| What is the greatest conflict that Oberon faces? | In the play a midsummer night’s dream by William Shakespeare, it may seem as though Oberon(king of the fairies)’s bigger conflict is the indian prince his wife refuses to give him to become a soldier. Though it’s true that it is a conflict, Oberon’s greatest conflict is having to watch his wife, Titania(queen of the fairies), fall in love with another in order to get what he wants. After encountering Titania one day, Oberon states, “Her dotage do how I pity. For meeting her of late behind the wood seeking sweet favors from this hateful fool.” Oberon had seen Titania picking flowers for her new lover in the woods. Oberon’s word choice when he retold the story to Puck (his fairy servant) revealed that he was annoyed by his wife’s new infatuation with the other man. He claimed to be pitying her when in reality, he was trying to make himself feel better by saying she had it worst. Also out of spite and jealousy, he claimed her new lover to be a hateful fool even though he didn’t even know the man. Oberon’s obsession with obtaining the Indian prince forced a greater conflict on him, he had to watch the love of his life dote on another. |
| Possible themes for the story? | Love makes people do insane and foolish things. This theme is shown all throughout William Shakespeare’s play A midsummer night’s dream when the plot takes all sorts of turns. In a section of the play it states, “(Lysander) Now she holds me not. Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right of thine or mine, is most in Helena. (Demetrius) ‘Follow’? Nay, I’ll go with thee, cheek by jowl.” This is one example of how the power of love makes people go to extremes. In this scene Lysander and Demetrius plan to fight each other for Helena’s love. Their love for Helena made them feel as though they had to go to extremes to express it and even though they could both possibly get seriously injured, they still attempt to battle. People act irrational when under the influence of love. |
| Discuss contrast in the story | There are many forms of contrast strewn about in the play A midsummer night’s dream by William Shakespeare. One of these contrast is the willing and unwillingness to wed under the commands of another person. In the play Hermia states, “So will I grow, so live, so die my lord. Ere I will my virgin patent up unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke my soul consents not to give sovereignty.” when she is rebels against her father’s wish. Unlike Hermia, who fights against her arranged marriage, Hippolyta willingly goes along with her marriage to Theseus. Both women are being forced to marry people who they didn’t pick themselves. But one acts like a willing bride in contrast to the one that revolts. The contrast between obedience and resistance is evident in this story by the way the two brides act. |
Midsummer night’s dream (Textys)
July 3, 2019