Midsummer Night's Dream Hippolyta Comparison

This contrasts to the unrhymed iambic pentameter of the Athenians. Because the meters are in fact inverses of each other, it shows how, although both worlds are similar on the surface, they are very different at the core. Both the Athenians and the fairies were struggling with complexities of love. Demetrius with Helena, Lysander with Hermia, and Oberon with Titania all fought the impending chaos that so often accompanied love. The only difference between the squabbling couples was their nature. In the case of Demetrius, Helena, Lysander and Hermia, they were nothing more than mortals. However, the fairies were considered magical beings of great power. Their presence was intimidating and their command was to be respected. By giving end rhyme to the fairies, Shakespeare set them apart intellectually from the lovers and they became more dignified and lyrical in their nature. Because Shakespeare blurred the lines of dominance between the lovers and the fairies through similar meter while maintaining the stereotypical fairy personality of the time, he induced a sense of chaos. Social order began to crumble and emotional breakdowns started soon after.

Before the symbolism of the woods and the land of fairies, the main sources of the conflict between reality and unreality, is intact, there are small hints slowly leading to that direction in the opening scene of Act I, scene i. When Egeus approaches Theseus to aid him with his daughter’s infatuation with Lysander instead of Demetrius, he claims that Lysander has “bewitch'd the bosom of

True love is shown in various places in the play. One of the earliest couples that demonstrate this is Theseus and Hippolyta. They stay true and loyal to each other, showing their desires and passion for each other. The way Theseus has portray his love to Hippolyta is by his eagerness to be wedded to her, “Another moon – but O methinks, how slow this old moon wanes!” By the end of the play, they are happily married.

This brings us to their interaction in Act 5. Hippolyta and Theseus begin the scene, where Hippolyta states that the lovers are speaking of strange things. This leads Theseus to go on and on about how people in love are crazy. He states that, “Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, such shaping fantasies, that apprehend more than cool reason ever comprehends. The lunatic, the lover, and the poet are of imagination all compact”- basically comparing lovers to madman and how they hallucinate and are ruled by their

Throughout A Midsummer Night’s Dream, while the story involving Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, Helena, Oberon and Titania is developing, the rustic gentlemen (Bottom and his friends) are shown rehearsing for a play that they will perform in honor of the upcoming wedding of Theseus (the Duke of Athens) and Hippolyta. The play, “Pyramus and Thisby,” is based on a story that was told by the ancient Roman writer Ovid and retold by Chaucer. The “Pyramus and Thisby” play is not performed until the fifth and final act of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. By then, as Barton points out, the major problems of Lysander, Demetrius and the rest have all been neatly resolved. As such, the “Pyramus and Thisby” play-within-a-play “seems, in effect, to take place beyond the normal, plot-defined boundaries of comedy” (Barton 110).

Furthermore, the lines earlier shows Oberon’s plan to control and submit Titania to his will. His plan to make her fall in love with animals by using a potion indicates that he wants to embarrass Titania. He wants to use his power to manipulate her feelings. He craves the control that he did not have earlier in the play when Titania did what she wanted to do. Therefore, his desire to gain control results in the changing of Titania’s fate. Titania’s actions are based on Oberon’s power. Likewise, Oberon gains satisfaction by executing his plan which empowers him and gives authority. Further, not only does Oberon make plans to control Titania, but he also becomes the cause of the conflict among Lysander, Demetrius, Hermia, and Helena. Oberon’s decision to meddle in their affairs directly impacts their fate as they become powerless over their situation. Oberon’s overwhelming sense of entitlement for utter control affects the events that transpire in their lives. Specifically, Oberon’s interference changes how two of the main characters, Lysander and Hermia interact with each other. Their mutual attraction to each other is altered as a result of Lysander’s will becoming influenced by Oberon. Thus, Lysander professes his love for Helena. Then, Hermia verbally attacks Helena:

The above shows that Titania and Oberon share a relationship that is inseparable. They swallow their pride and come back together, planning to even bless the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta even though those were the other two in the affairs. Hippolyta proceeds to call Oberon ‘my Lord’ and Oberon calls Hippolyta ‘my Queen’. This shows that their love is still prevalent. ‘True love’ is the baseline in the play and is the primary form of love.

Many stories share similar qualities with older ones. A Midsummer Night’s Dream by WIlliam Shakespeare mirrors the Greek myth of “Pyramus and Thisbe”. Shakespeare even decided to add the myth into the play by using the Play-Within-The-Play technique. Three major similarities between the two stories are the parents of two lovers disapprove of the relationships, the events of mistaken identity, and the magic that’s involved in the love affairs.

There are several similarities among the four, too. Both love desired between Theseus and Hippolyta, and Oberon and Titania is infantile love. Both men, Theseus and Oberon are disloyal. Hippolyta attempts

Another love that is classified in the play is romantic love in which Hippolyta voices a desire for, or at least an attraction to, the romantic love which Hermia and Helena experience. In response to Theseus’ comment concerning his disbelief in the lovers’ stories, Hippolyta argues, “But all the story of the night told over, / And all their minds transfigured so together, / More witnesseth than fancy’s image, / And grows to something of great constancy” (5.1.23-26). Hippolyta seems to want to believe the lover’s tales; she wants to trust in their romantic notions. In an attempt to persuade Theseus, she uses the rational argument that because all the lovers experience the same transforming power, their experiences do not represent mere figments

They are the former couple’s inverse, and the play’s characters lives all change because of Oberon and Titania.

Titania and Oberon are in love because of what Oberon goes through to make sure he keeps Titania’s love. When Titania got the Indian prince, Oberon wanted to get rid of it immediately.

Helena + Demetrius = One sided (Unrequited) Hippolyta + Theseus = Stable Love (Mutual love and respect) Titania + Bottom = Unrequited and magical (fake) Egeus + Hermia = Family - Father and daughter Titania

Oberon demands, “How can you stand there shamelessly talking about me and Hippolyta, when you know that I know about your love for Theseus? And weren’t you the one who made him cheat on all of his other girlfriends, like Aegles, Ariadne, and Antiopa? (Shakespeare II.ii.76).

He needs her too, so he wins the boy for himself to make her feel inferior. In other words, Titania gave up something that she loved to make her husband happy. This is seen in everyday life, women give up their wants to make their men happy. Titania's sacrifice for Oberon cost her to lose both her Indian boy and his mother, her women lover. When men don't make women happy, they turn to their friends for what they need, whatever it may be. (Scott 370-373) Male domination not only exists between husband and wife, but also between father and daughter. Theseus will not allow Hermia to marry Lysander. Theseus wants her to marry Demetrius. Egeus, a ruler, will force Hermia to become a nun unless she marries Demetrius. In retaliation to his demands, Lysander and Hermia run away together. Hermia is scolded by Egeus for being in love with the man she chooses. This suggests that men cause women to feel forced and obligated to do as they say. (Scott 373) Another example of male domination is the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. Theseus' first wife was frail and yielding, and he divorced her. Hippolyta has been a warrior, and Theseus' victory over her makes her unable to resist. By conquering the female warrior and marrying her, he fulfills his need for the exclusive love of a woman while satisfying his homoerotic desires. Close bonding fulfills this homoerotic desire with a male companion, such as Demetrius and