What is shakespears definition of:
love, comedy, confusion, and marriage based on a midsummer nights dream?
Im stuck! I also need to provide examples from the play
This site should help you.
http://nfs.sparknotes.com/msnd/
I agree. You have to read it.
Another set of definitions to those words worth learning is the same words, same question based on the Opera: Marriage of Figaro (Wolfgang Mozart), but much more confusing than Shakespeare ever contemplated.
To understand Shakespeare's definitions of love, comedy, confusion, and marriage in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," you can dive into the themes and events of the play. Below, I will provide a brief explanation of each concept and offer examples from the play to support them.
1. Love: Shakespeare explores various aspects of love in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." One of the central themes is the irrationality of love, specifically, how it can make people act irrationally and blindly. It depicts love as transformative, mysterious, and powerful. The play highlights the different forms of love such as romantic love, parental love, and the love between friends.
Example: The complicated love web among the characters. Hermia and Lysander, Helena and Demetrius, and the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, experience conflicts and misunderstandings due to the magic spells and potions involved. These situations showcase the unpredictability and passionate nature of love.
2. Comedy: "A Midsummer Night's Dream" falls under the genre of comedy. It involves amusing situations, mistaken identities, and humorous misunderstandings. Shakespeare uses wordplay, wit, and situational comedy to create light-hearted and entertaining moments in the play.
Example: The interactions between the mischievous fairy Puck and the amateur group of actors known as the mechanicals provide comedic relief. The mechanicals' attempts to rehearse a play for the Duke's wedding contribute to the humorous aspects of the play.
3. Confusion: Confusion is a recurring element in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The play explores the blurred boundaries between reality and fantasy, with characters often getting entangled in a state of chaos and disarray. Mistaken identities, magical interventions, and the play's dream-like atmosphere contribute to the confusion.
Example: The mischief caused by Puck with his love potion causes confusion between the lovers. Demetrius, who previously loved Helena, suddenly falls for Helena's best friend, Hermia. This leads to a complicated love triangle and a state of bewilderment among the characters.
4. Marriage: In Shakespeare's time, marriage was often seen as a strategic and social institution rather than solely based on love. In "A Midsummer Night's Dream," marriage is portrayed as a union of individuals that can lead to harmony, but also as a source of conflict due to societal expectations and personal desires.
Example: The subplot involving the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, revolves around their strained relationship due to the custody dispute over an Indian changeling boy. The power dynamics within their marriage reflect the complex nature of relationships and the challenges faced by couples.
Remember that these are just brief explanations, and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" offers much more richness and complexity in its exploration of these themes.