A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Love vs. Reason
Chelsea Cross
Miss Drap
English 4
25 October 2011
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Love vs. Reason
“The course of true love never did run smooth.” (1.1.134) When it comes to love, many conflicts seem surface causing major problems and difficulties in relationships. In William Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the four lovers: Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius, along with other important characters, experience these hardships of love in numerous ways. Because of this, the dichotomy between love and reason begins to arise. Love versus reason becomes an important dichotomy throughout Shakespeare’s novel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the story, Bottom, the actor who plays Pyramus, says, “Reason and love keep little company together nowadays.” Meaning, love and reason cannot exist together. Many times emotions can take control over reasoning, as seen in this play, but not all love is said to be logical.
The four lovers: Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius, experience a different aspect of love than the other characters in the book. First, Lysander and Hermia undergo difficulties in the pursuit of love. In the beginning of the novel, Egeus, Hermia's father, demands that she marry Demetrius, a man of his choosing, rather than her true love, Lysander. In order to give Egeus what he wants, Theseus, king of Athens, gives Hermia two options. Hermia had the choice of dying or living as a nun for the rest of her life. Hermia and Lysander decide to escape the walls of Athens, in order to live happily together. “Take comfort: he no more shall see my face. Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see, seemed Athens as a paradise to me O then what graces in my love do dwell, that he hath turned a heaven into hell.” (1.1.202-207) This way, if they flee from Athens, they can marry each other and Hermia won’t have to face death or a life as a nun. Later on in the story, Puck, the fairy
Miss Drap
English 4
25 October 2011
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Love vs. Reason
“The course of true love never did run smooth.” (1.1.134) When it comes to love, many conflicts seem surface causing major problems and difficulties in relationships. In William Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the four lovers: Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius, along with other important characters, experience these hardships of love in numerous ways. Because of this, the dichotomy between love and reason begins to arise. Love versus reason becomes an important dichotomy throughout Shakespeare’s novel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the story, Bottom, the actor who plays Pyramus, says, “Reason and love keep little company together nowadays.” Meaning, love and reason cannot exist together. Many times emotions can take control over reasoning, as seen in this play, but not all love is said to be logical.
The four lovers: Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius, experience a different aspect of love than the other characters in the book. First, Lysander and Hermia undergo difficulties in the pursuit of love. In the beginning of the novel, Egeus, Hermia's father, demands that she marry Demetrius, a man of his choosing, rather than her true love, Lysander. In order to give Egeus what he wants, Theseus, king of Athens, gives Hermia two options. Hermia had the choice of dying or living as a nun for the rest of her life. Hermia and Lysander decide to escape the walls of Athens, in order to live happily together. “Take comfort: he no more shall see my face. Lysander and myself will fly this place. Before the time I did Lysander see, seemed Athens as a paradise to me O then what graces in my love do dwell, that he hath turned a heaven into hell.” (1.1.202-207) This way, if they flee from Athens, they can marry each other and Hermia won’t have to face death or a life as a nun. Later on in the story, Puck, the fairy