The power of love - Midsummer post #4
This is the fourth Midsummer post and is due before class starts on Tuesday, April 7.
In the middle of A Midsummer Night's Dream, the four Athenian lovers have found themselves all mixed up due to the love spell two of them are under. As a result, they bicker, beg, fight, plead for love, and do many seemingly "crazy" things all in the name of their love. During the mayhem, Puck shouts "Lord, what fools these mortals be!" The lovers don't notice it, but for any outside observer - like the fairies who take on the role of an audience in this scene - the foolishness is readily apparent.
So far in the play, what do you think has been the most "foolish" thing one of the lovers has said or done? Now think about people you know in your life: is the Midsummer lover's "foolish" action realistic for someone under the spell of love? How is the lover's action like or not like people you know? What does Shakespeare seem to be saying about the power of love?
Reminder: Your responses need to be in complete sentences and relatively free of mechanical and spelling mistakes. Many of you have gotten pretty sloppy with your responses.
Reminder: Your responses need to be in complete sentences and relatively free of mechanical and spelling mistakes. Many of you have gotten pretty sloppy with your responses.
32 comments:
I think that Helena and Hermia are the two lovers in this novel that have done something the most foolish. The two of them fought over their height and how which one of them were taller. Of course it is two girls fighting over phsyical looks, it figures. Their fight is over something realistic and believable because when girls are in love they always need to look their best. I know how girls are and how they fight over stuff such as this because i have dealt with a situation such as this one. I think that what Shakespeare is trying to say about the power of love is that you have to stay strong and not fight over foolish stuff such as Helena and Hermia's fight.
Taylor M. Period 2
In the Novel I would believe that Helena and Hermia are the two lovers that Have taken part in foolish things. They fight over the physical characteristics of one another on who looks better. Thats only because they wanna look the best for the one they love. I have never been in a situation such as this one. I don't care on how i look unless iit's like at shirt and tie situation. I beleive Shakespeare is throwing the message out that people do carzy things for love and will go through extream massures.
Chris G.
Period 6
The most foolish thing is this play that happen was when demetrius turn out loveing helena. This is like people i know because many people often change there mines about people. They might love u one day and and the next they might hate you. I think shakespeare is trying to say love is a hard thing to had and keep together. There r ups and downs but at the end they will still love you. I also think he is saying that somethings might not go the way you want it but u going to have to deal with it. If something was meant to be then it's going to be.
jovanny p.5
When Helena says "And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius..." it's the most foolish thing that one of the characters has done. People do silly things when they're in love.
I don't know anybody who's followed someone else like a dog.
Shakespeare says the power of love is strong.
IanF p.5
In the play I think that the most foolish thing that one of the characters has done is when Hermia basically said she was going to scratch her best friend Helenas eyes out. It just shows that people will betray there best friends when blinded with love. In real life I have a friend that goes out with someone who obviously cheats on her and is mean to her but she won't break up with him because she loves him. I think that Shakespeare seems to be saying that love is the most powerfulemotion and that you can be blinded by love.
jessica b
period 5
I think that one part in the story that shows the foolishness of love is when Demetrius and Lysander are fighting over Helena and Lysander is saying mean things to Hermia. A real example of foolish love is one of my friends and her boyfriend. She would do anything for him but sometimes he treats her badly but she doesn't realize it. Shakespeare is trying to say that people do crazy things for love.
tessa period 2
William Shakespeare captures the true essence of love in this act. For the sake of love, we see how quickly friends can turn on each other without thinking. Even hundreds of years ago, Shakespeare was able to bring the tragedy of love to the forefront and show how blatantly crazy in love people can become. This scene based in the writings of a man living in the 1600's is one you might not only see in a Shakespearean comedy or cliche teen sitcom, but in real life. It is on a regular basis you can find a situation where somehow has stabbed a friend in the back, or more so left a friend behind for the sake of a "loved one" and then come crawling back once there is trouble in paradise. Love is a fickle thing
Greg, Period 5
Probably the most foolish thing with the four lovers is when they start to betray there friends for the loved one. chances are, in life you will be with a good friend much longer than some of your girlfriends. In the play both Demetrius and Lysander get into a fight over a girl. And Helena and Hermia fight because they don't believe what the other is saying. all of these things happen because of love. This happens in every day life with the people we know. Someone we all know has trusted their girlfriend over their best friend before. then after words they realize how ridiculous they acted with that person.
