Love Potion In A Midsummer Night's Dream

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In Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the theme of love is constantly changing within every scene. The love potion is a major plot point in Act II, scene II because it introduces the idea of an unbalanced love. In the beginning of the play, Shakespeare created a love triangle which the love potion only enhances throughout the play. As a result, the love equilibrium is disrupted further into chaos. The characters lack the ability to be rational and work though their own problems efficiently. The love potion symbolizes the disorder the characters experience. This is because it offers the characters an alternate resolution to their predicament. Oberon decision to meddle in the lovers lives illustrates how fragile love can be and how the lovers are easily manipulated. Lysander’s sudden change in the object of his infatuation explores the confusion and disorder that love creates. Therefore, fate plays a major role in the lovers lives because they are …show more content…
Puck’s speech shows that sometimes meddling in matters of the heart is risky. When he tells the tale of cupid’s arrow missing his target, he subtly hints at the faults in Oberon’s plan to use the flower on Demetrius and Tatiana. This concept carries over when Puck applies the potion to the wrong Athenian. This scene also explains why Oberon wants to use the flower on Tatiana and Demetrius. Oberon and Tatiana appear to be having some marital issues that continue into scene II. Oberon decides that magic is the best way to cause Tatiana pain and misery. Additionally, in this scene, he sees Demetrius and Helena engaged in a conflict of their own and decides that the flower could also fix their dilemma. He feels sympathetic toward Helena and decides to “fix” their relationship as well. Oberon sees Demetrius as disrespectful and believes that a kind, thoughtful woman like Helena deserves
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