Lysander offers "comfort" with the observation that "the course of true love never did run smooth," apparently comparing romance to a river current. His examples—which elicit parallel replies from Hermia—include affairs complicated by differences in class ("blood") or age, or dictated by relations ("friends").
Lysander speaks about true love, but within a few scenes of the play, he has abandoned Hermia in favor of another woman. The nature of love is one of the most important themes in Shakespeare’s well-loved comedy, and through the acts, readers can explore how the various relationships change.
Lysander: O hell! to choose love by another's eyes. The young lovers Lysander and Hermia, like young lovers in every comedy, have run into trouble at the very start of the play.
The course of true love never did run smooth; But either it was different in blood— Hermia: O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low.
Lysander says this quote to show that his love towards Hermia is stronger that Demetrius'. He says the quote “The course of true love never did run smooth” (A Midsummer Night's Dream I.i.:137) to Hermia because he wants her to know that any relationship will have its ups and downs, a relationship cannot be perfect.
Act 1 Scene 1First used by William Shakespeare in his play A Midsummer Night's Dream, said by Lysander to Hermia, in Act 1 Scene 1.
The course of true love never did run smooth. . . ." ( 1.1.132-135) Lysander. Foreshadowing that true love is going to be complicated and have problems surrounding it.
A Midsummer Night's DreamThis proverb comes from the play A Midsummer Night's Dream, by William Shakespeare.
For example when Eqeus tells Hermia that she can't marry Lysander, but they get married anyway. Another example is when Demetrius doesn't love Helena but Demetrius is Helena's true love so she keeps on pursuing him and they end up together.
What do Lysander and Hermia plan to do about this seemingly impossible situation? They plan to run away with each other to Lysander's aunt house where they will marry. They also plan to meet in the woods tomorrow night so that they can travel together.
What does "Oh why rebuke you him that loves you so? Lay breath so bitter on your bitter foe" mean? Why are you so rude to someone who loves you so much? Save that kind of harsh language for your worst enemy.
The rude mechanicals are six skilled laborers who come together to put on a play for the royalty of Athens. The members of the group are Quince, the carpenter; Snug, the joiner; Bottom, the weaver; Flute, the bellows-mender; Snout, the tinker; and Starveling the tailor.
Oberon slyly asks Titania how long she plans to be in the woods. She says she'll stay until Theseus is married. She tells Oberon he can join her in the fairies' dancing and moonlight revels—if he can behave. Give me that boy and I will go with thee.
Helena even says, “And I have found Demetrius like a jewel,/mine own, and not mine own” (4.1.176-177). She is making an analogy saying that Demetrius is like a diamond that she found. She possesses it because she found it, but someone can easily come and take the diamond away and claim it as their own instead.
He has a wealthy old aunt that lives outside Athens, and he suggests that he and Hermia meet in the wood tomorrow night, sneak off to his aunt's house, and get married outside of the reach of Athenian law.
She loves Lysander. When Hermia is given the choice of marriage to Demetrius, life without men, or death, she picks none of the above. Instead, she and Lysander hatch a plan to elope and be free of Athenian law and free to be with each other.