Submitted by Sara Hussein Mohammed Faqeeh //////// Table of Contents S.No. Subject Page Number 1. Abstract ii 2 Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Overview 1 Objectives of the Study 1 Research Questions 1 Significance of the Study 1 3. Chapter 2: Literature Review 2-8 2.1. Overview 3 2.2. The Life of William Shakespeare 3 2.3. The Works of William Shakespeare 3 2.4. The Treatment Love in Literature 3 2.5. A Midsummer Night’s Dream 3 4. Chapter 3: Feminist Readings of William Shakespeare 9-16 3.1. Overview 5 3.2. Types of love in a midsummer night's dream 5-6 The love of Theseus and Hippolyta 6 3.2.2 The love of Oberon and Titania 6 3.2.3 The love of Hermia and Lysander 6 3.2.4 The love of Helena and Demetrius 7 8-9 6. Conclusion 18 Overview 8 Findings 9 Recommendations for Further Study 9 7. Bibliography 18-19 Abstract The research aims at a study of The Theme of Love in Shakespeare's A Midsummer night's dream . The research is structured in the following way – the first chapter deals with the objectives of the study, research questions, and the significance of the study. The second chapter Literature Review. The third chapter : Feminist Readings of William Shakespeare. This is followed by the conclusion and the bibliography. Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1. Overview This chapter deals with the introduction, which offers information regarding the research objectives, research questions, and the significance of the study. This chapter, in other words, serves as prelude to the research, '' Theme of Love in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.'' 1.2. Research Objectives The aim of this research is to discuss the theme of love in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. There are different types of love discussed in the play. So, this research tries to analyse the nature of each type and how each of the pair of lovers represents an aspect of love. 1.3. Research Questions How is love generally described in literature? How is love described in the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream? What are Shakespeare views about love? 1.4. Significance of the Study Love is one of the powerful themes in literature. Most of the works of Shakespeare focus on the theme of love. So this research will help students of literature in comprehending different aspects of love. It will enable them to analyse the nature of love present in literature and to compare and contrast it to the nature of love present in real life. Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1. Overview This chapter deals with the literature review. It discusses the life and works of William Shakespeare and presents a brief gist of the drama , A Midsummer Night's Dream. 2.2. The Life of William Shakespeare William Shakespeare was born on April 26 1564.He was to die on 23 April 1616 was the English poet, playwright, and actor, and is widely greatest writer in the English language and a prominent playwright in the world. He often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Sometime between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part-owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. According to the Wikipedia site , '' He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613, at age 49, where he died three years later.'' Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, which has stimulated considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, and religious beliefs and whether the works attributed to him were written by others. 2.3. The Works of William Shakespeare His extant works, including collaborations, consist of approximately 38 plays 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613.His early plays were mainly comedies and histories, which are some of the best works are considered at all in these species. Then he wrote tragedies in general until about 1608, including Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth, who are one of the best works in English. In the last phase, he wrote comedy tragicomedy, also known as romances, including A Midsummer night's dream, and collaborated with other playwrights. Many of his plays were published in editions of varying quality and accuracy during his lifetime. In 1623, however, John Heminges and Henry Condell, two friends and fellow actors of Shakespeare, published a more definitive text known as the First Folio, a posthumous collected edition of his dramatic works that included all but two of the plays now recognised as Shakespeare's. It was prefaced with a poem by Ben Jonson, in which Shakespeare is hailed, presciently, as "not of an age, but for all time. According to the Wikipedia site, In the 20th and 21st centuries, his works have been repeatedly adapted and rediscovered by new movements in scholarship and performance. His plays remain highly popular and are constantly studied, performed, and reinterpreted in diverse cultural and political contexts throughout the world. 