A Midsummer Night’s Dream Analysis
...the wedding (I.i.19). Following this Egeus enters the room. He is a citizen of Athens and wishes to have Theseus mediate a situation in which his daughter is supposed to marry Demetrius. But she has fallen in love with another man by the name of Lysander. Egeus seeks Theseus in hopes that he can punish his daughter for him. Egeus then demands that the law punish Hermia if she fails to comply with his demands. Theseus speaks to Hermia sharply, telling her to expect to be sent to a nunnery or put to death. Lysander interrupts, accusing Demetrius of being fickle in love, saying that he was once engaged to Hermia's friend Helena but abandoned her after he met Hermia. Theseus admits that he has heard this story, and he takes Egeus and Demetrius aside to discuss it. Before they go, he orders Hermia to take the time remaining before his marriage to Hippolyta to make up her mind. The scene continues on with Hermia and Lysander alone to talk. During this time Hermia and Lysander discuss the trials that must be faced by those who are in love: "The course of true love never did run smooth," (I.i.134). He proposes a plan: he has a wealthy aunt, who is childless, that lives seven leagues from Athens and who dotes on Lysander like a son. At her house, Hermia and Lysander can be married and, because the manor is outside of Athens, they would be free from Athenian law. Hermia is overjoyed, and they agree to travel to the house the following night. Next Helena, Hermia’s friend enters the room upset about how Demetrius does not love her and this is when Hermia and Lysander tell her of their plan to run away and marry. Now while all of that had transpired that way in the written version Hoffman’s portrayal is different. His version takes places in turn of the century Italy with everybody dressed to the nines. The movie itself wa...