Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Contrasting Settings in A Midsummer Nights Dream :: comparison compare contrast essays
Contrasting Settings in A Midsummer Night's Dream         William Shakespeare's play, â€Å"A Midsummer Night's Dream†offers a wonderful contrast in human mentality. Shakespeare provides insight into man's conflict with the rational versus the emotional characteristics of our behavior through his settings. The rational, logical side is represented by Athens, with its flourishing government and society. The wilder emotional side is represented by the fairy woods. Here things do not make sense, and mystical magic takes the place of human logic. Every impulse may be acted upon without a forethought to there outcome.        The city of Athens represents the epitome of civilized man. Ruled by the laws of man and kept in check by society's own norms. The human struggle to suppress its unrestrained and irrational tendencies, still being undertaken today, discourages the ‘civilized' man from making rash and foolish actions. Thus every action should have a sound and logical purpose, based on the social norms.        In the play, Egeus, the father of Hermia, has thoughtfully chosen what he considers an acceptable mate to wed his daughter. Egeus most likely based his decision on economic, political, and social factors in his choosing of Demetrius. He is making a reasonable decision based on Hermia's future in their society. Unfortunately Hermia is smitten by Lysander and vice versa. Although her father may have made his decision with every good intension, keeping with the traditional customs of his day, and even perhaps taking into consideration such things as attractiveness, he failed to foresee the desires of his daughter. The young Lysander, who like most young men, cares little for the rules of society, is willing to break tradition and flee Athens to obtain Hermia. Therefore they must leave the rational Athens to enjoy their irrational love.        Theseus, the king of Athens, is the highest symbol of law and order in his kingdom. After winning a war with another kingdom, he chooses to marry their queen, Hippolyta. His decision may very well have been inspired by love, but the political ramifications of their marriage is a more plausible rationale. In fact Theseus' apparent love for Hippolyta seems almost as an added reward to an already beneficial partnership. Whether any attraction was there or not probably would not have made a difference. As king, Theseus must place the kingdom before his own feelings. It simply comes with the position.        In short Athens represents the desire to suppress feelings and impulses and to make decisions based on logic. Thus it does not give the power of raw emotion the true respect it requires, for man is both emotional and rational.
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