Themes, Motifs and Symbols in A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay

Throughout the play, â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written by William Shakespeare, are several themes, motifs, and symbols. Dreams are a reoccurring theme. Dreams are connected to the unexplainable and mysterious events, occurring in the woods. â€Å"A Midsummer Night’s Dream† can be compared to â€Å"The Tempest†, also written by Shakespeare, because it contains the same theme of dreams- â€Å"That, if I then had waked after long sleep, / Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming† (3.2. 139- 140, Caliban) Contrast of appearances verses reality is a common motif throughout the play. It is leading the lovers into believing that the fantasies, which they are experiencing are real, even though they are extremely†¦show more content†¦what visions have I seen!\ Methought I was enamourd of an ass.† (4.1. 63-64). Titania is uncertain whether her vision is a dream or reality, because dreams are soon forgotten, while Titania’s vision is conspicuously detailed and memorable. In act five, scene two, at the end of the play, Puck also is desiring for the audience to view the play as a vision, which is appearing, but is no more clear than a dream- â€Å"While these visions did appear./And this weak and idle theme,/ No more yielding but a dream,† (5.2. 47-49) There is much confusion distinguishing reality from dreams. Therefore, dreams are an important and reoccurring theme, throughout the play. A frequently occurring motif, throughout the play, is contrast between appearances verses reality. The flower’s love juice is causing lovers to blindly fall in love, with the first person they lay their eyes on, after waking up. In act three of the play, Titania is falling in love with the donkey headed, Bottom- â€Å"On the first view, to say, to swear, I love thee† (3.1. 117). In act two, Lysander is under the flower’s love spell, and his true love for Hermia, is being transformed into false love for Helena. Lysander has an unrealistic fantasy of Helena, and his fantasy of Hermia is drastically worsening- â€Å"Get you gone, you dwarf; /You minimus, of hindring knot-grass made;/ You bead, you acorn.† (3.2. 362-364). The love spell is causing unrealisticShow MoreRelatedThe Theme of Love in A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare1563 Words   |  7 PagesThe Theme of Love in A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare In A Midsummer Nights Dream, Shakespeare presents us with multiple types of love by using numerous couples in various different situations. For example: Doting loves, the love induced by Oberons potion and in some aspects, Lysander and Hermias love for each other; there are true loves: Oberon and Titania, Lysander and Hermia (for the first half at least, as Lysanders love switches to Helena temporarily)Read MoreContext Taming of the Shrew1767 Words   |  8 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies, and it shares many essential characteristics with his other romantic comedies, such as Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. These characteristics include light-hearted and slapstick humor, disguises and deception, and a happy ending in which most of the characters come out satisfied. The light-heartedness of these romantic comedies contrasts sharply with the darker humor and deeper characterization of Shakespeare’sRead MoreThe Theme Of Homo Eroticism Within The Play As You Like It And How It Differs From Various Other3688 Words   |  15 Pages Within this analysis, I will inquire into the theme of homo-eroticism within the play As You Like It and how it differs from various other plays written by Shakespeare and elaborate on how ground-breaking this play was during the time it was written and when it was performed, the differences in social constructs between then and now the differing views of society in the time it was written and the present day. As You Like Its first performance was in London in 1740, a time when popular literature