Eric Ryalls
P. 6
Probably the most foolish thing with the four lovers is when they start to betray there friends for the loved one. chances are, in life you will be with a good friend much longer than some of your girlfriends. In the play both Demetrius and Lysander get into a fight over a girl. And Helena and Hermia fight because they don't believe what the other is saying. all of these things happen because of love. This happens in every day life with the people we know. Someone we all know has trusted their girlfriend over their best friend before. then after words they realize how ridiculous they acted with that person.
Eric Ryalls
P. 6
Forgot, Shakespeare is trying to tell us that love will make you do things that you might never normally do.
Eric Ryalls
The person, in my opinion, who has acted most foolishly for love is Helena. She begs to be like a dog to Demetrius, and bit of attention, even if it is pity, is wanted by her from Demetrius. I suppose this is typical though, and slightly realistic. Though, I don't think it would be brought to the person's attention like Helena brought to Demetrius' but still, any attention seems to be better than none. I've seen people act like this because they've had feelings towards someone, however they make it a little more descrete, like asking about homework problems they already know the answer to or something of that nature. Shakespeare has always been able to truly show and create the deep passions of love. What he is saying is that love is so powerful it can make you do things you never would have imagined doing before. For example, begging for a person's attention, even if its bad attention.
Margaret P.5
I think that Hermia and Helena fighting over their physical looks. Also their heights and who is better is is really a cat fight. Girls I know fight all the time about how they look like Hermia and Helena did and some time girls fight about how they look to guy and about guys . I think that Shakespeare is saying that love is more powerful then spells.
Andrew p5
In my opinion the lost foolish character so far in the play has been Helena, she falls in love with another who doesn't love her back and then begs for his love, and turns against an old friend just to get a bit of attention from him, and betrays her trust and ruins the love between her and her lover Lysander. and then even when she gets what she wanted she is to foolish to see anything close to what it is going on.
Michelle P.5 :)
In my opinion, I think that Hermia and Helena are the most foolish lovers in the novel. Hermia has been really foolish because after she finds out that Lysander doesn't love her anymore but her friend Helena she over reacts and then she blames Helena. Hermia just doesn't get whats happening so then she is like thinking that Lysander would never love her again. She is just willing to do anything just get Lysander to love her again. The other character that has been acting really foolish in the novel is Helena because she is really obessed with Demetrius. Helena doesn't even care if Demetrius treats her like a dog because she really loves him. Helena just really likes Demetrius and she also will do anything to make Demetrius love her. I really do think that some people really are under a spell of love because I now some people that are with a person that treats them like a dog and well they really don't care as long as their with them they are ok. Shakespeare seems to be saying that love is a really powerful feeling that may change a person.
Daisy P5
In the play Helena is the most foolish in my opinion. She pleads to Demetrius to allow her to be his Spaniel and also requesting, "strike me spurn me..." she is ignoring her own self worth only for the sake of an unrequited love that she very well knows that he hates the very sight of her and yet she goes on following him begging kneeling anything she can do to et his attention to be set on her in any way possible.
Raquel period 5
In my opinion the most foolish thing that one of the lovers have done was Helena.She first asks to be loved. She beged and did anything to get his attension, even said that she was willing to be Demetrius dog. She is confusing because now that she has him she feels that he is making fun of her. I mean she wanted anything from him, and now that she has it she backs off and wants to leave. I think that this is like what happens in real life. Most people do anything for what they want and once they get it they don't want it no more.
Carla p6
I think the most foolish thing that has happened in the play is what happened with Helena and Hermia. They are both best friends and are letting these men come between them. They say horrible unusual mean comments to eachother and are ruining their friendship over love. Also, after the spell was put on them all, Helena finally had gotten what she wanted and more. She thought they were joking around and making fun of her, and just caused more of a mess. She was so confused about everything that she just acted more foolish even though she had just gotten what she wanted in the first place. I think what has happened in the play was far fetched, but is deffinately similar to real life in the sence that love can make you do crazy things. Shakespeare is basically trying to show what people do for love, and how they act by making a comedy out of it. We all see how foolish they were all being, but don't realize that people in love act like that in real life sometimes.
