Monday, October 22, 2012

What other kinds of illusion exist in A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

This is a great question. There are several illusions in
William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's
Dream
.


First, Titania is put under a spell by
Puck. When she first sees the enchanted Nick Bottom, with a donkey's head, she falls in
love, believing him to be the most handsome creature she has ever
seen.


In terms of the four Athenian lovers, a spell is also
placed on Lysander by mistake. The potion, as with Titania, makes one fall in love with
the first person he or she sees. Puck mistakenly takes Lysander for Demetrius. Lysander,
who is already in love with Hermia, sees Helena first, and falls in love with
her. Demetrius is also enchanted, as was Oberon's intent, and sees
Helena (also as Oberon had planned) and falls in love with
Helena.


One of the singularly most entertaining parts of
the play is the comedy revolving around the two men who now love
Helena, when before, no one had loved Helena. Hermia, is—of
course—puzzled by the change in Lysander, and then devastated. Soon she also becomes
vengeful, trying to punish Helena for what she believes was a purposeful plan to lure
Lysander away. Helena believes that both men are using her for
their sport, to make fun of her, and she is disgusted with both of
them.


By the end of the play, the illusion of love visited
upon Titania and Lysander is removed by Puck (at Oberon's direction) using an
"antidote," while it is left on Demetrius, in the name of love.

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