A Midsummer Night's Dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Midsummer Night's Dream - Essay Example As these two characters appear in the daylight, including as the sun is rising in the final act, it can be said that they symbolism order and light, in contrast to the instability and darkness that the rest of the play is shrouded in. They are used to begin the play and to end it, again bringing with themselves a sense of order and direction. The love potion is yet another symbol in the play. The fairies become reckless with the love potion, causing many of the characters to become crazy and infatuated with each other. Titania falls for Bottom, while Demetrius and Lysander cannot seem to make up their minds about whether they are in love with Hermia or Helena. Therefore, the love potion symbolizes the erratic, powerful nature of love. Even though the crazy love seen throughout this portion of the play is due to a potion, there really is no difference that can be seen with love that comes naturally. Love causes everyone to act in peculiar, humiliating ways. Nature, though a smaller symbol than others in the play, is still a symbol. It symbolizes the fantasy that the play encompasses. Most fantasy tales, especially those dealing with fairies and the like, take place in a natural setting as this increases the visual appeal of this fantasy world and the situations within it. The nature within this play simply symbolizes the fantastical aspects of the story. The moon is perhaps one of the greatest symbols found within the play. However, the moon is a different symbol to each character of the play, enhancing its purpose to the plot and overall story. At night, when the moon is out, is when the craziness of the play is in full swing. Once the sun rises and the rooster shrills his good mornings, things calm down again. It is in this that the moon symbolizes the erratic changes of human behavior - something that can easily be seen, and has been proven, in real life. When the moon is evident in the play, the characters usually are acting up and in ways that are