Midsummer Night's Dream Shakespeare a Essay

There are many elements of Renaissance England seen in the play as well as some elements that refer to Ancient Greece that suggest a combining of worlds.

The play, from a humanistic perspective, suggests that everyone is out for themselves and for succeeding in their own quest for love -- despite what the object of his or her affection wants. Midsummer also seems to suggest that humans don't have much control over their relationships and that they are merely products of their environment. Oberon reacts out of revenge when he enlists the aid of Puck. From a humanistic perspective, it's also interesting to not that Shakespeare seems to be suggesting how little control humans have over their own lives. Regardless of the fact that the players are in mysterious woods where fairies are up to mischief, Shakespeare seems to be making a point about the capriciousness of humans -- especially when it comes to matters of the heart.From an Elizabethan perspective, a Midsummer Night's Dream puts much emphasis on the superstition of what they believed happened on a midsummer's night -- people had dreams about the individual whom they were supposed to love. This leaves very little up to the individual when it comes to choice; they were fated in their dreams.

A Midsummer Night's Dream makes certain comments about service (i.e. serving someone else), which most Elizabethans obviously did. The play seems to be suggesting that there are many selfish concerns that come into play when people are helping others. This is seen numerous times in the play, which seems to imply that people are really only out for themselves and though they must be of aid to others (at least that is what is expected of them), they only really want to do it if it benefits their own plight in love and life......