The Darker Side of Shakespeare

In William Shakespeares honourable turn, A Midsummer nighttimes reverie, the hearing is spectator to a much darker Shakespearian arrivedy than many of Shakespeares other works. The shape begins with a young charr by the progress to of Hermia is torn mingled with marrying the man that her father has elect for her or facing death for defying her fathers wishes. The audience sees dark humor through pucks antics in pleasing his Oberon.The twain revel shimmering mean tricks on innocent characters they come across, obviously exhibiting a dark sense of humor. Shakespeare likewise incorporates dark fantasy into A Midsummer nights Dream with the fairies in the forest. Whereas fairies are typically envisioned as helpful, innocent creatures, Shakespeares fairies face only to create mischief and chaos. Also portrayed in this run is the dark typeface of delight in and romance. The darkness of the ladder is obvious from the first paginate through the last page, obviously d isplaying Shakespeares darker intentions for this play.The well-nigh obvious element of A Midsummer iniquitys Dream is the element of dark humor. Oberons mignon, puck, is constantly entertaining Oberon in any agency possible. In to the highest degree cases, this entertainment incorporates playing tricks on unsuspecting characters. hockey puck and Oberon seem to have a darker sense of humor, enjoying seeing others in states of confusion or embarrassment. Early in the play, hockey puck talks nearly the pranks that he has been cognize to play, telling the audience that, sometimes lurk I in a confers cast, in very likeness of a roasted crab, and when she drinks, against her lips I bob and on her shrivel dewlap pour the ale.The wisest aunt, telling the saddest tale, sometimes for three-foot stool mistaketh me past slip I from her bum, down topples she, and tailor cries, and falls into a cough (Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 47-54). By crook himself into a crab and lurking in a bowl of ale to scare a woman, and making himself appear to be a stool so that when a woman sits on him, he can advert her fall, hockey puck makes it obvious that he cares about nonhing scarce entertaining himself and his king. One example of this darker humor is when puck changes Bottoms head into that of an ass.As if this individual trick isnt entertaining enough, Puck then(prenominal) casts a dapple over titanium oxide create the sissy queen to fall in love life with Bottom. When Puck tells Oberon how the trick played out, Oberon is obviously joyous with the results, telling Puck that, This falls out bump than I could devise (Act 3, Scene 2, Line 35). The family between Oberon and Puck is one similar to a King and Court Jester during medieval times. Puck embodys only to entertain Oberon, and it is very obvious that the dickens have a much darker sense of humor than others.The second element of A Midsummer Nights Dream that exhibits an obvious darkness is the magic and fa iries within the play. Typically, fairies are curtilageght to be good creatures who are helpful and innocent. However, the fairies that Shakespeare has envisioned are a much darker breed than what the audience would normally expect. The fairies that exist in this play are more known for creating a sense of chaos. The most prominent fairy in the play is Puck, the trickster of the forest.We see the darker side of the magic that Puck practices on several make throughout the play. One of the more obvious examples of Pucks dark magic is when he decides to depart the Athenian youngsters of their birth troubles. Puck uses magic to make Demetrius fall in love with Helena. This is a darker import because it interferes with the ability of Demetrius to truly exhibit free pull up stakes and love who he wants. Puck tracks down the Athenian he is to cast the spell upon in the forest, When thou wakest, let love forbid Sleep his stinker on thy eyelid So awake when I am gone (Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 67-68).In the serve up of helping the young lovers with this love triangle, Puck casts the spell on the wrong Athenian man. The plan backfires, and it is Lysander who is make to woo Helena. As Puck and Oberon watch their antics unfold, Puck is obviously entertained by the confusion that he has caused. Puck tells Oberon, Shall we their fond pageant see? Lord, what fools these mortals be (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 115-116).The third element of Shakespeares play that incorporates a darker feeling is that of love and relationships. This is most lucid in the relationship that exists between titanic oxide and Oberon. season most comedies are full of love and passion, Shakespeare places a dark emphasis on relationships in A Midsummer Nights Dream. The sexual union of titania and Oberon is thrown into chaos over a changeling that titanium dioxide has taken under her care. Because of titanic oxides actions, Oberon is in a rage and essentially trying to get revenge on her.This takes on a dark element when Oberon encourages Puck to play a trick on her, resulting in titanium dioxide falling temporarily in love with Bottom. unfortunately for the fairy queen, Bottoms head has been alter into that of an ass. Puck takes great delight in his extraordinary love connection, however, saying, When in that moment, so it came to pass, Titania waked and forthwith loved an ass (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 33-34). The audience sees a different kind of relationship between Titania and Oberon one in which Oberon obviously must ever so be in charge.By not allowing Oberon to have control of the changeling, she has obviously thrown their relationship out of balance. It appears to the audience that Titania is expected to work to Oberons wishes at all times. The audience is exposed to the darker side of Titania in her battle with Oberon. When the two meet by accident in the woods, Titania is furious with Oberon for interrupting the fairy trip the light fantastic toes that Titani a and her fairies partake in.Titanias darker side is uncovered in her accusations to her husband, The ox hath therefore stretchd his yoke in vain The plower lost his sweat, and the green corn Hath rotted ere his early days attaind a beard The fold stands empty in the drowned field And crows are fatted with the murrion flock (Act 2, Scene 1, Lines 78-82). Titanias word choice alone has a dark connotation, and she makes it clear that the disturbance of the fairy dance will have dark consequences for others.Shakespeares comedy, A Midsummer Nights Dream leaves the audience reeling from a sense of darkness within the play. This play is not a typical comedy in that many of the comedic elements are darker than other plays in the equivalent genre. Shakespeare shows the audience the darker side of humor through the interactions between Oberon and his servant, Puck.The element of dark magic also makes its charge into the play, through the chaotic realm of the fairies in the forest, changi ng the typical role of a fairy in writing. Lastly, Shakespeare makes his audience aware of the darkness that exists within the heterogeneous relationships in the play. Almost all of the lovers in this play have a darker element to their relationships. Shakespeare, through various(a) characters, intrigues the audience with an obvious fascination with the darker side of the most common elements of his play.Works CitedShakespeare, William. A Midsummer Nights Dream. rude(a) York, NY Bantam Books, 1980.