A Midsummer's Night Dream
Why is Love Making Me Mad? In William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Love is the running theme. As such it takes on many different forms and characteristics like extreme wanting, over protection and true love. Each character runs through the emotion called love in the own very unique way. Take extreme wanting for instance; Helena is going through this for her love of Demetrius. She wants him so bad it borders the line of being a stalker, which is not a good thing because Demetrius has been promised to Hermia. Helena says it herself “And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you: Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave, Unworthy as I am, to follow you. What worser place can I beg in your love, And yet a place of high respect with me, - Than to be used as you use your dog.” (Act 2, Scene 1) She wants Demetrius so bad the she is willing to demean herself and sit at his feet like a dog. The power of love can lead to over protection as well. Holding on and wanting what is best for someone you love is a very common characteristic of love, but how far should you take it, when is it enough? Egeus, Hermia father is being very over protective of his daughter. A father’s love and urge to get the very best for his little girl is evident here; “Be it so she will not here before your grace Consent to marry with Demetrius, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,- As she is mine I may dispose of her: Which shall be either to this gentleman Or to her death; according to our law Immediately provided in that case.” (Act 1, Scene 1) He wants her to live a better life with Demetrius rather than marring Lysander, he wants this so bad he is willing to have her killed rather than run off with a guy he does not approve of. Lastly and yes the best characteristic of all, true love is the most maddening thing about love. Lysander and Hermia project this as
Cited: Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Penguin Classics, 2000. ebook