Second Term Essay

'The Athenian lovers are very similar and that they are not differentiated from one another.' Discuss this statement and explain why they are written as such.There are two parts. First, you have to say whether you agree with the idea that the Athenian lovers are very similar.Second, you have to explain why they are so similar or different.

First, you have to express clearly who you mean by the 'Athenian lovers'. Do Theseus and Hippolyta count? Some of you even talk about Oberon and Titania! Usually the Athenian lovers refer to Lysander, Hermia, Demetrius and Helena.

Second, the statement is 'The Athenian lovers are very similar'. If you agree, that means ALL 4 of them are similar. Another problem with this essay is thus that you say the lovers are similar, but you sometimes refer to all four, and sometimes only to Lysander and Demetrius, Helena and Hermia, Hermia and Lysander...The result is that your argument is sometimes confusing. It is not clear whether you are referring to all four lovers, or simply a particular pair. For example, it is not entirely correct to say that ‘The Athenian lovers have physical insecurities’.

Suggested answer:

First, say who the four Athenian lovers are.Second, talk about all four lovers and then move onto specific pairs.All four lovers:1) have the same social background (They are all of noble birth e.g. Egeus, Hermia’s father, can go to the Duke directly to settle a dispute)2) are educated (from their use of language; verbal-class distinction)3) are willing to sacrifice and fight for love

(Lysander and Hermia elope to escape the Athenian law; Demetrius goes after Hermia; Helena follows Demetrius)

Special pairs:1) Lysander and Demetrius - i) They both love Hermia, then they switch to Helena under the influence of the love potion.

ii) They are both capable of using flowery and romantic language to woo women.

● iii) Lysander says that he is of the same social standing as Demetrius in Act 1 Scene 1.

I am, my Lord, as well derived as he,As well possessed; my love is more than his;My fortunes every way as fairly ranked.(Act 1 Scene 1, 99-101)

● Iv) They both wear Athenian garments, and that is why they were mistaken by Puck.

2) Helena and Hermiai) Helena says 'Through Athens I am thought as

fair as she.' - if you trust Helena, then to others Helena and Hermia are equally beautiful.

ii) Helena says that the two were childhood friends, like 'double cherry'. (Act 3 Scene 2 209)

They were identical and did things together.Iii) They are the objects of affection of the two

men, and one can be replaced by the other one. This implies that they are interchangeable.

iv) Both of them have physical insecurities.

However, the Athenian lovers are not always so similar. There are two men and two women, and of course according to the play it is more natural for men to woo, not women. Although Helena fights for love at first, in the end she has to conform to the social norm and be wooed by men.Lysander and Demetrius are also not entirely the same. Lysander claims that Demetrius is 'spotted' and 'inconstant', and Theseus agrees. (Act 1 Scene 1 110) There is no mention of Lysander being like this. So the two men are different.

Hermia and Helena are also different. Helena is taller than Hermia, and that is where some of the jokes come from. Helena says that Hermia has more beautiful eyes than hers. So the two are different physically.From their argument, we can also see that Hermia is better in fighting.

She was a vixen when she went to school;And though she be but little, she is fierce.(Act 3 Scene 2 324-325)

Now we come to the second part of the essay, which many of you have not discussed. 'Why are the Athenian lovers written as such?'It is not enough to say that they have some similarities and differences. It is more important to account for them.

i) A lot of comedy comes from the mistaken identities and interchangeability of the Athenian lovers. Confusion = Comedy. That is why the Athenian lovers are written in such a similar way. If not, we will have a very different, and quite possibly more boring, story.

ii) A very important theme in the play is perception, and the idea that 'love is blind', and cannot be explained by cool reason.

Love can transpose to form and dignity.Love looks not with the eyes, but with the

mind,And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.(Act 1 Scene 1 232-235)

The above is demonstrated in the similarity of the Athenian lovers.

Why does Lysander like Hermia and not Helena? Why does Demetrius like Hermia? Why does

Hermia like Lysander and not Demetrius? Why does Helena like Demetrius?

The answer is of course 'no answer‘ because 'Love is blind!'

Of course, the Athenian lovers cannot be all be the same. If they are all the same, we'll only have 1 character and 3 carbon copies. Even twins are not entirely the same. Shakespeare makes the characters more interesting by giving them special personal traits, and also more realistic. Moreover, Hermia and Helena have a huge difference in height, and their argument about their stature adds to the comedy of the play.

2nd Term Essay

Bottom’s Dream

● Try to convey Bottom’s personality – he thinks he is very talented and he is fooled by his self-importance. He thinks that he can act every role well. Although his friends say that he is intelligent ‘he hath simply the best wit of any handicraft man in Athens.’ P.115, he is only a Mechanical after all. The contrast between Bottom’s self-importance and his silliness, as well as between his crudeness and the refinement of the fairy world, makes Bottom a comedic character.

● The word ‘friends’ is synonymous with ‘the Mechanicals’ in this context. You have to imagine yourself to be Bottom relating the dream to your Mechanical friends. The pronouns should be ‘I’ and ‘you’.

● There is no mention of Bottom knowing that he is an ass. His friends only say that he has changed. However, Bottom does use the word ‘ass’

e.g. ‘What do you see? You see an ass-head of your own’ P.61

‘Man is but an ass if he go about to expound this dream.’ P.113

But he probably refers to the meaning ‘fool’. This is an example of pun and is Shakespeare’s way of having fun.

● In the end Bottom can tell the others to include his song ‘Bottom’s Dream’ in the play P.113.