Essay About Love in Mid Summer Night's Dream

For hundreds of years love has been a continuous never-ending road of starstruck lovers and heartbreak. Men and women have been acting the same when it comes to love as far back as time goes back. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, complicated love paths are demonstrated as the forbidden love between Hermia and Lysander is challenged by her father, determined to marry Hermia off to Demetrius. The friendship between Hermia and Helena is put to the test when Helena has deeply fallen for Demetrius. In modern day times you can also see this demonstrated by many teenagers competing for the eyes of the one they have fallen for.

As time goes on, men and women continue to fall in love with someone they can not have. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, this is seen by Helena who is madly in love with Demetrius but he does not reciprocate the feelings back. This can be demonstrated by girls in modern times who will sacrifice their dignity just to be noticed by a man although he does not feel the same. “Your virtue is my privilege. For that it is not night when I do see your face, Therefore I think I am not in the night. Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company, For you, in my respect, are all the world. Then, how can it be said I am alone when all the world is here to look at me?” (2.1.226-233). Helena continues to pursue catching the eye of Demetrius, and in the process repeatedly sacrifices her dignity. People will sacrifice their body, mind, and self worth for the shot to have a man who does not want them back. “I love thee not; therefore pursue me not. Where is Lysander and fair Hermia? The one I’ll stay; the other stayeth me. Thou told’st me they were stol’n unto this wood, and here I am, and wood within this wood because I cannot meet my Hermia. Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.” (2.1.195-201). It is clearly seen that Demetrius does not feel the same towards Helena, and has eyes for Hermia. Helena continues to say anything, and sacrifice her self worth for a man who does not see her as anything but garbage.

Throughout times of desperate love, people sacrifice continuously because they are blinded by love. This can be demonstrated through Shakespeare when it’s shown that Helena betrays Hermia by sharing her secret to a man who does not reciprocate feelings for her like she does for him all because she is blinded by the love she feels for Demetrius. “I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight. Then to the wood will he tomorrow night pursue her. And, for this intelligence if I have thanks, it is a dear expense. But herein I mean to enrich my pain, to have his sight thither back again.” (1.1.252-257). Helena cares not how long she has known Hermia, she is blinded by love and the shot of having it with Demetrius. In her subconscious mind she knows that he does not feel anything but annoyance towards her. However, she is blinded by infatuation and wants nothing but the eyes of him taken off Hermia, and put onto her. “O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent to set against me for your merriment.” (3.2.148-149). Once Demetrius has fallen under the love potion and has all his attention turned towards Helena, she has no choice but to think he is lying. This happened because deep down she knew his love was not real; later on in the book however, this changes as she starts believing the love towards her is pure. As the end of the book comes around, she is completely infatuated with him like before, and these two lovers continue to be blinded by love with one another.

Numerous times throughout the book, Helena betrays the trust of Hermia through spitting out her secrets, and insulting traits she can not control. This can also be seen happening in today’s world where girls betray another close to them for a person who has eyes for another. “I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight. Then to the wood will he tomorrow night pursue her. And, for this intelligence if I have thanks, it is a dear expense. But herein I mean to enrich my pain, to have his sight thither and back again.” (2.1.252-257). Helena had betrayed Hermia when she confided in her and Helena broke the trust of Hermia. This happens more times than you can count throughout teenage years. As teenagrs are blinded by the love and perfection of another, they can not see the wrong they are doing to the friendships around them. These friendships can be thrown into dust and it can quickly lead to insults, backstabbing, and hurting one another in any way they can. “I will not trust you, I, nor longer stay in your curst company. Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray. My legs are longer though, to run away.” (3.2.361-364). As a friendship is shattered, the two people begin to act like strangers to one another and insult in any way that they are able. The betrayal of something way more delicate is inconceivable over a person that could care less about what happens to you.

For as long as love has been recorded men and women have been on a never-ending road of ridiculous tactics for their starstruck lover. A Midsummer Night’s Dream perfectly demonstrates how men and women have been treating love the same way for as long as time goes back. Through being a fool for love, ruining friendships, falling in love with someone you can’t have, and fighting over the eye of another, these love gestures have continuously stayed the same throughout hundreds of thousands of years. This can be shown through those who get their significant other flowers for Valentine’s day, singing songs to the girl standing in the window, or huge proposals of love.