Different types of love in Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' - Essay Example

Shakespeare presents love and its many faces and how people tend to react towards it. Friendship is one aspect of love. Though there is no romantic passion or attraction involved in this kind of love, there is some kind affection between two people. This is exemplified in Helena and Hermia’s relationship. Friendship is shown in the play as a relationship between two females, who have a deep connection with each other to the point of sharing secrets and stories. Helena’s words, “the sister vows, the hours that we spent when we have chid the hasty footing time for parting us…so we grew together…seeming parted but yet an union in partition” signified the Helena and Hermia came a long way back (III, 2, 8).

This gives a picture of friendship that started during childhood times and that they have weathered problems together, moving and thinking like sisters. This indicates that love does not merely entail a romantic connection with another, but love can also be that deep connection with someone. Friendship is all about trust and love for each other, same with romantic love, a willingness to put your heart and soul in the hands of another, trusting that the person will take care of the trust and love.

Another type of love that Shakespeare presented in the play is the love of a father to his child. However, the kind of parental love that Shakespeare presented is commanding and authoritarian, which indicates that during Shakespeare’s times, the father, being the provider of the family, tends to command their family, especially their daughters according to how they believe is good for them. Egeus believes that “as (Hermia) is (his) daughter, (he) may dispose of her” in any way that he wants to (I, 1, 42).

This is attitude is deemed by society as appropriate and fit for a father, especially in a viewpoint that expects the father to be able to control the behavior and actions of their family members. This type of love