Lawless Love Essay, Research Paper

Throughout the book, A Midsummer Night?s Dream, William Shakespeare depicts the theme of lawless love through the actions and personalities of his characters. The way he portrays Hermia’s relationship with Lysander and the results their eternal love, as well as the portrayal of Helena and her devotion to Demetrius are two prevalent examples of lawless love.

Helena exemplifies lawless love with her lack of concern about consequences that she could have brought upon herself. She was deeply in love with the person that was engaged to her best friend. Helena talks with Hermia about her love for Demetrius in the quote below. :

?Helena- ?O, teach me how you look and with what art

you sway the motion of Demetrius? heart?

Hermia- ?I frown upon him, yet he still loves me.?

Helena- ?O, that your frowns would teach my smiles such

skill!?

Hermia- ?I give him curses, yet he gives me love.?

Helena- ?O, that my prayers could such affection move!?

Hermia- ?The more I hate, the more that he follows me.?

Helena- ?The more I love, the more he hateth me.? ?

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In the quote above, Hermia and Helena are having an in-depth conversation about Demetrius and his love interests. Helena would do anything to have the man she loved, Demetrius notice her. Helena’s love knows no boundaries; she refuses to accept the fact that her one true love is to be married to her best friend Hermia. All this is soon changed by the infamous Puck and his potent flower.

Puck’s flower was created when Cupid was aiming his bow, and missed he struck a flower in the woods. When the dew is placed on the eyes of any living animal during their sleep, they will fall in love with the next animal that they see when they wake.

Puck observes all of the problems that Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius have created and comes up with a plan to fix them by using cupids flower to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. Puck makes more of a problem when he puts dew on both of the men. They both awake and fall madly in love with Helena.Helena thinks that they are playing a joke on her and she is confused. The quote below shows an excerpt from the book in which Helena is confused and thinks that the men are teasing her. :

?Helena-

?Wherefore was I to this keen mockery born?

When at your hands did I deserve this scorn?

Is ?t not enough, is ?t not enough, young man,

That I did never, no, nor never can

Deserve a sweet look from Demetrius? eye,

But you must flout my insufficiency?? ?

Helena, left completely confused by Lysander and Demetrius, believes that they are playing a cruel joke her. She does not think that it is cupid’s flower causing this situation.

Hermia, who Lysander was head over heels in love with, cannot believe he had fallen out of love with her.

Hermia is determined to win back her sweet Lysander no matter what. Puck sees how hurt and confused Hermia is and again alters Lysander’s emotions by the use of cupid’s flower.

Hermia and Helena both loved someone so much that they were blinded by their love for that person. They did whatever they had to do to keep their true loves. This is what lawless love is Love that has no boundaries, love that is not defined by words. Emotions and actions run lawless love not rules. The characters of Helena and Hermia are what lawless love is all about which is blinded love and actions driven by emotions and devotion for their loved one.