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A Midsummer Nights Dream - The theme of Love
“The course of true love never did run smooth”
Lysander, Act I scene 1.
When Lysander said this, he was referring to the way that there are ups and downs in every relationship, and how nothing can ever be completely perfect, but if we persevere, problems can be solved. In the play, William Shakespeare shows this to be true especially by the way he plays with the characters through the meddling mischief of Oberon and Puck. He also shows how both humans and ‘other forces’ can be responsible for such conflict in relationships.
The play opens in the court of Theseus, the duke of Athens. Theseus has only four days to wait until he marries Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazonians, but he shows signs of a childish impatience towards the whole affair, while Hippolyta seems more mature about everything, and tries to calm Theseus down. Then trouble arises as Egeus bursts in with Hermia and Lysander. Theseus is being asked to make a decision on who Hermia should marry, and it is quite humorous at first, as Theseus is himself about to wed and would clearly rather spend his time with his fiancйe, Hippolyta. This is where all the trouble between the young lovers first begins to emerge. Egeus, Hermia’s father, wishes for her to marry Demetrius, however, she would rather marry Lysander. It is obvious from the beginning that Lysander cares very much about Hippolyta, and Demetrius is said to have made love to another woman- Helena. She adores him, though he says that she disgusts him. That is the complicated love triangle as it stands at the beginning of the play. Theseus has been asked to sort out the problems between Lysander, Demetrius and Hermia that Egeus has caused through his wanting Hermia to marry the one with the most money and the highest status. Theseus gives Hermia three choices. She may obey her father and marry Demetrius, Join a convent or face execution. Hermia is devastated, and agrees to run away to the woods with Lysander where the laws are different and they can get married. She tells Hermia of her plans and asks her to keep it a secret. Helena decides to tell Demetrius, so that he will give up on Hermia and marry Helena, but it has the opposite effect and he chases her into the woods. Helena does not wish to be left behind and so tags along with the others. We end up with the four lovers in the woods, and then the plot really begins to unfold.
Whilst the lovers make their way deeper and deeper into the woods, Helena and Demetrius are having massive row. She dotes on him in a massive way, and he is sick of her. This would deter most women, but Helena just keeps on trying. She describes herself as his Spaniel, and Demetrius pushes her away and says, “I am sick when I look on thee,” but Helena simply replies, “and I am sick when I look not on you.” [next page]