A Midsummer Nights Dream

Love can be of many things. It can deteriorate peoples characteristics and bring either the best of the worst of oneself. Although love can be demonstrated as a symbol of always&forever by most people, William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream interprets love is neither always perfect nor fair. He defines the reality of love in this play, not the fairy tale life. His play portrayed love as complicated, painful, and blind. The relationship, or the love square, between of the four main characters: Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, and Lysander, are elements to the complication of love. [] for my heart is true as steel, (2.1.204-5). Demetrius and Lysander compete to win Hermias heart. Even though Hermias heart was already won by Lysander since the beginning, her fathers decision that Demetrius will have Hermias hand in marriage interferes with the couple. This caused a conflict between the love of Hermia and Lysander. Helena, who is in love with Demetrius, finds herself always competing with her best friend, Hermia, to win Demetrius love. However Demetrius does not feel the same way about Helena for his heart wants to be with Hermia. The course of love never really did run smooth, said Lysander (1.1.135). Love is not always forever and promises can be broken. This portrays love as painful. Helena suffers from great pain as she desperately engage herself to take back what she thinks should be her. I am your spaniel, and Demetrius, the more you beat me I will fawn on you. Use me but as your spaniel: spurn me, strike me, neglect me, lose me; only give me leave to follow you. (2.1.210).

Helena is willingly to go through physical and mental pain just for the love of Demetrius. She states to Demetrius that she will go after him no matter what it is that hell do to her. This is painful for Helena both inside and out, but the course of love is whats preventing Helena to realize her poor choice in decisions. [] the true beginning of our end. (5.1.120). Love can also be defined as blind. Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, (1.1.241). Shakespeare interprets this concept by using fairies. Robin, also known as Puck, mistakenly put love potion in Lysanders eye rather than Demetrius. Lysanders eyes awaken in the sight of Helena. This caused Lysander to fall in love with Helena and forgetting about the feelings he had for Hermia. The truth that Lysander had loved Hermia one minute, then fall in love for Helena the next is an example of how blind love can be. Lord, what fools these mortals be! (3.2.121). Love can be but many things. It can hold a persons characteristics and take place of ones personality. Thought Shakespeares play, love is portrayed as, not perfect, but rather lighthearted and deceiving. Shakespeare creates love as an accessory in this comedy. But yet love is more than that, its not as simple and pleasant as it may seems or sound. This is described throughout the play by the characters in Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream.