Love is something that will never be defined. No one knows what love is. When
Egeus describes it as being “feign”, and “cunning”, he is, for the most
part, corredt. Love can sneak on a person, or a person can sneak up on it. I can
back the former from personal experience. Love can be truly cunning, and when it
is, it hurts. For example, Hermia and Lysander have to make plans to elope
because otherwise they cannot be together because of her father, Theseus.
Theseus wants her to marry Demetrius because Theseus likes him better. This
makes the love that Lysander and Hermia have for each other hurt more than love
already should, and then puts them in danger when they decide to elope. Thus,
love can be a problem. One solution to this would be for Lysander to challenge
Demetrius to a duel, as was a custom in Shakespeare’s days. If Lysander won,
then he and Hermia would no longer have to worry about him, and they could be
wed. In this however, there is a problem in the solution. Love is one of those
things where there is no real “Gray Area”. Many people know if they are or
if they aren’t. It’s something that just comes. Often at the wrong times,
like when it is not returned. Love can be a blessing, though, when it is
returned, and can lead to many years of joy and prosperity, as long as the love
is respected. Often times though, love is deceitful, and can stop on a dime.
There is no solution for that.