The use of literary devises in A MidSummer Nights Dream essays

The use of literary devises in A MidSummer Nights Dream essays Throughout William Shakespeares play, A Midsummer Nights Dream, Shakespeares characters in a sleepy state are anointed by Oberon and Puck with love-juice. This juice causes them to fall instantaneously in and out of love with each other. Although their actions are governed by the love-juice the lovers ironically believe their actions are lead by their reason. Shakespeare uses literary devises such as, satire, irony and animal imagery, to expose love as an irrational state of being. First of all, in the play Shakespeare uses satire to illustrate that the state of love makes people act irrationally. In one scene Helena begs Demetrius to treat her like a dog telling him, Use me but as your spaniel: spurn me, strike me/Neglect me, loose me; only give me leave/(Unworthy as I am) to follow you (2.1.212-214). Helena represents the people who belittle themselves for the people they love. In another scene Demetrius, anointed with love-juice tells Helena, Oh Helen goddess, nymph, perfect divine!/To what, my love, shall I compare thine eye?(3.2.140-141). This is significant because Demetrius had previously told Helena that, for that I am sick when I do look upon thee(2.1.219). Demetrius, and how he falls instantaneously in love with the woman he had denounced, shows how people who in their anxious quest for love has them grasping into thin air to find love. In addition to satire, Shakespeare uses irony to illustrate that the state of love makes people act irrationally. In the beginning of the play when Demetrius was disgusted with Helena, she pursued him still. In one scene when she finally has the love of Demetrius she is upset. We as readers expected Helena to be happy, but instead she irrationally states, You both are rivals and love Hermia/And now both rivals to mock Helena(3.2.158-159). Helena desperately seeks love, but when love seeks her she knew not what to do,...