2.4. The Treatment Love in Literature Love in Shakespeare’s plays is a recurrent theme. The treatment of love in Shakespeare's plays and sonnets is remarkable for the time: the Bard mixes courtly love, unrequited love, with skill and heart. Shakespeare does not revert to the two- dimensional representations of love typical of the time, but rather explores love as a non-perfect part of the human condition. Love in Shakespeare is a force of nature, earthy and sometimes unease. 2.5. A Midsummer Night’s Dream A Midsummer Night’s Dream was written in 1595 or 1596. The main background at the outset is the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. Theseus and Hippolyta are planning their wedding festival when Egeus, an Athenian nobleman, enters the scene, followed by his daughter Hermia. Theseus wants Hermia to marry a young Athenian nonblood'. Meanwhile, Oberon quarrels with his wife Titania, the Fairy Queen. Oberon sends the mischievous Puck to sprinkle a love potion on Titania. On the way, Puck decides to have some fun and cast a spell on Lysander and Demetrius. Puck's spell causes both Lysander and Demetrius to fall for Helena. A betrayed Hermia chases Helena while the men fight. Under the influence of the love potion, Titania falls for Nick Bottom, an actor whom Oberon transforms into a creature with a donkey's head. Chaos ensues, and the play becomes a comedy of errors. Finally, King Oberon removes the enchantments from all but Demetrius, who's still in love with Helena. Duke Theseus and Hippolyta share their wedding festival with the newly matched lovers. Chapter 3 3.1. Overview This chapter Pertains to the topic of the research. Theme of Love in Shakespeare's A Midsummer night's dream. 3.2. Types of love in a midsummer night's dream Different Types of Love in A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare One of the many themes of the play is that of love. Many different types of love are depicted in the book. There is Parental Love Egeus and Hermia, Titania and Little Indian Boy, Friendly Love Helena and Hermia, The Workmen, Unrequited Love Helena and Demetrius, Official, Love Hermia and Demetrius, Argumentative Love Oberon and Titania Mad Sexual Love Bottom and Titania ,Passionate Love Hermia and Lysander. That the play is full of different types of love. There is passionate but wild love between Titania and Oberon. There is mature love between Theseus and Hippolyta. There is young and fairly immature love between and among the four lovers (Hermia and Lysander, Helen for Demetrius, Demetrius for Hermia. There is love produced by magic Titania for Oberon There is pretend love played by the rude mechanicals, and, in a way, by Puck with his tricks. 3.2.1. The love of Theseus and Hippolyta Theseus returning how from his adventure of slaying the Minotaur needed to find a wife and a queen for Athens. Theseus and his best friend Pirithous set off for the island of the Amazons, to woo and wed their queen Hippolyta. Hippolyta was a beautiful and strong woman, the daughter of Ares and the Queen of the Amazons. She had a magic girdle which is like a belt that her father Ares gave her as a symbol of her authority as queen, its like her crown but mch more practical. When they arrived on the island they were warmly welcomed. There was a great feast in honor of their esteemed guest Theseus. All the Amazons were in attendance, and there was lots of food, music and dancing. At dinner Theseus popped the question to Hippolyta. "Will you marry me and be the queen of Athens?" Theseus said. Hippolyta gave it some thought; after all being queen of Athens is way more power than being the queen of just an island. Hippolyta then thought about her responsibilities to her people the Amazon warrior woman. Remembering her obligation to them reminded her that she liked being single, and not having to cook or clean up after a husband. So Hippolyta told Theseus that she was flattered but not interested in being his wife or queen. The party went on into the night but Theseus wasn’t joining in the festivities instead he was quietly sitting and thinking how he could change Hippolyta's mind. Later that night when everyone went to bed, Theseus and his friend Pirithous were sitting up chatting on their ship. Pirithous had a great idea, just kidnap the queen run for Athens and make her marry you. The amazons won't fight back they thought, and once she is your queen she can’t leave. So it was settled they would kidnap the queen and return home with her as Theseus wife. After a few days of partying with the Amazons it was time to put the plan in action. Late at night while everyone was sleeping, Theseus snuck into Hippolyta's tent and picked her up and carried her off to his ship and set sail for Athens. In the morning when the warrior woman woke up and found that their queen was missing and so was their guest, they quickly out the 2 together and realized that Theseus had kidnapped their queen. At once the warrior woman set sail for Athens to rescue their queen from a forced