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Introduction

The Presentation of Transformation The presentation of transformation as a theme in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' is shown in many ways throughout the play. The various areas that Shakespeare uses transformation are when he is referring to the moon motif, effects on the plot, the characters being transformed by many things but mainly love and how transformation is central to the play. In the beginning of the play the audience is introduced to Duke Theseus and his wife to be Hippolyta. These two characters begin the play to show that they are at the top of the hierarchy. Shakespeare shows this again when he writes their speeches in verse. These are the first two characters to show transformation. Shakespeare shows this when Theseus says he 'wooed' Hippolyta with his 'sword'. This is a paradox representing how they used to be rivals and when Theseus defeated Hippolyta, she was left in his service. This was a bigger transformation for Hippolyta because she used to be 'Queen of the Amazons', which is an all female warrior group. Hippolyta changed from being an independent to now marrying Theseus and acting under his authority. ...read more.

Middle

An example of this is when Helena says that she would rather 'die apon' Demetrius's 'hand' than be without his love. Lysander and Demetrius are also transformed by love, but this is a fake love. Puck is ordered by Oberon, King of the Fairies, to put a magic juice from a flower called 'love-in-idelness', into Demetrius eyes so that he will love Helena as much as she loves him. But Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and transforms Lysander from loving Hermia to Helena. The audience sees this when he says that his time spent with Hermia was 'tedious'. Puck then pours the juice into Demetrius's eyes and he falls in love with Helena, which ends up a comical situation because now Lysander and Demetrius love Helena but she thinks that they are both mocking her. We see this when see says to them that it is 'cruel' to make a 'mockery' of her. I think she thinks they are mocking her because of the hyperboles that Shakespeare inserts into the play. Shakespeare does this to show the exaggeration of their love and how love can transform someone from loving someone to hating someone and vice versa. ...read more.

Conclusion

Because they are not tending to the rest of the world it is falling into chaos. We see this when it says in the play 'the governess of floods' showing that there are now floods over the land because the fairies have not been keeping their eye on things. This shows transformation, not only as something that happens in obvious ways, but also the effects it has on factors surrounding the play. In conclusion Shakespeare uses transformation as a key theme in the play. Without transformation the play would lose its edge and be rather straight forward and predictable. The main factor that Shakespeare uses to show transformation is how love makes people transform completely into people you would never have believed you would become, when Lysander and Demetrius were going to slay each other to prove their love for Helena was the greatest. Shakespeare also shows, though transformation by love that love affects everyone of every kind and it takes over so much of your mind that it can blind and distort people's visions from the real truth, as in when the characters are transformed by the magic flower juice. Even though Shakespeare uses the magic flower juice it is still there to represent the power of love. Word Count: 1,571 words. ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level A Midsummer Night's Dream section.