Kristy Period 6
I think the most foolish thing one of the characters has done was when Lysander starts talking all lovey dovey to Helena because he doesn't even realize how odd it is. He didn't even try to think back to when he was madly in love with Hermia 5 seconds ago. He didn't second guess his fake feeling for Helena for a second. I don't believe this is real love because he was put under a spell and that's what caused him to act so foolish towards Helena even though she wasn't returning the love.
katrina
period 2
The lovers actions are like people i know because people will get into fights over love for somebody. He seems so be saying that love can be powerful and can make people go out of bounce sometimes over a person. He is saying that people act foolishly and will do and say whatever they can for love.
One of the most foolish things that has been said in the play is how Hermia blames Helena for Lysander no longer loving her. This seems to be incredibly foolish because they were best friends and knowing this should have been enough to not go accusing the other of betrayal. Helena accused Hermia of setting up the whole love reversal while Hermia blamed her for her love of Lysander being no longer returned. These actions are realistic of love. I think when its real true love, people will go to any lengths to defend it, even if they have to ignore the truth and act ridiculously to those who care for them. I think this is remarkably like real life. When love goes wrong or something happens that causes a bump in the road, people often blame those closest to them, just as was done here. They start fights that drag in much more. I think love causes people to act completely out of character because if it’s real they will do whatever they have to defend it, like creating threats that aren’t there in your best friends. This foolish act is a lot like when in modern day someone takes advice from there friend about their boyfriend or girlfriend, it goes awry and they in turn attack the friend that has tried to help them and be there for them. Shakespeare seems to be saying the power of love is extremely strong and something that can cause people to act out of character. People will do anything for love and things that they have never considered doing before, like picking a fight with a friend, become possibilities and the norm. Love causes people to act foolishly.
Ella Period 6
Helana and Hermia fighting over height, and therefore vanity, was quite foolish. The power of love overtook their greater judgement.Someone looking from the outside might be able to realize that someone who truly loves someone else would not care about their apperance; things like that would not matter at all to someone who loves them. This power of love has led the two girls to become bitter and hostile towards each other while becoming focused on the small things. They'll use anything at all to fight against the other for the beloved man's hand.
Shakespeare is trying to say that many powerful and profound emotions come from love, such as anger hate and jealousy. From my own experiances, this is extremly true, especially with us men...
Love drives to things that may seem wrong, immoral, or crazy to them. Yet they see a justification in the name of love. From what i've read in Midsummer, and what i've experianced in my own life; i conclud that shakespeare was spot on with his art. To quote Reefer Madness, "His articulations of a lover's palpatations are so keen!"
To sum up, Shakespeare means to say that many things grow from love, including feelings and events that make no damn sense at all. That love is so powerful an emotion that corrupts, enriches, and manipulates the human spirit to an incredable degree. It'll make us do things that seem to have no reason or logic. Like Nick Bottom said. "Love and reason keep little company together these days"
Jake.C
Period 6
*P.S. Midsummer is amazing; double-plus good. Seriously the best thing we've read all year.
I think that Helena is the most foolish of the lovers so far. When Demetrius and her first entered the woods, she said she would rather be treated like a dog than not be treated at all. That just goes to show how desperate she must have been for Demetrius's love. Also, it is her fault she fell in love with someone who doesn't even love her. He made it incrediblly obvious that he had no feelings for her whatsoever, and she ignored that and only listen to her love. Later on, when both Demetrius and Lysander loved her and not Hermia, she didn't care. Instead, she soaked it in and continued to fight with Hermia and call her names. They probably should have been trying to figure out what had happened to change the boys' minds but they were too busy hating each other.
The Midsummer lover's "foolish" action is definitely realistic for someone who is in love. There could easily be someone, say a girl, who is so in love with someone else that they don't care how they are treated, they just want to be around them. And if the boy suddenly fell in love with her after hating her, she would soak it in and not question why.
Shakespeare seems to be saying that love is a powerful emotion that can drive people to do many things. It can make people ignore their lovers flaws and give them no particular reason to love that person. People would do anything for love, even if it means bringing themselves down as a person, they would do it. Also, love is very unpredictable and you never know what might happen because things could change in a blink of an eye.
Tory S.
Period 6
A foolish thing that the lovers has said was. Helena she said that I will be your dog to Demetrius. How that this is like reall life is when someone is trying to get a person to like them back, but they don't. The lover's action is like people I know because people will say or do any thing to go out with that person. I think Shakespeare is saying that true love never runs smooth. Lovew is about looks and the spells that are on them. We could never control love. You can't amagen life without love.