marriage. Theseus safely reaches Athens and starts the preparations for the wedding and the festival to follow. Being just a few hours behind Theseus, the amazons arrive in Athens under the darkness of night Perfect for an ambush attack. The Amazonians make their way to the palace and spring Hippolyta out of the castle and not a moment too soon, because at dawn they were to wed. With their queen with them once more, the amazons returned to their island much more cautious and wary of visitors. The next morning Theseus woke up and went to greet his soon to be bride only to find out that his bride had got away in the night. Seeing that trying to force Hippolyta to marry him was a fruitless endeavor Theseus sets his eyes instead on Helen of Troy. 3.2.2. The love of Oberon and Titania The Oberon and Titania characters play an important role in A Midsummer Night's Dream. Here, we take an in-depth look at each and understand what makes them tick as a couple. Oberon is angry with Titania as she is spending all her time with a changeling boy and will not give him over to Oberon to be used as a henchman. He could be considered to be quite spiteful in exacting his revenge upon her. Oberon is powerful but Titania appears to be just as headstrong and they seem equally matched. We know they have had a good relationship up until now as he and Titania would; Oberon asks Puck to get the juice from a herb he once showed him and anoint the eyes of Titania with it so that she falls in love with something ridiculous. Oberon is clearly angry with his queen for disobeying him and exacts a kind of revenge but it is quite harmless and humorous in its intent. He clearly loves her and just wants to have her all to himself again. Consequently, Titania falls in love with Bottom with an Ass’ head stuck on his. Oberon and Titania are the only couple in the play who have been married for a while. The other couples are just starting out with all the passion and excitement a new relationship brings. Oberon and Titania represent an older more weathered relationship, they have possibly taken each other for granted and when the love potion is removed and Titania realises that she has been doting and fawning over an ass she is made to realise that perhaps she has neglected her husband somewhat and this will renew their passion. 3.2.3. The love of Hermia and Lysander True Love Love is a strong-filled emotion, a bond which is shared between two persons. Love adds to the enchantment and beauty of life. Love has the power to lift the spirits of the persons who share this pure sentiment and is also capable of eliminating the controversies, jealousies and barriers existent due to blood lineage which may try to harm lovers. Egeus, Hermia’s Father, goes to Duke Theseus for assistance with his predicament. Theseus gives Hermia the option to either marry Demetrius, the man his father has deemed worthy of her, or for her to live a barren life as a nun. As Hermia heard what was to come, she replies to Theseus as she defends her love, So I will grow, so live, so die, my lord, Ere I will yield my virgin patent up unto his lordship whose unwished yoke my soul consents not to give sovereignity. Hermia’s pale cheeks and melancholic look reflect. Lysander in the situation they are in comforts Hermia by saying, The course of true love never did run smooth. In that same place thou hast appointed me tomorrow truly will I meet with thee. Hermia‘s and Lysander’s love is always put to the test by Egeus’ rejection of Lysander. In the forest, their love is put to the test simply by the fact that Demetrius is always after Hermia and tries to prevent her from eloping with Lysander. Their love is also trialed by Puck who confuses the Athenian lad which Oberon had sent him to put the love potion on.Puck was to place the potion on Demetrius for him to respond to Helena’s love but instead Puck placed it on Lysander’s. Throughout the plot of the story, Hermia always had the option to give up on Lysander’s love and stay with the lad her father had chosen for her, but she always had in mind to follow her heart and not give up on her love due to small adversities. Lysander is worthy of Hermia’s love and proves to be a brave lad who was willing to take risks in order to be with Hermia. Lysander conquered all obstacles that came in between the love that he had for Hermia and proved he was truly worthy of Hermia’s love with his actions. The theme of forbidden love is reflected by the characters of Hermia and Lysander who live life as a daily battle in struggle to maintain their love alive. . Hermia and Lysander are an example of a couple who faced challenges on the way but the prize-being together as a couple, was far more rewarding in the end. 3.2.4. The love of Helena and Demetrius When first introduced, Helena demonstrates the insecurities she has about her looks and her jealousy towards her friend Hermia who has unwittingly stolen the affections of Demetrius from her. Helena wants to be more like her friend in