“The course of true love never did run smooth.”
ACT style prompt:
In Act I scene i of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lysander tells Hermia that “the course of true
love never did run smooth.” This quotation has become one of Shakespeare’s most well
known sayings and is at the heart of the plot in this particular comedy. Some readers agree
with Lysander – true love is something that must be fought for and successful lovers will
have to overcome obstacles. Other readers disagree with Lysander and believe that if love is
meant to be, then it will come easily to the lovers and only result in happiness. In your
opinion, is Lysander correct when he claims that “the course of true love never did run
smooth”?
Write a persuasive essay in response to the above prompt, supporting your response with
evidence from the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Identify at least two relationships in
the play. For each relationship, is love going smoothly? Are there complications? What
obstacles do the lovers face? WHY? Be specific about each relationship and the nature of
its course. Provide textual evidence, referring to quotations directly from the play and
citing line numbers to convince me of your position.
In conclusion, does Lysander’s claim about love ring true for characters in A Midsummer
Night’s Dream? How are such beliefs connected to today and our society? Is love the same
today as it was for Shakespeare’s characters? What is Shakespeare saying about love in this
comedy? (Such discussion would strengthen your conclusion and make it relevant to
readers!)
Respond to these questions in a 1 ½ - 3 page, typed, double-spaced essay. Use the following
checklist to help you write a strong, focused essay:
 Effective introduction which gradually narrows to specific thesis
 Body paragraphs with clear topic sentences
 Evidence (specific situations, characters, and quotations from play) to prove claims
made
 Strong transitions between paragraphs (more than elementary one-word or phrase
transitions)
 Effective conclusion which elaborates upon a “so what?” question
 EDIT (re-read your essay out loud to ensure it makes sense; also, have a peer edit
your essay)
 Do NOT use 1st person (I, we, us) or 2nd person (you, your, etc.)