Jealousy

Centuries of glacier withdraw in weeks.

Oceans of storm drown each known continent.

Forests fall, islands vanish, all such incidents

Ascribed by science as the science science speaks.

“And thorough this distemperature we see

The seasons alter.” Autumn blends summer,

Fish dies heatstruck in rivers’ simmer,

Bee sucks air, bird tremors, leaf curls on tree.

Every people wanting what other people store

Own that in turn which consumes and burns,

Fuming and heating as breath strives to breathe

Till the whole world for jealous wanting seethes.

Souls solitary stare on greed and would unlearn

Whoever laboured, but to find this heretofore.

The extreme weather events in Titania's speech (Act II i) are thought by some to be Shakespeare's direct account of the wild and intense English winter of 1594. She doesn't keep to descriptions. For Titania, this overturning of normal seasonal patterns is caused by Oberon's jealousy of her. But it takes two to tango. We know, through the play, that both are possessive and would mindlessly fight one another over something they will not share. This unresolved jealousy drives the story line.