Comparative Study of Text and Context: a Midsummer Night's Dream
- Submitted by: elise
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- Category: English: Shakespeare
- Date Submitted: 08/08/2010 01:40 AM
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Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream has, over time, remained a timeless text, presenting ideas that can be found relevant to all societies. Through his discussion of the turmoil created by unrequited love, and his representation of father-daughter relationships, Shakespeare has explored themes, and created circumstances, that people across all eras can easily identify with. Shakespeare’s construction of a typical ‘happily-ever-after’ ending has also allowed him to fabricate a text which has been, and still is, popular with many people throughout the ages. His presentation of ageless issues within society, and the way in which he presents them, has allowed Shakespeare to manufacture a text which not only has not reached its expiration date, but appears not to have one.
Throughout A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the theme of unrequited love plays an important role within the plot. The twists created within the play not only create interest for the responder, but allow them to compare these fictitious scenarios with events from their own life, as they too experience the rollercoaster of love and loss. Shakespeare recognises this theme as a medium through which he can connect with his audience and frequently utilises emotive language to strengthen this relationship. When Hermia questions Lysander’s new found love for Helena, he quickly becomes angered, commanding her to, “Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, let loose, or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.” The premise of unrequited love is similarly portrayed when Demetrius makes his way into the forest, followed by Helena. As Helena tries Demetrius’ patience he warns her, “Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, for I am sick when I look on thee”, to which she responds, “And I am sick when I look not on you.” Through figurative representations, the emotion experienced on both fronts is clearly visible, assisting the audience in empathising with the characters involved. Shakespeare’s...
Throughout A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the theme of unrequited love plays an important role within the plot. The twists created within the play not only create interest for the responder, but allow them to compare these fictitious scenarios with events from their own life, as they too experience the rollercoaster of love and loss. Shakespeare recognises this theme as a medium through which he can connect with his audience and frequently utilises emotive language to strengthen this relationship. When Hermia questions Lysander’s new found love for Helena, he quickly becomes angered, commanding her to, “Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, let loose, or I will shake thee from me like a serpent.” The premise of unrequited love is similarly portrayed when Demetrius makes his way into the forest, followed by Helena. As Helena tries Demetrius’ patience he warns her, “Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, for I am sick when I look on thee”, to which she responds, “And I am sick when I look not on you.” Through figurative representations, the emotion experienced on both fronts is clearly visible, assisting the audience in empathising with the characters involved. Shakespeare’s...