Midnights Summer Dream free essay sample

Literary devices are used many times in many situations; it may be in a play, poem, writing, movie, or even picture. They are used to enrich and enhance the readers/audience understanding, providing a voice giving depth, emotion, and making language interesting. Uniquely, literary devices are methods employed to help the author get his or her point across. Literary devices depart from everyday literal language for the sake of comparison, emphasis, clarity, or freshness. Metaphor  and  simile  are the two most commonly used figures of speech, but devices like  hyperbole,  synecdoche,  puns, and personification  are also figures of speech. Though devices are frequently used in language, they are also conveyed through the use of music, dance, or movement. This helps one become more engaged and drawn to the performance. In the play ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, many literary devices are used; critical through the art and literature. One of the literary devices used in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is personification. We will write a custom essay sample on Midnights Summer Dream or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Personification is used to express abstract ideas concretely, giving human qualities to inanimate objects or ideas. Qualities include emotions, desires, sensations, speech, or gesture. Shakespeare plays with language so often and so variously that throughout the play personification is commonly heard. Personification in use helps the audience understand the phrase with different meanings, being able to compare two different objects or ideas helping the audience connect more effectively. One of the objects being personified is the moon. During the play, the moon is consistently being viewed differently. It is often characterized through feelings, human feelings. The characters emphasize their unhappiness with the moon, which gives the audience direct relationship with them, therefore connecting the moon with feelings, thoughts, and ideas. Personification is a great way to connect two unrelated objects/ideas into one. Additionally, the play is particularly interesting in the way it varies the usual use of puns. A pun is a play on words, usually for comic effect, having different meanings. During the play puns are found only occasionally, they are used complexly. The use of puns offers the playwright the opportunity to have fun with language. They are a good way to draw the audience to the performance by humor, uniquely and eloquent. An example is Demetrius, in the play Demetrius is making fun of an actor who is playing a wall and has just finished giving an absurd speech. Another character that uses puns is Bottom, in the effect of laughter. Shakespeare found nothing strange in characters using puns, even in serious situations for serious dramatic purposes. Finally there is soliloquy. A soliloquy is a literary term, a speech given by someone alone on stage talking to him/herself. This allows the character to reveal true inner thoughts and feelings. It can give insights into plots, plans the character is making, or ideas he/she has. By allowing the audience to hear inner thoughts of the character, it draws the audience inside his/her mind creating a strong bond and connection between him and the listeners. Mostly all character in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ give a soliloquy, Lysander, Hermia, and Demetrius announcing their love, Helena exposing her distraught, fear, and love towards Demetrius, and lastly Oberon scheming his plans and thoughts. Soliloquies are crucial in plays, they play a significant role because they reveal important aspects about the characters such as upcoming plans, fears and emotions. Literary devices overall are an exceptional use of language, they are critical in art and literature. They add creativity to language and a unique style to performances. The use of figurative language with literary devices helps the audience become more engaged to the performance and will leave unforgettable thoughts. Many literary devices are used in everyday dialogue and people may not even know it, for example puns, oxymorons, allusions, foreshadowing, and hyperboles. Either conveyed through the use of music, dance, or movement literary devices are necessary, and in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ literary devices are well used leaving the audience intrigued.