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When traveling what is more important: the journey or the final destination? What

happens if the desired path is blocked or if detours lead nowhere? Would the journey be worth

it? What if the final destination was marred by a perilous journey to it²would the trip still be

worth the effort? Travel can be complicated, just as love can be complicated. This is not a new

idea. One need to only read the stories about Zeus and Hera to know that what is deemed as

³love´ can be rocky at best and disastrous at worst for all involved. Their relationship hit many

detours in the form of affairs, road blocks in the form of lost affection, and crumbing paths in the

caused by their wars with one another. Some people would argue that couples such as the

mercurial Zeus and Hera have no purpose being together and that they do not really love one

another; that their rocky journey made their love too flawed to be worth it. Other people argue

that true love can ride out any and all obstacles and in the end make the partners stronger and

more deeply committed. Authors have attempted to test these two ideas in their writings for

centuries. William Shakespeare is no exception to this, in fact many of his early works focus on

the nature of love and attempt to show what it is really all about. One such play to do this is c

 
   which displays the relationships of Hippolyta and Theseus; Hermia

and Lysander; Helena and Demetrius; and most notably Titania and Oberon. Within this play,

audiences are exposed to extremely flawed relationships which all result in fairy tale endings. In

fact one of the lovers, Lysander, states his opinion about the topic when he states that ³the course

of true love never did run smooth´ (Shakespeare I,i). What is more important²the journey or

the destination? Lysander proves false to Hermia when he leaves her for Helena but ends up

with Hermia in the end. Oberon drugged his wife, made a fool of her, and stole from her but in

the end they leave together in marital bliss. The Bible states that, ³Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not

easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the

truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres´‘1 Corinthians 13).

Lysander and Hermia exhibit these qualities by their own free will. The only deviance from this

course happens through no fault of their own, making their journey well worth the effort.

Oberon and Titania are another story. Their relationship is marred with envy, rude behaviors,

and Oberon delights in evil against Titania. One could argue that their relationship is not based

on true love; making their journey unworthy. Ultimately, while the journey might be dangerous

and rocky²a true love is worth it.

Lysander and Hermia have a true love worth fighting for. The audience¶s first

impression of Hermia is that of a girl who was willing to fight for what she had with her true

love as demonstrated in Act One, scene one. Hermia stood up to her father and the duke in order

to remain with Lysander. In this case, Hermia and Lysander do not fight with each other but

rather fight for each other. Their love is tested here and they prove worthy of it by remaining

faithful to one another. One might argue and state that their love is not true because Lysander

dumps Hermia for Helena in Acts Two and Three of the play; however, one must account for the

circumstances of this. Lysander did not choose Helena on his own accord. He was drugged

against his will and accidentally found himself in this situation. One might argue that even so,

he should have been able to fight the drug and retain his true heart¶s desire but the evidence in

the play does not support this. Shakespeare shows that even the Queen of the Fairies was subject

to the potion¶s magic and she could not control her own actions. It is impossible to believe that a

mere mortal would be able to overcome something the Fairy Queen was unable to. In the end,

once the spell is lifted from Lysander, he chooses to follow his heart and marries Hermia.
Hermia, by her own accord demonstrates the very tenets of what love is according the Bible.

She is forgiving, understanding, and patient. In the end, one would be hard-pressed to argue that

Hermia and Lysander do not have a true love. They are well-deserving of their fairy tale ending.

Oberon and Titania¶s relationship is not marked by love, but by show of power;

consequently, their untrue love is not worth the effort.

 
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1.‘ Oberon drugs Titania and steals Indian Boy

a.‘ Refers back to quote on true love

2.‘ Fight over boy

a.‘ Could share boy LINK to true love

3.‘ Oberon goes to extremes with Titania, bestiality

4.‘ Divorced couple metaphor

5.‘ Magic brought them back together