The play of Thisbe and Pyramus that the artisans perform for Theseus and Hippolyta's wedding (and the 4 young lovers' weddings as well) is eerily similar to the story of Hermia and Lysander. Thisbe and Pyramus must overcome their families' objections to their love in order to be together; however, they die at the end of the play-within-a-play. Pyramus happens upon Thisbe, who is not dead (but who appears so); Pyramus, thinking she is dead, kills himself. Thisbe awakes and then kills herself after realizing that Pyramus is dead. Although Lysander and Hermia do not die, they, too, must face obstacles to be together, including her father and the ruling of Theseus, not to mention Puck's blunder with the love potion from the flower. The play-within-a-play's message appears to show how keeping two lovers apart for no "good" reason can turn out...in death, in Pyramus and Thisbe's case. Luckily, Theseus and Egeus come to their senses and realize that Lysander and Hermia must be together or they could also end up as Pyramus and Thisbe. The parallel to Theseus's city world is that this could happen to ANY couple, no matter what social class or location they live in. Love is no different for the rich as it is the poor.
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