Essay Summary of A Midsummer Night`s Dream

At the beginning of the play, the audiences are introduced to "fair Hermia" and her lover Lysander. Hermia wishes to marry Lysander, while her Father Eugeus, wants her "to marry with Dimitrius", another Athenian men. Eugeus' force and commitment to the task of getting Hermia to marry Dimitrius, drives Hermia to desperation " Belike for want of rain, which I could well beteem them from the tempest of my eyes. " Lysander, wanting to marry Hermia, came up with a plan. He plans to go to his "widow aunt" who lives outside of Athens, where "There gentle Hermia, May I [Lysander] marry thee".

Hermia agrees to the plan. This shows that neither Lysander nor Hermia fully comprehend the possible outcomes of their intentions, since running away and getting married without permission can bring to them losing everything- Family, connections, respect and reputation. In their time, these were few of the most important things that a man or a woman can own. Thus Both Lysander and Hermia are willing, without listening to the voice of reason, to give it all up for Love. Moreover, Reason does not keep company in Helena's lust and love full head.

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Helena, Hermia's best friend, is in love with Dimitrius; however, it is a one-sided love, since Dimitrius is in love with Hermia. Thus Helena is jealous of Hermia, since "Dimitrius loves your [Hermia's] fair". In aim to gain Dimitrius' thanks Helena "will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight", then "to the woods will he [Dimitrius]... pursue her [Hermia]". By doing so, Helena clearly ignores her reason, since she thinks only of the attention she will be given by Dimitrius. Otherwise, Helena would have saw that she was, in fact, sacrificing her friendship with Hermia and endangering Hermia's happiness, just for another chance in romance.

Yet again Helena looks through her reason, by following Dimitrius into the woods. In the woods, following Lysander and Hermia, Helena is all alone with Dimitrius "who loves [Helena] not". Dimitrius is "wood within this wood" since he cannot "meet... Hermia". His frustration is increased by Helena who follows him. Dimitrius then threatens Helena to take "the rich worth of [Helena's] virginity" something which was most valuable to a woman at the time. In addition he threatens to "do [Helena] mischief in the woods". Helen in replay says "Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field, you do me mischief".

Thus Helena is abandoning reason, in the name of lust, and love. Additionally, the play reveals the option that even old loving couple can lose their reason. Such is the case of Titania and Oberon- King and queen of the fairies. Titania is married to Oberon, and they both share long committed love. Firstly, the audiences witness a bitter fight between them, where Oberon is "passing fell and wrath", since Titania will not give him " a little changeling boy". In revenge, Oberon plots to put Titania under the spell of Love in Idleness. This flower " will make or men or women madly dote upon the next live creature that it sees".

Oberon, after years of loving Titania, lets his reason drop, and with no sympathy or regards for his "Queen" and "lady", puts her under the spell. Titania, on her part wakes up to fall in lust (under the spell of Love in idleness) with Bottom, who wears a head of an ass. Not only that Titania lost her reason by falling in love with an ass, but also, since she does not question this sudden occurrence. Later on, after the lusty spell have been reversed by Oberon, It is revealed that , while in lust and out of reason Titania "gave" Oberon the changeling child- thus turning her back on her principles to take care of the boy.

This shows, that even while in a committed-love relationship, lust can make one abandon his/hers reasoning. On the other hand, it is also showed that even while in love, Theseus uses his reason. Theseus' "nuptial hour draws on peace", He is to marry Hippolyta, queen of the amazons. It is evident that love exists between the two:" Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword and won thy love doing thee injury... ". As the ruler of Athens, one of Theseus' roles is to judge cases that are brought in front of him. As was discussed before, Eugeus brought in front of Theseus the case of Hermia and Lysander.

According to the Athenian law, Hermia belongs to Eugeus and he "may dispose of her, which shall be either to [Dimitrius] or to her death" Instead of being over sympatric to Hermia and overruling Eugeus, or in other words, making and irrational decision, Theseus used his reason and introduced a third option for Hermia:" to abjure for ever the society of men". It is important to remember that overruling Eugeus is irrational because it would discredit Theseus' leadership since he ignores his own law. Hence, Theseus proves that even while in love, reason can be involved.

A Midsummer Night's Dream' explores many types of romantic love. Lust, committed, young and tempered, these are just a few examples. Furthermore, Shakespeare demonstrates how any of these can interfere with one's reasoning, leading them to do mischief, irrational and hasty decisions and actions. In contrast, it is also evident that there are examples where Love and reason can exist in harmony together. Many would agree with Bottom that "Reason and Love keep little company together nowadays", and many would also agree that "Love has reasons which reason cannot understand. " [1]