A Midsummers Night Dream Literary Analysis

Prompt : #6. Oberon is the root behind all of the problems in the play. (give 3 reasons why)

Inthestory,
AMidsummer'sNightsDream
,Therearefourlovers,whorunawayintothe
forest,becauseofthecruellaw,wheretheymeetmanycircumstancesthatareoutoftheordinary.One
ofthecharactersisthisstoryistheFairyKing,Oberon.Despiteappearancesandtitle,Oberonisthe
roottoalltheproblemsinthisplay.ForthosewhodontknowwhoOberonis,heisthefairykingwho
fightswithTitania,hiswife,formostoftheplay.Firstofall,Oberonwantedthechangelingboy,even
thoughitisobviousthatTitaniawillnotgivehimup.InsteadoflettingTitaniahavetheboy,Oberon
placedaflowersjuiceonTitaniaseyeswhichcausedhertofallinlovewithBottom.Notonlythat,
buthealsowantedtohelpHelenabyorderingPucktoputtheflowersjuiceinDemetriusseyes.
Boy,thatwentwrong.InsteadofputtingthejuiceinDemetriusseyes,itsomehowwentinto
Lysander'seyes,messingwithtruelove.Also,Titaniahadsaidthattheirfightshadnegativeeffectson
theenvironment,suchasdisruptingtheseasonsandtheweather,butdoesOberoncare?No.Hestill
continuesfightingwithTitania.Oberon,despitebeingafairyking,istherootofproblemsintheplay,
ashemessesuprelationswithhiswife,ruinsotherpeoplesromanticlife,anddestroysthe
environment,yetdoeshecare?No.

Firstofall,heisstubborn.Givemethatboy,andIwillgowiththee.(ActII,SceneI,Line
513)Hewantsthechangelingboy,eventhoughitisobviousTitaniawillnevergivehimup.Hewants
ahenchmen,andithastobethatboy.HedoesntcarethatTitaniaisonlyraisingthechildbecauseofa
promise.Hesimplydoesnotcare.Asaresult,hesendsPucktogetaMagicalFlower,thatmakes
peoplefallinlovewiththenextthingtheysee.Whatthouseestwhenthoudostwake,Doitforthy
truelovetake,Loveandlanguishforhissake:Beitounce,orcat,orbear,Pard,orboarwithbristled
hair,InthyeyethatshallappearWhenthouwakest,itisthydear:Wakewhensomevilethingisnear.
(ActII,SceneII,Line680685)Inordertoensuredominance,hepunishesTitaniabymakingherfall
inlovewithsomethingelse,sothathecantakethechangelingboy.Heiswillingtousethepowerof
theflower,andtheserviceofPucktogetwhateverhewanted.Heevenhopesthatshefallsinlovewith
avilething.Heisbasicallytellingeveryonethathecandoanythinghewants.IfOberonwasntthis
stubborntowantthatboy,andthatspecificboythatTitaniahadtokeepandraise,thenthisproblem
wouldnthavehappened.

Secondly,Oberoncreatedproblemsbetweenthefourlovers,byhelpingthem.Asweet
Athenianladyisinlove,Withadisdainfulyouth:anointhiseyesButdoitwhenthenextthinghe
espiesMaybethelady:thoushaltknowthemanBytheAtheniangarmentshehathon.(ActII,Scene
I,Lines640645)Heseesthelovers,andtheignorancethatDemetriusgivesHelena.HeorderedPuck
toapplytheflowersjuicetoamanwearingAthenianattire,notrealizingthattherearemoremen
wearingthesameattire.Howisthatpossible?BecauseofOberonsignoranceofnotrealizingthatthere
aremoremenwearingAthenianclothinginAthens,hetamperedwiththefourlovers.Hemade
LysanderandDemetriusloveHelena,causinghertobeconfused,andruiningthewholescenario.

ContentwithHermia!NoIdorepentThetediousminutesIwithherhavespent.NotHermiabut
HelenaIlove:Whowillnotchangearavenforadove.(ActII,SceneII,Line770775)Theflower
changedLysandersfeelingsforHermia,whichtamperedwithtruelove.IfOberonwasmorecareful,he
wouldhavedescribedDemetriusindetail,tobesurethatPuckcouldfindhim,insteadofbeingcareless
andjustsayThemanwiththeAtheniangarments.

Finally,OberondidnotcareabitabouttheenvironmentduetohimandTitaniafighting.
Thereforethewinds,pipingtousinvain,Asinrevenge,havesuck'dupfromtheseaContagiousfogs
whichfallinginthelandHaveeverypeltingrivermadesoproud.(ActII,SceneI,Lines455460)
Onceagain,OberonsstubbornnesshascausedthehorribleweatheronEarth.Titaniatellshimofthese
eventshappening,yetOberondoesntcareahootaboutthefarmersandpeople.Allhewantsistheboy.
HeiswillingtoexchangethemiseryofthepeopleonEarthforthechangelingboy.AfterTitania
explainstheevents,Oberonrespondedwith,Doyouamenditthenitliesinyou:WhyshouldTitania
crossherOberon?Idobutbegalittlechangelingboy,Tobemyhenchman.(ActII,SceneI,Line
485490)HeagainwantstoensuredominanceoverTitania.HebasicallyputsalltheblameonTitania
fornotgivinghimtheboytobehishenchman,thoughitsTitaniasrighttokeeptheboy.Heisjust
beingJealousofTitaniasaffectiontotheboy,whichcausedmiseryonEarth.

IunderstandthatOberonmaybejusttryingtohelptheloverswhenheorderedPucktoapply
theflowersjuicetoDemetrius,andthatitmightbePucksfaultforfindingthewrongperson.
However,Oberonwassupercareless.Hedidntthinkofthefactthatthereisthepossibilityofother
peoplewearingAtheniangarments.AnditwasntPucksfault.Puckwasgivenonlythesimple
instructionsof,Maybethelady:thoushaltknowthemanBytheAtheniangarmentshehathon.(Act
II,SceneI,Lines642643)Youcantreallyblamehim.Hewasgiventhesimpleinstructionoffinding
apersonwithaspecifictypeofclothing,andhedid.HefoundLysanderinsteadofDemetrius,andthey
werebothwearingAthenianclothing.Hejustdidntrealizethattheremightbemoreofpeoplewearing
AtheniangarmentsinAthens,andthereforeOberonmesseduptruelove,andwiththelovers
relationships.

Inconclusion,Oberonisthemainroottoalltheproblemsintheplay.Hisselfishness,his
carelessness,andhisjealousycausethecharactersoftheplaymisery.Hemayseemlikeacapable
person,becauseofhistitleofFairyKing,butinrealityhesnot.Heiswillingtoarguewithhiswife,as
wellasmakingherfallinlovewithanothercreature,justtostealthechangeling,andbecareless,just
fortheamusementofwatchingothersblunderaround.HisjealousycausedpeopleofEarthbad
weather,buthedidntcare.Allhecaredaboutwasthatchangelingboy,andasaresult,causedmostof
theproblemsinthisplay,

Fin