The Shakespearian lover Essay

The Shakespearean lover can be seen in many of Shakespeare’s plays in many different forms. However while the forms may be different   the role of the lover is still easily recognisable. In the excerpt from Shakespeare’s Richard III Richard of Gloucester can be seen playing the role of the lover in his speech to Queen Elizabeth, as he attempts to persuade her to be his ally in securing her daughter, Elizabeth, as his future wife. In the excerpt from the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream the role of the lover is played very differently by Hermia and Lysander, who plan to elope, the only way to get around the obstacles that their love is facing. These two excerpts from the plays, while both recognisably depicting the Shakespearean lover, are doing so in very different forms, with language and theatrical issues creating different forms of ‘the lover.’

Several distinctions between Richard’s exchange with Queen Elizabeth and Hermia and Lysander’s conversation easily highlight the differences between the Shakespearian lovers. First, Richard’s declarations of love are directed towards   a third party, Queen Elizabeth. Richard is attempting to obtain her favour and/or permission to woo her daughter, Elizabeth. His amorous words about Elizabeth are directed towards Elizabeth’s mother, not Elizabeth herself. This indicates that there is not a strong bond between Richard and his potential wife, rather he is marrying for convenience, she is the ideal wife for his situation.
In immediate contrast is Hermia and Lysander’s conversation. The lover’s are talking directly to each other, expressing the love that they have for one another, along with the despair of their situation. Unable to legally marry in Athens they mourn that “the course of true love never did run smooth,” indicating that true love often faces hurdles. The exchange between the two indicates closeness between them, a shared bond, together they face the problems. Richard does not appear to share the same bond with...