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William Shakespeare was always very famous for his tragedies. However, he didn’t only write sad tragedies, he also wrote comedies. One of his most famous comedies ** is ** __A Midsummer Night’s Dream__. In all of his plays he had themes, which accompanies the reader through the book.

This comedy starts with the prearrangement, for the nuptial day of Theseus, the duke of Athens, and Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons. However, Theseus has to solve one problem before his marriage. The problem is a young, beautiful woman of Athens, Hermia. She fell in love with a nobleman, Lysander. But the rules of Athens convey that the father can decide who his daughter should marry. So Egeus, Hermia's father, decided that Hermia should marry Demetrius, another nobleman of Athens.Hermia and Lysander decided to run away and wanted to walk through the woods to get to another village, because the couple wants to get married. However, there is also Hermia's best friend, Helena. Helena was Demetrius' previous fiancée, before he fell in love with Hermia, and Helena tries to get him back and woo him. Through that, the couples get into the woods and into the world of the fairies. Oberon the fairy king has a little attendant, Robin also known as Puck. The Fairy King is in love with the Fairy Queen, Titania, but they were separated out of jealousy. Oberon commanded Puck to get a miracle flower , which juice  sprinkled on the eyelids during sleep, makes every person fall in love with the next person they see when they wake up. But through a misunderstanding, Puck swaps the love between the two Athenian couples and furthermore the love of Titania. Suddenly, everybody loves someone else, and there is trouble everywhere in the woods. As soon as the morning appears, t hanks to Puck and his miracle flower all the problems solve and the couples are found by Egeus and his future wife. Together, they decide that they permit them to marry their real love.

As you see, love is a big theme in William Shakespeare’s __A Midsummer Night’s Dream__. He shows us situations, which are still present today. Love is sometimes very confusing, but as well wonderful, and sometimes we have to go through many ups and downs to see who we really love. In this play, the lovers' positions changed a lot. First, Helena was in love with Demetrius, but when Hermia appeared, Demetrius fell in love with her. However, Hermia fell in love with Lysander. Equally, through the mistake of Puck, the two men fell in love with Helena and Hermia was alone. I think he also wanted to show how quickly sweet love can end. But Shakespeare doesn’t show only the bad sides of love, he also shows how great love can be, and that love is worth to fight for. If we make a comparison between love today and the love in Shakespeare's __A Midsummer Night's Dream__, we can see that love hasn't change a lot. William Shakespeare also shows that the right people belong together, and he makes it clearer with his so-called Shakespearean language. The next quote is an example of how Shakespeare uses couplets to show how connected his couples are. Oberon squeezed the miracle flower juice in Titania's eye, and she wakes and falls in love with him again.

 ** OBERON ** […] That, he awaking when the other do, May all to Athens back again repair And think no more of this night’s accidents But as the fierce vexation of a dream. But first I will release the fairy queen.

// (squeezing flower juice into // **// TITANIA //**// ’s eyes) //

Be as thou wast wont to be. See as thou wast wont to see. Dian’s bud o'er Cupid’s flower Hath such force and blessèd power. Now, my Titania, wake you, my sweet queen.

** TITANIA ** // (waking) // My Oberon, what visions have I seen ! Methought I was enamored of an ass.

Another big role play the men and women. Shakespeare portrays the men as very strong men and also as heroes, but also as tender and attentive men. In the first chapter, Lysander stands up** for the love ** with Hermia in front of the duke and that shows that he is like a white knight and he wants to fight for his love to Hermia. However, another example of the typical male role in Shakespeare’s plays is when Lysander and Demetrius fell in love with Helena, and they want to fight for her. In other words, they want to show their strength. On the other hand, he shows Lysander as a nice and loveable man. Shakespeare wanted to show the different facets of the characters and through that also the positions or characteristics of the men in that time. In that time, men had much more authority. The fathers had the power over their children and their lives. For instance, the father of Hermia had the power to decide over Hermia's love and life. Men were known for their power and their bellicosity, and Shakespeare makes fun of these cliché, with the power of irony. The next quote shows how Demetrius and Lysander fight for their love and how Shakespeare makes fun of the men in this time.

The next example is an example of Shakespeare's impression of men, in his time. In this scene Lysander and Demetrius want to show their strength and fight for Helena.

You are too officious. In her behalf that scorns your services. Let her alone. Speak not of Helena. Take not her part. For it thou dost intend Never so little show of love to her. Thou shalt aby it.
 * Demetrius**

Now she holds me not. Now follow, if thou darest, to try whose right, Of thine or mine, is most in Helena.
 * Lysander**

Shakespeare uses the roles of men and women to show the typical clichés of the sexes in that time. The role of the women is not quite easy. Shakespeare displays women as gentle and honest. However, he also wanted to show the different facets of the characters, and through that he portrays them as very strong women. For instance, Hermia is always very calm and trusts Lysander, and she would never hurt a fly. Furthermore, there is Helena. Helena always fights for her happy ending and achieves it in the end. She appears to be the strong and powerful woman in the play. Nevertheless, Shakespeare shows the bad sides of women. He impersonates women as moody and emotional, and with the good and bad sides he makes fun of women.  With these characteristics, Shakespeare wants to deride the typical characteristics of men and women in that time. Both, men and women, have to fight for something and they are not that different. Women fight for their love and thereby they can forget their long friendship, and also men fight for their honor. However, men and women distinguish themselves in one special thing. Men fight with their muscles and strength, but women fight with their readiness of speech. Lastly, we can say that with all these little clichés of sexes Shakespeare made a very good parody.

Shakespeare’s plays show many characteristics of the 16th Century. The whole play includes these two themes, love and men and women’s positions. The remarkable thing with these themes is that they are still present today as they were in his time. Love is one of the most important things in our lives. We are always searching for true love. This play shows us that it is worth it to fight for it, and that we shouldn’t give up. Even if the positions of men and women aren’t the same today, than in the 16th Century, the play shows many connections to today. Women embody, in Shakespeare’s plays, gentleness and are lovable beings. Women grew with the time, and they are strong and self-confident persons today. However, they are still like Shakespeare’s characters. In Shakespeare’s plays, the men embody strength and bravery. Today they are still known for that. William Shakespeare tried to summarize all these characteristics and he did it so well that we can connect it to today, even though some things have changed.

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