"The course of true love never did run smooth..."

Shakespeare seems to be a hotspot here...finally struck a chord (and not a melodious one, I might add!). LOVE in no way prevails for all the characters at the end of the play, the characters merely attain that which they had an appetite for, and dismiss those who they had an aversion for. How can we call what these characters feel towards those they are conveniently partnered up with at the conclusion of the play, love, when throughout the duration of the play we see these characters “appetite for” and “aversion to” different people change frequently, enforcing the fickle nature of man.

Bottom, is characterized from the start as over-confident. He is full of advice for Quince, who is actually in charge. Moreover, we see that when he is changed into an ass he does not even recognize his own transformation. Bottom is a classic example of Hobbes’ man. When Titania falls in love (or, has a spell put on her so she has a strong appetite for Bottom), Bottom thinks this quite natural. He is so sure of his own intelligence and wisdom that he does not see why Titania would not fall in love with him. His confidence, apparent from the onset of the play, allows him to overestimate his own worth. Thus, he does not recognize a change in his status of power, and when he is transformed back, he does not see this as necessarily losing power, and so does not lament his position.

The Faeries, who serve Bottom, should actually be described as the Faeries that serve Titania. She, obviously more powerful than Bottom, tells them to obey him, and so they obey her by obeying Bottom. By fetching Bottom the things he demands they are showing their honour for her. Thus, Bottom’s position is not even heightened, as he is merely valued by Titania, and so in turn valued by the faeries. The faeries obey Titania not because they are happy in their position, but because it is natural to obey that which has the power to hurt or harm you. They praise Bottom, show Love for Bottom, appear before him with humility, and even flatter him, all because they must obey, and thus honour Titania. Every action that we see the faeries engaging in with Bottom is in accordance with what Hobbes has outlined as how men react to ensure they survive. Essentially, the Faeries see Titania as more powerful, and thus join with her to ensure their survival.

Moreover, as everyone knows Faeries don’t even exist, unless they are created as an unnatural apparition by God, who we know is inconceivable in all his greatness, and thus we cannot sense him or them!