 shows love’s difficulty as a theme well, using techniques and symbols to convey it. In this part of the play, Lysander states to Hermia: “The course of true love never did run smooth” (1.i. 134), which emphasises that love is never easy and sacrifices must be made. Hermia’s father is against Hermia getting married to Lysander, furthermore, Theseus is threatening with death if she does not listen to her father. Indeed, Lysander says worryingly to Hermia “How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale? How chance the roses there do fade so fast?” (1.i. 128-129). Shakespeare has used this metaphor to convey Hermia’s emotions as well as her physical appearance, she pale, lost the colour on her cheeks, which is a sign of her being overwhelmed and possibly fainting.
Lysander reassures Hermia that true love can overcome any type difficulty or challenge, including; differences in age (“missgraffed in respect of years”: 1.i. 137) and difficulties caused by friends or “war, death or sickness” (1.i. 142), which make love seem “swift as a shadow, short as any dream” (1.i. 144). But, in order to live their romance, lovers must persevere and, take on their difficulties as best they can as they arise.
Thus, the above emphasises the play’s exploration of the theme love’s difficulties and foreshadows Lysander and Hermia’s future. Indeed it looks like they will face great difficulties but will
“He was not of an age, but for all time”, said Ben Jonson describing William Shakespeare. William Shakespeare is one of the world’s most renowned play writers of all time. His plays will remain forever relevant in the lives of all human beings. Love’s difficulty is a theme explored in many of Shakespeare’s plays. In the play, A Midsummer’s Night Dream, Shakespeare has conveyed this theme brilliantly, using a variety of techniques, symbols, themes and a script that brings the theme to the audience. Love is a theme that will always be relevant.
Act 1 scene 1 shows love’s difficulty as a theme well, using techniques and symbols to convey it. In this part of the play, Lysander states to Hermia: “The course of true love never did run smooth” (1.i. 134), which emphasises that love is never easy and sacrifices must be made. Hermia’s father is against Hermia getting married to Lysander, furthermore, Theseus is threatening with death if she does not listen to her father. Indeed, Lysander says worryingly to Hermia “How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale? How chance the roses there do fade so fast?” (1.i. 128-129). Shakespeare has used this metaphor to convey Hermia’s emotions as well as her physical appearance, she pale, lost the colour on her cheeks, which is a sign of her being overwhelmed and possibly fainting.
Lysander reassures Hermia that true love can overcome any type difficulty or challenge, including; differences in age (“missgraffed in respect of years”: 1.i. 137) and difficulties caused by friends or “war, death or sickness” (1.i. 142), which make love seem “swift as a shadow, short as any dream” (1.i. 144). But, in order to live their romance, lovers must persevere and, take on their difficulties as best they can as they arise.
Thus, the above emphasises the play’s exploration of the theme love’s difficulties and foreshadows Lysander and Hermia’s future. Indeed it looks like they will face great difficulties but will