Sweeney Todd shows us how his love and devotion for his wife never dies, even after Sweeney believes that she has been dead for years. He strives to avenge her death; commits many murders in cold blood until he feels that his hunger for revenge is satisfied. Sweeney becomes completely blind with rage from the love of his life being stolen, that he doesn't even recognize Lucy when she comes to him. She is covered in blisters, her hair is dry and brittle, and her clothes are dirty rags. She is nothing like he remembers her, but, being the killer that he has turned into, Sweeney slices his love's throat. Only later did he get a close look at Lucy's face did he realize it was her. Sweeney then holds Lucy's limp, bloody body and cries. He realizes that he has reversed any progress he thought he had made to avenge her death. He realizes that his love was lost by the edge of his razor.
In the case of A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hermia and Lysander are madly in love with each other. Hermia goes strongly against her father's will to have her marry Demetrius. Hermia has the ultimatum of marrying Demetrius or her father will have her killed. Soon, she learns that she could become a nun, and have no love at all, or be killed. To Hermia, both of the options are unacceptable. So, Hermia and Lysander decide to run away and be together.
Unfortunately, Helena tells Demetrius of Hermia's quest for love. Helena does this so that she can be with Demetrius. Demetrius threatens and emotionally abuses Helena, but Helena's love for Demetrius does not fade. She claims that she would rather have him speak to her in such a manner than not speak to her at all.
In the end, Sweeney Todd's love for his lost wife powered him to commit terrible crimes to avenge her death, but lead him to commit the unthinkable. His love for is wife, and his love lost, caused him to loose himself, and become something horrible. As for A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hermia and Lysander go against their elders, and risk their lives to be together. Their love for each other gives them the courage to do what they probably shouldn't have done. Although, it does work out for them in the end.
Helena's love for Demetrius proved to be as hard as a rock. Demetrius threatens to rape her, and her love still stays strong for him.
Both plays shows us the power of "love", in all of the word's many forms.
Works Cited
Screenplay by Stephen Sondheim. Dir. Tim Burton. 2007. Dreamwork's,
2008. DVD
Shakespeare, William. No Fear Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night's Dream. 1595.
New York: Spark Notes, 2003. Print.
