Prompt: FOR Lysanders quote The course of true love never did run smooth

The Course of True Love

By Lin Knudsen
Love is one of the core human emotions, a feeling that bonds parents with
children, spouses with spouses, and friends with friends. It is one of those characteristics
that makes us human, that holds our society together. In the comedy A Midsummer
Nights Dream by William Shakespeare, the story follows a group of four lovers going
through the woods and encountering fairies and actors. One of the lovers, Lysander,
says, The course of true love never did run smooth. It is a very profound quote that is
supported in through the characters, the plot, and the theme of A Midsummer Nights
Dream.
The characters and their relationships demonstrate the path of true love,
particularly Demetrius and Helenas relationship. While Lysander and Hermia were
tested by the actual plot of A Midsummer Nights Dream, Helena and Demetrius were
tested by their actual relationship and history. In the beginning, they had a relationship
which ended after Demetrius went after Hermia. From then on, Helena kept begging for
Demetrius love and Demetrius would just coldly shove her off. The characters start in
conflict. Then the events of A Midsummer Nights Dream happen causing their
relationship as well as Lysanders and Hermias relationship to be strained and tested.
But in the end, Demetrius says:
And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,
The object and the pleasure of mine eye,
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Was I betrothed ere I saw Hermia.
But like a sickness did I loathe this food.
But, as in health, come to my natural taste,
Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,
And will forevermore be true to it.
(Act 4, Sc. 1, 176-183).
While some might say that this is Demetrius under the love potion talking, after the
whole ordeal, Demetrius realizes he had always loved Helena. When Demetrius was
under the potion, he would only praise Helena. For example, when Demetrius wakes up
after be put under the love potion by Puck, he suddenly says, O Helena, goddess,
nymph, perfect, divine! (Act 3, Sc. 2, 137). But now it seems as that Demetrius words
have more meaning. He goes over their relationships history in a very sincere manner.
He says he was engaged to Helena before Hermia. Demetrius then compares him
rejecting Helena to being a sick person that rejects food, something that is good for him.
He ends with stating that he will always love Helena. Demetrius and Helenas
relationship goes through many stresses and strains, but in the end, they are united
under true love. Their reconciliation is a powerful testimony to true love. This is just one
relationship that has survived and it is because of true love.

The characters and their relationships demonstrate the path of true love and not
only in Lysanders and Hermias relationship, but in Demetrius and Helenas
relationship. Lysander and Hermias relationships first obstacle is Hermias father,

Egeus, is against it. Then the adventure of A Midsummer Nights Dream puts more
obstacles in the way. In Demetrius and Helenas relationship, it had a rocky start and
throughout the play their relationship grows stronger and weaker due to the effects of a
love potion. Actually, for the beginning of the play In the end, Demetrius says:
And all the faith, the virtue of my heart,
The object and the pleasure of mine eye,
Is only Helena. To her, my lord,
Was I betrothed ere I saw Hermia.
But like a sickness did I loathe this food.
But, as in health, come to my natural taste,
Now I do wish it, love it, long for it,
And will forevermore be true to it.
(Act 4, Sc. 1, 176-183).
While some might say that this is the potion talking, after the whole ordeal, Demetrius
realizes he had always loved Helena. When Demetrius was under the potion, he would
only praise Helena, but now it seems as that Demetrius words have more meaning. He
goes over their relationships history in a very sincere manner. He says he was engaged
to Helena before Hermia. Demetrius then compares him rejecting Helena to being a sick
person that rejects food, something that is good for him. He ends with stating that he will
always love Helena. Demetrius and Helenas relationship goes through many stresses
and strains, but in the end, they are united under true love. This is just one relationship
that has survived and it is because of true love.
The plot really demonstrates the hard road of true love by throwing as many
problems into Lysanders and Hermias relationship and still having them love each
other. You first have Egeus threatening death to Hermia if she did not marry Demetrius.
Then you have them escaping and being followed by Demetrius and Helena. Then, you
have the most:
HERMIA
What love could press Lysander from my side?
LYSANDER
Lysanders love, that would not let him bide,
Fair Helena, who more engilds the night
Than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light.
Why seekst thou me? Could not this make thee know
The hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?
HERMIA
You speak not as you think. It cannot be. (Act 3. Sc. 2, 189-196)
Lysander is practically saying, The love that bonded us has now shifted to Helena. So
go away! Even after such harsh words, Lysander and Hermia still had true love. In the
end they still get married and still love each other. True love persists and remains strong.
True love must be tested and must survive. Otherwise, it was never true love. True love
could be defined as a love full of zeal that is straight from the heart that has withstood
numerous challenges. You could think of it as silver being ready to be shaped into
something beautiful. The silver must go through beatings and flames to achieve that

perfect form. If it does not withstand those beatings and flames, it wasnt the best silver.
The fact that true loves course has not run smooth and must never run smooth, or it is
not true love, is quite clearly shown in the plot of A Midsummer Nights Dream.
The final way A Midsummer Nights Dream proves that true loves course never
did run smooth is in the theme, the difficulty of love. In fact, Lysanders famous quote
could be used to prove the theme of A Midsummer Nights Dream is the the difficulty of
love. A Midsummer Nights Dream is practically screaming that love isnt easy. Love
comes with pain and burdens. You must deal with differences, with obstacles that your
relationship face. Every relationship in A Midsummer Nights Dream had some struggles.
Lysander and Hermia have to deal with Egeus, Demetrius, and Pucks mischief.
Demetrius and Helena have to deal with the fact that it started out as a one sided
relationship and Pucks mischief. Oberon and Titania were at war over a child. Theseus
and Hippolyta were not being married because they loved each other, but because he
defeated her. Every relationship is fraught with problems with issues and that is just the
very nature of love. While it may seem like love magically makes you and your partner
love each other no matter what, you still are individuals and its human nature to agree
with somethings and disagree with others. With so many factors, it may seem like love is
not worth it. But that would never be true love. All in all, the theme clearly supports and is
supported by the quote The course of true love never did run smooth.
In conclusion, A Midsummer Nights Dream and actual life support the quote The
course of true love never did run smooth through the characters, the plot, and theme.
The relationships that the characters had, particularly between Demetrius and Helenas
relationship show that true love can persist despite character differences. The plot of A
Midsummer Nights Dream tried to throw everything it had at Lysanders and Hermias
relationship but they ended up happily married. Finally, A Midsummer Nights Dream
really emphasizes on the difficulties of love and if one is to get past those difficulties,
then one has true love. Shakespeare is not trying to tell us that love is harmful, but that
love is a commitment with both its ups and downs and it should not be taken lightly.

Works Cited
Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Norton Shakespeare:
Greenblatt, Stephen, editor. New York: W W Norton & Company, 1997.