Michele C. P.5
I think the most foolish thing one of the loves has said is Helena. When she said "I will not trust you, Nor longer stay in your curst company. Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray; My legs are longer though, to run away." This to me is said very funny because i think its saying that she will run away if it starts to get bad and she can run faster then Hermia do to her longer legs.
Love can get ugly and can effect everyone around you. Nd also love can get you into some crazzy situations like the fight between Hermia and Helina. I cant relate this to anyone but i know for sure that stuff like this happens every day.
NickL.
Per:6
I think that Helena and Hermia are the most foolish lovers. If they are best friends, they shouldn't assume about each other that they are trying to steal their loved ones. It's not Helena's fault that Lysander and Demetrius fell in love with her. It's Puck's. And Hermia shouldn't be blaming Helena for it when they should both talk about it and get to the bottom of the story. I know some people that have had boyfriends and the boyfriend leaves his girlfriend for her best friend. It's really not the friend's fault because it's the boy leaving the girl. Obviously they would get mad but they should talk about it.
Michaelaaaaaa :]
p. 6
I think that one of the most foolish things that has happend in the play was when Oberon decided to put a spell on Titania ,his own wife to make her fall in love with him more. Technically she already is. So i dont see why he would think the plan for her to love him more would work. He knew that the spell only worked in the way of wich whomever she saw the minute she awakes would be the one she gets infatuated over. So in that case she awakes to botttom with the head of an ass. An this is where his plan failed.
I know alot of people in my life that are or were under the sopell of love. Yes, it does exist. People throw their lifes, self worth , friends, and education down the drain for love. You see it everyday, people always say how they would never act like that or put themselves in that posiotn but you dont find lvoe it finds you and one you are under the spell of it you are blind from anything of the sort. Shakespeare was an intelligent man and caught on that the power of love is far greater than people think it is. It makes people do things that normally they wouldnt do. But love is a power that all of us face, some people make it , and some do not.
SARAH <3
Period 2
Hermia and Helena fought over Lysander. Hermia was jealous that Lysander was in love with Helena instead of herself. One of my friends have literally fought with another girl for the love of this guy. Love can make people do very crazy things.
Jill period 6
The most foolish thing that one of the lovers has done is Helena thinking that Hermia, Lysander, and Demetrius are all making fun of her. No, it is not realistic because people are foolish when they are in love but not to the extent of the lovers in A Midsummer Nights Dream. The lover's actions are not like people I know because the people I know aren't as obsessed over eachother as the lovers are. Shakespeare is saying that love makes people do stupid things.
Kevin S. P.6
One of the foolish things that one of them has done is when Hermia and Helina were fighting and calling each other names. Yes I think that it is realistic that that can happen. They are like that because people might love certain people because of what they might have. He is saying that the power of love is something that is uncontrolable. You can't control who you love.
StevenW P.6
In general I think the story is not relistic with the love triangle because it is to crazy and out of control. I also dont know anyone that would have this crazy triangle of love. Shakespear is trying to point out that love is the strongest emotion like we said before we even read the story.
Ian p.2
I think that the most foolish moment between the lovers is when Lysander casts away Hermia. A spell has been set on him and he has been blinded by it. Lysander and Hermia were completley in love, and now he has fallen out of love with her. Because of this, he says something very foolish. "Tis no jest/that I do hate thee, and love Helena." (49) He does not really hate Hermia, but his feelings for Helena are so strong that he cannot feel that. Every thing else is pushed out and he wants to get rid of Hermia.
This is very foolish because he should take Hermia's feelings into consideration. He should realize that even though he may not love her anymore, she may still very well love him, which she does. He hurts her for no reason. He was thinking souly of himself in that sitiuation and let love turn him into a blundering fool.
Sophie
Period 2
In my opinion, the most foolish thing the lovers have done was the fight between hermia and helena. As with any fight most of the time, it is over something very stupid and worthless. At this point in the play, they both love the same man. They end up getting into a huge argument which then leads into a somewhat physical fight. This foolish action is very realistic to the real world because people fight and say things they don't mean over silly things that think is important in that point of time. Shakespeare is trying to get across that people seem to be blinded by the power of love and they don't stop and think sometimes about the actions they do.
Tom Period 2
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