William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay -- Shakespeare M

William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights fantasyIn William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream, there are endless images of water supply and the moon. Both images lend themselves to a feeling of femininity and calm. In real mythology, the image of water is often linked with Aphrodite, goddess of passion and love. Born of the fizz of the sea, Aphrodite was revered as an unfaithful wife to her husband Hephaestus (Grant 36). This may devour a direct coloration to the unfaithful nature of the four lovers, Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius, small-arm in the forest. Perhaps more important, however, is Aphrodites link to the other stupendous maiden goddesses. As Aphrodite was attributed with love and beauty, Athena was the protector of war and arts, and finally, Artemis was the goddess of the woods and wild things (Hamilton 31). Artemis was brother of Apollo, god of the sun, and therefore she was the goddess of the moon. Through out belles-lettres it seems imagery of the moon and water can be used to the highest degree interchangeably because they both imply feminine powers water is representative of breeding and motion and the moon is representative of Artemis directly. Shakespeare seems to have been quite aware of the duties and powers of this old-fashioned goddess. In many instances, this protectress of dewy youth is equated with other goddesses named fivesome, Selene, or Luna (Hamilton 32). By any name, however, it is most important to realize the goddesses representation of the sky and woodlands. The example or Lysander makes direct reference to the relevance of this goddess in Act I, cyclorama 1 while talking to his forbidden beloved Hermia Tomorrow night, when Phoebe doth behold, Her silver visage in the wat... ...ancient mythology familiar to Shakespeare and his audience. Works CitedGrant, Michael and John Hazel. Whos Who Classical Mythology Oxford University Press, lateYork 1993Hamilton, Edith. Mytho logy Warner Books, New York 1942Hamilton-Parker, Craig. Moon Remembering and Understanding Your Dreams Stearling Publishing Co. Inc., New York 2000Shakespeare, William. The Tempest Orgel, Stephen Ed. Oxford University Press, New York 1998Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Nights Dream The Norton Shakespeare Comedies Greenblatt, Stephen Ed. W.W. Norton and Company, New York 1997Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Nights Dream Mowat, Barbra and Werstine, capital of Minnesota Ed. Washington Square Press, New York 1993Thorndike, E.L and Clarence L. Barnhart. Lunatic Thorndike Barnhart Student Dictionary Scott, Foresman and Company, Illinois 1988 (666)