order to win back Demetrius’ heart. Hers is the harder love story to swallow, as Demetrius is in effect drugged to be in love with her, but she accepts it all the same. Helena is a fictional character and one of the four young lovers – Demetrius, Lysander, Hermia and Helena – featured in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream. She is the daughter of Nedar, a member of Theseus court and the Athenian aristocracy, and a friend of Hermia, with whom she is often compared. Prior to the play's beginning, she is betrothed to the nobleman Demetrius but is jilted when his affections turn to Hermia instead. Despite this, Helena's abiding love for Demetrius remains consistent throughout the play. Hermia and her lover, Lysander, confide in Helena that they plan to elope. In the hopes that she will gain back some of his respect, Helena tells Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander's escape and, that night, the two follow the lovers into the forest. Though Demetrius is deliberately cruel towards her, Helena remains honest in her devotion to him. Her behaviour catches the attention of Oberon, who commands that Puck enchant a sleeping Demetrius so that he will fall back in love with Helena. When Puck mistakenly enchants Lysander instead, then put the potion on the real Demetrius. Both men become enamoured with her and desert Hermia in the woods. Confused by the sudden change in behaviour, Helena convinces herself that the three other lovers have banded together to ridicule her. Throughout her conquest for Demetrius' love, she becomes convinced the others are merely mocking her tried, but true efforts for love. Helena is left confused and hurt by how ungentlemanly and unfriendly her closest comrades are. In the play's climax, she and Hermia nearly come to blows while the two men set out to kill one another for Helena's affections. Conclusion Overview The conclusion. It deals with findings of the study also deals with Recommendations for further study. Finding of the study The different loves in Midsummer’s night’s dream In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare portrays four different kinds of love forced love, parental love, romantic love and complicated love. In the beginning of the play we see a forced love between Theseus and Hippolyta the queens of the Amazons. Theseus mentions in “I wooed thee with my sword, To portray that he won her with his sword as in the battle to win her love. Hippolyta says “My Theseus”, this shows she is willing to marry him. We readers are not sure if both of these characters are really in love or marrying because Theseus has won a battle. Throughout the story it seems that His love for Hippolyta had probably grown for her and  leading  both of them being married, since he understood the four lovers love between Hermia, Helena, Demetrius, and Lysander  with one another. This probability made him vulnerable to the effects of love people have for one another. Shakespeare's view of love in Midsummer’s night’s dream Shakespeare’s plays are very drastic with how he ties love into them. Shakespeare always adds comedy or tragedy to any romance that might be taking place. For example in Midsummer’s night’s dream, As You like It Hermia and Lysander and there is romance but he also puts comedy in there so love is not that easy. In the play Othello he makes it into a dy which makes the love even harder to take place. Shakespeare has always found a way to make love as complicated as he can which leads me to believe that he feels that you must work for love and it should not be handed to you. In this play, Shakespeare shows that love can cause pain. Recommendations for further study No research is complete. Hence, every research work needs to be advanced further. In this case, research may be conducted at a higher or advanced level on comparative study of the treatment of love in two or three plays of Shakespeare or on the treatment of love in two or three plays written by different playwrights. Bibliography '' ''A Midsummer Night's Dream Summary.'' enotese. eNotes.com, Inc. Web.15 Mar 2017. '' A Midsummer Night's Dream: 4 Types of Love. '' fictionpress. Fictionpress. Apr 29, 2006. Web. 2 Apr 2017 '' Different Types of Love in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay. '' 123helpme. 123HelpMe. 2000-2016. Web. 3 Apr 2017. '' Hermia, Helena, Lysander, Demetrius. '' prezi. 2017 Prezi Inc. 29 Nov 2010. Web. 2 Apr 2017. '' Shakespearean "Love" in A Midsummer Night's Dream. '' thoughtco. About, Inc. 28, 2016. Web. 3 Apr 2017. '' Shakespeare's Treatment of Love and Marriage.'' shakespeare-online. shakespeare-online. 1999-2014. Web. 22 mar 2017. '' Shakespearean "Love" in A Midsummer Night's Dream. '' thoughtco. About, Inc. 28, 2016. Web. 3 Apr 2017. '' Theme of love in Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare. writework. WriteWork. Apr 2006. Web. 12 Mar 2017. '' William Shakespeare. '' Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 14 Mar 2017. Web. 28 Mar 2017.