“There is perhaps no other theme in world literature as prevalent, provocative, diverse--and perennially compelling--as that of love or its absence (McClinton-Temple 67). William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and D. H. Lawrence’s “The Horse Dealer's Daughter” have many similarities when dealing with the concept of love. Both writers focus on the concept of relationships in their works, in fact, Shakespeare was said to have written his play to be performed at a wedding.” Scholars generally agree that A Midsummer Night’s Dream was written to be performed at an aristocratic wedding. Everything in the play is related to the theme of marriage (Boyce 433). Shakespeare and Lawrence use the theme of appearance vs. reality to portray the
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The views of romantic love in the works of Shakespeare and Lawrence indicate a desire to define love by society’s ideals towards marriage, relationships, and commitment. “The thematic process of romantic love is everywhere circumscribed by the identities of its participants and the cultures in which their escapades take place” (68).
In comparison, both writers focus on the concept of physical attraction being artificial, superficial love that may appear to others as natural or real. Therefore, the theme of appearance vs. reality is stressed in both works when the characters show artificial love towards someone based on only physical attraction. “The difficulties that beset lovers in Shakespeare's comedies all seem artificial when taken out of context, because love itself and its conventions are so artificial. Love at first sight is assumed, which always puts the lovers in the perilous position of being able to fall in love with someone else with equal facility” (Charney 108). In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare creates lovers that switch to new loves easily based on physical …show more content…
Lawrence creates a female character that is the star of his short story “The Horse Dealer's Daughter” who is flat and emotionless at the beginning of the story. Mabel has been molded and created over the years by a male-dominated family and society. Mabel has so little hope in her future that she tries to commit suicide. As the story progresses, Mabel seizes on an opportunity to claim love when she realizes she has an opportunity for a future if Fergusson marries her. She exhibits artificial love based on social gain. However, she would not be in her desperate situation had she lived in a different cultural setting. Lawrence focuses his attention on the power of choice in decisions regarding relationships and marriage. Lawrence “...often succeeds in conveying the feel of actual life and actual human problems” “A man who spent so much of his life preaching as Lawrence did in preaching to women may fail to as Lawrence so often does to pay due regard to the rules which govern valid argument...it is becoming common to praise the directness and vitality of Lawrence’s style in general (Ford 302-303). In “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter”, Mabel does not appear to take notice of Fergusson at the beginning of the short story. He is simply her brother’s friend. “But Mabel
The views of romantic love in the works of Shakespeare and Lawrence indicate a desire to define love by society’s ideals towards marriage, relationships, and commitment. “The thematic process of romantic love is everywhere circumscribed by the identities of its participants and the cultures in which their escapades take place” (68).
In comparison, both writers focus on the concept of physical attraction being artificial, superficial love that may appear to others as natural or real. Therefore, the theme of appearance vs. reality is stressed in both works when the characters show artificial love towards someone based on only physical attraction. “The difficulties that beset lovers in Shakespeare's comedies all seem artificial when taken out of context, because love itself and its conventions are so artificial. Love at first sight is assumed, which always puts the lovers in the perilous position of being able to fall in love with someone else with equal facility” (Charney 108). In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare creates lovers that switch to new loves easily based on physical …show more content…
Lawrence creates a female character that is the star of his short story “The Horse Dealer's Daughter” who is flat and emotionless at the beginning of the story. Mabel has been molded and created over the years by a male-dominated family and society. Mabel has so little hope in her future that she tries to commit suicide. As the story progresses, Mabel seizes on an opportunity to claim love when she realizes she has an opportunity for a future if Fergusson marries her. She exhibits artificial love based on social gain. However, she would not be in her desperate situation had she lived in a different cultural setting. Lawrence focuses his attention on the power of choice in decisions regarding relationships and marriage. Lawrence “...often succeeds in conveying the feel of actual life and actual human problems” “A man who spent so much of his life preaching as Lawrence did in preaching to women may fail to as Lawrence so often does to pay due regard to the rules which govern valid argument...it is becoming common to praise the directness and vitality of Lawrence’s style in general (Ford 302-303). In “The Horse Dealer’s Daughter”, Mabel does not appear to take notice of Fergusson at the beginning of the short story. He is simply her brother’s friend. “But Mabel