Midsummer Night
Jessica Jaramillo
Professor Sauchelli
English Composition II ENG-112-83215
Research Essay
12 December, 2012
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play written by William Shakespeare. This play is full of symbolism and the gender roles are not as people are used to. The play showed us how Shakespeare decided to play around a little with the gender roles and what they are really like in reality. He showed examples whether they were about family, friend or romance. The role of Egeus as the father of Hermia acts as if he owns her and he disposes of her as he pleases. There is also the role of Titania and Oberon who share power almost equally but they are always arguing which is like a battle of the sexes. The role of Helena which contradicts what women are not supposed to do, like fight for love because only men are allowed to do such a thing especially around the time the play was written in. the role of men is to be more aggressive to gain love from the one they love. Women are supposed to be more passive and not let it seem like a big deal when they want the love of a man as respect to herself. The parts played by each of these characters were that Shakespeare gave them more power than they would have in reality. Throughout the play gender role is mixed up but ends up being more realistic towards the end of the play.
The part Egeus tries to play with Hermia’s life is God because he said, “As she is mine, I may dispose of her, which shall be to this gentleman or to her death, according to our law immediately provided in that case.” (Shakespeare 42). This line shows us that Egeus thinks he owns his daughter Hermia. The Elizabethan Era did allow that if the daughter had not been married then she was owned by the father. Hermia was not the only one that had to go through that hell but so were the other girls in that era when they wanted to get married they wouldn’t be able to do it with the person they loved, but, instead with the person their father chose for them
Professor Sauchelli
English Composition II ENG-112-83215
Research Essay
12 December, 2012
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a play written by William Shakespeare. This play is full of symbolism and the gender roles are not as people are used to. The play showed us how Shakespeare decided to play around a little with the gender roles and what they are really like in reality. He showed examples whether they were about family, friend or romance. The role of Egeus as the father of Hermia acts as if he owns her and he disposes of her as he pleases. There is also the role of Titania and Oberon who share power almost equally but they are always arguing which is like a battle of the sexes. The role of Helena which contradicts what women are not supposed to do, like fight for love because only men are allowed to do such a thing especially around the time the play was written in. the role of men is to be more aggressive to gain love from the one they love. Women are supposed to be more passive and not let it seem like a big deal when they want the love of a man as respect to herself. The parts played by each of these characters were that Shakespeare gave them more power than they would have in reality. Throughout the play gender role is mixed up but ends up being more realistic towards the end of the play.
The part Egeus tries to play with Hermia’s life is God because he said, “As she is mine, I may dispose of her, which shall be to this gentleman or to her death, according to our law immediately provided in that case.” (Shakespeare 42). This line shows us that Egeus thinks he owns his daughter Hermia. The Elizabethan Era did allow that if the daughter had not been married then she was owned by the father. Hermia was not the only one that had to go through that hell but so were the other girls in that era when they wanted to get married they wouldn’t be able to do it with the person they loved, but, instead with the person their father chose for them
Cited: -Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. 11th ed. Ed. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New York: Longman, 201. 868. Print. -Title: "Obscured by dreams": Race, Empire, and Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night 's Dream. Margo Hendricks. Shakespeare Quarterly, Vol. 47, No. 1 (Spring, 1996), pp. 37-60. Folger Shakespeare Library in association with George Washington University