Top 3 A Midsummer Night's Dream quotes
"Ay me, for aught that I could ever read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,
The course of true love never did run smooth." - Lysander, Act I Scene iThis is a quote from Lysander when he attempts to cheer up the distraught Hermia, as she is given an ultimatum to either marry Demetrius or be executed or exiled to the life of a celibate priestess. This quote from the play foreshadows the conflict that is to arise between the two lovers later onwards when Puck, the mischievous fairy, accidentally uses the love potion on Lysander instead of Demetrius. In so doing, he causes Lysander to fall in love with the passing Helena, and this causes much heartache to Hermia as her lover abandons her in the forest and attempts to woo Helena. However, the lovers' tale does resolve into a happy ending, for the duke of Athens, Thesus, overrules Egeus in the matter of Hermia's marriage.
"Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." - Hermia, Act I Scene iThis is an important quote from the first act, and first introduces the powerful and erratic nature of love. These lines are uttered by Hermia, as she tragically expresses the emotions she experiences as he old lover, Demetrius has abandoned her and now pursues Helena's close friend, Hermia. Of particular importance is Hermia's remark about the power of love to transform even base and vile qualities into ones that seem dignified. This is later developed as the beautiful Titania, queen of the fairies, becomes infatuated with the mechanical Bottom, whose head has been replaced with that of an ass.
"If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended:
That you have but slumbered here,
While these visions did appear;
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend.
If you pardon, we will mend." - Puck, Act V Scene iThis is the epilogue of the play and is uttered by Puck, the mischievous jester of King Oberon, the king of fairies. The epilogue is particularly fitting to end A Midsummer Night's Dream as many of the characters in the play themselves believe that the events of the forest are nothing but dreams.
