A Midsummer Night's Dream Research Paper

I’m hither, with abhor, to complain about mine daughter Hermia. My lord, this sir, Demetrius, hath mine permission to marry that lady. Step forward, Lysander. —But this other sir, Lysander, hath cast a magic spell ov'r mine child’s heart. You, thee, Lysander, you’ve given that lady poems, and switch thy love with mine daughter. You’ve connived to steal mine daughter’s heart, making that lady stubborn and harsh instead of obedient, I asketh thee to alloweth me exercise the right that all fathers has't in Athens. Since the lady belongs to me, I can doth what I want with her, as the law says: I can either maketh that lady marry Demetrius—or hath that lady killed.

They may have free will at first, but once they fall, they have no control anymore. Hermia understands the aforementioned concept well; she admits it when she says “I know not by what power I am made bold,” (I. i. 61) when she defies her father’s command to marry Demetrius. Hermia has another experience with the loss of free will when Lysander falls for Helena because someone else meddles with his adoration. Her love for Lysander causes her to feel confusion and hurt, while Lysander’s love for Helena causes him to abandon all reason and thought for Hermia’s feelings to chase Helena. Earlier in the book, Hermia and Lysander feel the pull of teenage rebellion together as their love for each other pulls Hermia away from her father. Lysander suggests, “If thou lovest me then, steal forth thy father’s house tomorrow night,” (I. i. 165-166). Together, the two lovers plot to run away together, something Hermia would never do if not for Lysander’s

Like the Duchess, Hermia’s family also feels that they should control who she marries. Hermia’s father gives her an ultimatum -- Demetrius or imprisonment with possible death. “So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, / Ere I will yield my virgin patent up / Unto his lordship, whose unwishèd yoke / My soul consents not to give sovereignty,” (I, i, 79-82). Hermia takes control over her life, and steels the power her father had over her. She courageously runs away with Lysander, for she will only live life on her own terms. Furthermore, with her refusal of her father’s arranged marriage, she acknowledges that she cannot be bartered and sold like property, her hand would only be won by someone she chooses.

Furthermore, the law was another problem obstacle that influenced affected love negatively. The Athenian law states that every woman must obey obey her father. “To you your father should be as a god.” (Shakespeare, 11). This quote states that to women, their father should be their God, only obeying him. and the only one they should obey. Hermia’s father, Egeus, refuses to allow to her to marry Lysander, as we wants her to marry Demetrius. Egeus uses using the power of the law over Hermia and this is is demonstrated when he says “As she is mine, I may dispose of her.” (Shakespeare, 11). Lysander and Hermia’s relationship is affected because Hermia must obey her father or face the consequences of the law. Additionally, the law impacts affects the love between Hermia and Lysander because Egeus takes the issue to the Duke, Theseus. Theseus states;

Disagreements about dating and marriage often occur between parents and their children. Hermia especially had this issue with her father. Egeus, Hermia’s father, disliked Lysander, because he states “With cunning hast thou filched my daughter’s heart,” ( I,i,37) by this Egeus

Lysander’s words describe his plan to go to his Aunt’s house. His only goal is to marry Hermia, because he loves her. His love for Hermia is very robust; he can’t bare the thought of not being with her. His plan may put his entire life at stake, but he only has one thought on his mind, being with Hermia. This quote shows how far he would go to be with the person he loves.

This theatrical performance was centered around two pairs of paramours. Preeminent among playwrights, Shakespeare wrote several of his dramas on the theme of love. One of the most famous of these passionate stories is A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as it deals with romance in a variety of fashions. In truth, the theme of romance in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream illustrates that love is blind, young love is hasty, and that love is never without challenges.

Thus, Hermia states that “So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will yield my virgin patent up/ Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke/ My soul consents not to give sovereignty” (Page 22, line 78-82). Shakespeare introduces Hermia as the disobedient daughter of Egeus. She speaks her mind and she is pretty brave to do so since the Athenian law is strict. Hermia would rather spend the rest of her life as a virgin than to marry the man she dislikes. In her defense, she’s protecting her essence of womanhood from someone who doesn’t deserve her love. Hermia’s faithfulness is dedicated to Lysander and no one else. As a result of this, the lovers flee outside of Athens where the Athenian law cannot pursue them. One thing leads to another, Lysander is bewitched and falls in love with Helena, who is currently in love with

Over four-hundred years ago, love was not easy. Today, it still is not easy. Love has never

Theseus, the duke of Athens, is preparing for his marriage to the queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta. Egeus, an Athenian nobleman comes into Theseus’ wedding with his daughter Hermia and two men, Lysander and Demetrius. Egeus wishes for Hermia to wed Demetrius but she is in love with Lysander and refuses to do so. Her father warns her to listen to his wishes otherwise she’d possibly be executed

He restates that she has no other option but to marry the man she does not love. Warning her that if she doesn’t marry she’ll be killed and never see another man again. Even when she is controlled by these men, Hermia does the unexpected from a woman by disobeying her father and running with Lysander. This was a huge deal back in the day because she wasn’t engaged or married to him, making her look anything but pure. Even though she was told what to do by these men, she decided to make the decision for herself.

In their actions Hermia and Lysander also celebrate love, when they decide they would rather leave all their family behind and face possible execution than deny their love. “I have a widow aunt, a dowager of great revenue, and she hath no child: From Athens is her house remote seven leagues; and she respects me as her only son. There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee;

Firstly let’s look at Hermia and Lysander’s true love. The most important love shown in the play is in fact true love because true love is the strongest emotion known to man. The best illustration of this is the true love between Lysander and Hermia because both cherish one another with each ounce of their body and nobody will prevent them from being as one. This is the reason true love is the most capable thing on the planet, on the grounds that true love will never blur and make somebody do anything for true love. This can be shown in what Lysander says in Act. 1 sc. 1 161-164 “There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee, and to that place the sharp Athenian law cannot pursue us. If thou lowest me, then, Steal forth thy father’s house tomorrow

Hermia has a choice to make after Egeus speaking with Theseus about whom she will marry if marry at all. Theseus says to Hermia, “To fit your fancies to your father’s will, / Or else the law of Athens yields you up / (Which by no means we may extenuate) / To death, or to a vow of single life (1.1.118-121).” She has the choice to either marry Demetrius, become a nun, or even die if she chooses neither. Being young and in love, her and Lysander choose to run away and elope, meeting later in the forest that night. It would have worked out for the couple except for one remaining factor that brought further complications to their love.

7. Both Hermia and Lysander will run away to his aunts house away from the reaches of Athenian law and be engaged