A Midsummer Night's Dream Forum

Does anyone have any idea why the play within the play was so succesful?  Or who the only person who experienced true love was? My english teacher said it was not one of the four lovers.

I am almost inclined to say that the relationship between Oberon and Titania is more like true love than the other characters' feelings towards each other. While Titania is clearly running around on Oberon, there is no doubt that they both love each other dearly, and that their games are what keeps their relationship fun and exciting for them.

Hmmm...this post got me thinking! If none of the four lovers is reputed have experienced true love then I strongly contend that only Theseus and Hippolyta deserve the mantle of "true love". Here's why: because the Duke and Duchess of the Athens (Theseus and Hippolyta, respectively)were the only couple whose love wasn't induced/negated by way of magic; unlike the rest of the couples.

i think that the only true love that happened was hermia and lysander. it was only because of the effect of love juice that caused lysander to like helena instead. otherwise, lysander would have loved hermia throughout this entire play. another pair might be hippolyta and theseus. however, i dont think that oberon and titania are truly in love because they quarrelled merely because of a changeling boy and that's kind of immature, don't you think? so yeah.

Oh gosh. I was just thinking about this question! Anyway, I feel that the meaning of true love in this particular play is very murky. Like, for example, in Romeo and Juliet, both main characters are truly in love with each other, as they are willing to sacrifice their lives for each other. However, in the case of A Midsummer Night's Dream, I really can't put my finger on what is supposedly "true love". I guess that the only love that comes closest to it, would be Hermia's love for Lysander. Note that I only said Hermia to Lysander, and not the other way round. She is the only one who convinces me that her love is true, because she was willing to go to the nunnery, instead of going with Demetrius. I thought that her love for Lysander must be really strong to commit herself to such a fate, instead of simply taking the easier way out of marrying Demetrius.