Sarah, Entry # 5:
When they wake up after Puck put the juice into their eyes Demetrius proclaims that now he loves Helena Helena Helena Helena
As for the fairies in the play; I think that they were not super important characters in the play. They never had their own act and whenever they are in the play they are always doing something for someone else. For example, they followed Titania around and the only reason that they were there was to help her and Bottom. I think that they were there to add yet another element of magic to the play. The fairies are magical creatures which the audience would have found very entertaining. Other than that, I think that Shakespeare did not really have any specific reasons for including the fairies in the play. Do you have a different idea about the fairies? Also, are there any characters in the play that you think are either extremely like one another or that are complete opposites?
Tiffany, Entry #6
ReplyDeleteTheseus does not seem to be a very influential character in the play. He is simply included to help enforce Egeus’ decision that Hermia will marry Demetrius. I think that since he was the duke, he was necessary to this part in the play because his agreement that Hermia should marry Demetrius intensifies the situation between Hermia, Demetrius, Lysander, and Hermia’s father. His position as the duke allows him to have the final say in Hermia’s arranged marriage. The audience may have thought that Hermia was extremely brave to go against her father and the duke because she was in love with someone else. Some play-goers may have even wished that they had the courage to stand up for true love. However, I think that Shakespeare did not make the duke one of the main characters in the play because he is not a very magical or dreamy element of the story. One element of the story that I found to have some sort of magical significance was the forest setting where most of the play takes place. Do you think Shakespeare was intentional about the mystical scene of the forest? Why do you think he chose to set the play in the woods instead of somewhere else, such as a castle or on a mountain peak?
I agree that the fairies were most likely included in order to add yet another element of magic and fantasy to the play. I also think that the audience would have been entertained by the addition of fairies because they are not ordinary, everyday occurrences. I think one of the reasons A Midsummer Night’s Dream is so effective is that Shakespeare is able to transport his audience to another world that is completely different from their normal lives. The play is like an escape from monotonous chores of real life. With regard to similarities between characters in the play, I would say that Helena and Demetrius are the most alike of all the roles. They both seem to be unwanted in a sense. No one had ever said they loved Helena, and Demetrius was unwanted by Hermia. It could be that they were drawn together because of this. The biggest difference between characters could probably be seen between Bottom, who is always bossy, and the fairies, who are like servants, only taking orders from others. This contrast is most prevalent in Act 4, Scene 1, when Bottom says, “Scratch my head, Peaseblossom” (Line 7). Do you agree with these similarities and differences? Also, what do you think about the scene where Snout brings up the fact that the lion might scare the ladies? Do you think it could have something to do with the view of women that was held? Or do you think it could indicate that many people could not distinguish what was real and what was not?