After Theseus, Egeus, and others leave the stage, Hermia and Lysander are left alone for a moment to discuss their situation. Hermia is both shocked and saddened by what Theseus has told her, and she is crying. Lysander then explains to her that their unhappiness is common to a young couple who are truly in love with one another. As Lysander states, “The course of true love never did run smooth” (134). Rather, there always seems to be some obstacle that prevents the lovers from getting together. The obstacle may be a difference in social status or in the age of the lovers, or the obstacle may be that the woman does not have the freedom to marry the man of her choice (as seems to be the case with Hermia). And even if these obstacles do not exist, then “war, death, or sickness” may interfere and prevent the lovers from getting together or staying together (line 142). Thus, if the situation seems to favor the lovers, then fate interferes and prevents the lovers from achieving their happiness.
The dialogue at this point in the play could just as easily be applied to the main characters of Romeo and Juliet. At the beginning of that tragedy Shakespeare inserts a prologue in which Romeo and Juliet are described as a “pair of star-crossed lovers.” These two characters cannot achieve happiness. The stars (astrology) indicate otherwise. Their stars or ruling planets are crossed or at odds with one another. Their fate or destiny holds for them only separation from each other and death. Shakespeare thus suggests that finding and keeping true love in the world is difficult or almost impossible. The power of fate always seems to be against it.
But A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy, not a tragedy. And in a comedy fate is not an insurmountable force. Life may be more like a tragedy than a comedy most of the time, but a comedy suggests the hope in all of us that maybe our problems will sort themselves out – that maybe fate will smile upon us and provide us with a happy ending. And William Shakespeare, the dreamer, may have been one who was ever on the search for the happy ending.
Hermia also looks for the happy ending:
If then true lovers have ever been crossed, It stands as an edict in destiny.
Then let us teach our trial patience, Because it is a customary cross. (150-53)
Hermia is suggesting that their problem is just a “trial,” a temporary setback or problem that is common or customary to all lovers. If they are patient, then eventually their problem will go away and they will then be able to find their happiness.
Lysander, though, suggests that leaving their happiness to fate or destiny may not be enough. Rather, they should take action and affect or change their fate.
So, Lysander proposes the idea that they elope. He suggests that they leave the city-state of Athens and go to live with his aunt in a different kingdom (or dukedom) where the laws of Athens cannot affect them. Then, in this other kingdom, Hermia and Lysander can get married and live their lives happily ever after.
Lysander then tells Hermia to meet him in the forest just outside of the city the following night (line 165). He specifically tells Hermia to meet him at a spot where they once did “observance to a morn of May” (167). This is a reference to the celebration on May 1 commonly referred to as May Day. The holiday included a tradition of dancing around the Maypole and crowning of the Queen of the May. It was often a time for young people to meet and fall in love. Thus, the spot is an appropriate location for the two young lovers to meet and start their new life together.
Hermia agrees to meet Lysander and makes a solemn vow that she will show up (beginning at line 168). Adhering to the mythological aspect of the setting, Hermia swears by Cupid, the God of Love, and by Venus, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Further, she swears by Dido, the Queen of Carthage (in northern Africa), whose fidelity was so strong that she committed suicide when the man she loved, Aeneas, abandoned her (the tale of Aeneas and Dido appears in the Roman epic The Aeneid by Virgil). Shakespeare, through the character of Hermia, then takes the opportunity of inserting feminist criticism when Hermia then swears …
By all the vows that ever men have broke –
In number more than ever women spoke – (175-76)
Hermia directly asserts that men break more vows than the number of vows that women even promise to keep. She is declaring that a woman can be trusted to keep her promise. If anyone is going to break a vow, it is the man. Lysander seems to overlook the criticism, but he knows that he can trust Hermia.