Caroline Switzer

English 9 – Gardner
April 15, 2019
Discussing A Midsummer Night's Dream Through the Lens of the Past
Everyone always wants the new thing. Once a new product comes out, society deems the

old useless. This idea of wanting the new thing translates into our societal values because as our

society progresses; societal values and customs become antiquated as new ones form. If one is

not careful, it can be very easy to misjudge someone or something from another time based on

one’s own current day values. One example of this is modern day society scrutinizing literature

from the past, but what some forget to realize that at the time of these literary pieces’ creation it

was a different time with different societal values than today. Though the gender roles in the play

A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare are belittling and derogatory towards women in

modern day terms; the discriminatory nature of the play is directly correlated to the treatment of

women during the time of its creation.

The portrayal of women as the property of their father in A Midsummer Night's Dream is

appalling in current day terms but was the social norm during the time the play was written. At

the start of the play, Egeus bring his daughter to Theseus and he speaks of her disobedience

saying, “I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; / As she is mine, I may dispose of her;” (1.1.41-

42). In response Theseus speaks to Hermia directly exclaiming “What say you, Hermia? Be

advised fair maid. To you your father should be as a god” (1.1.46-47). The use of the words

“mine” and “god” in relation to the relationship between Hermia and her father display the male

dominance that was common during this time. A woman was not given a voice in their marriage

and their job was to “serve and obey man” whether that be their father, brother, or husband

(Bloch). Furthermore, because the society of the time believed that women’s subservient position

1
was a product of “god and nature” few people did anything to stand up against the inequality

(Bloch). Thus, when a reader reads/watches the play they must be conscious of how they view

the harsh and controlling nature of Egeus over Hermia as the view of women at the time and

their “job” in society was very different than today.

Moreover, throughout A Midsummer Night's Dream, the women of the play are

victimized and given the identity of a “damsel in distress”. While discussing the play the

mechanics come across a problem as Bottom says, “There are things in this comedy of Pyramus

and Thisbe that / will never please. First, Pyramus must draw a sword on himself, / which ladies

cannot abide,” (3.1.8-10). The sensitivity towards the women’s reaction of the play shows how

the men viewed the women as fragile and unable to handle violence. Furthermore, when Hermia

is discussing with Egeus and Theseus, Theseus gives Hermia two options other than marrying

Demetrius, “either to die the death, or to abjure / For ever to the society of men” (1.1.65-66).

Theseus’s decision to give Hermia three choices shows how Theseus believed that Hermia would

just accept the options before her and surrender to her father’s will. Furthermore, this idea of

women being weak-hearted and ill-intended was a constant theme throughout the 1500s. Many

believed that there was no point in educating women as they’re best asset was their role in the

household and ability to produce heirs. Additionally, women were viewed as “instruments of

evil” and their influence over man was toxic (Bloch). Therefore, men chose to separate his wife

and work and prevent her from serving any political role in the family. Furthermore, the men of

A Midsummer Night's Dream’s thoughts about women as frangible and weak directly correlate to

the malevolent way men felt about women in the 1500s.

Finally, in A Midsummer Night's Dream, the men of the play believe they have

dominance over the women, and therefore they can do or take whatever they want from the

2
women of the play. When speaking about the Indian boy to Titania, Oberon says “Why should

Titania cross her Oberon? / I do but beg a little changeling boy/ To be my henchmen,” (2.1.119-

121). Oberon reacts in utter disbelief that his wife would not give him anything he wants. And

further he decides that instead of fighting for the boy he will just trick Titania into giving the boy

to him by “drop[ing] the liquor of it in her eyes: / The next thing then she, waking, looks upon – /

[…] she shall pursue it with the soul of love” (2.1.178-182). Instead of talking to Titania, Oberon

chooses to trick her into giving up the boy because he believes that whatever he wants from her

should be given to him because it is his certain right. Moreover, Oberon’s authoritative behavior

over Titania links back to how men had control of their wife’s things once they were married in

the 1500s, and that although women were given certain rights to protect their property, they were

futile. Additionally, a man had complete control over his wife’s belongings and body. Therefore,

he could beat or punish his wife in any way he wished in order to ensure his dominance over her

(Bloch). Furthermore, Oberon’s disbelief when Titania does not hand over the Indian Boy

willingly parallels the rights that men had over their wife and her belongings in the 1500s.

While these occurrences of sexism and discrimination in A Midsummer Night's Dream

should be acknowledged and understood; the timing of the events must be taken into

consideration as one reads or performs this play. Additionally, although these sexist ideals are

from a time completely different than 21st century; a similar version of these norms is still very

much in place today. Although not as blatant and flagrant as the 1500s, this discrimination still

very much takes place in the form of the pay gap between men and women as well as the still

very much present gender roles. Lucky enough for the women of our generation the race to

change the subservient nature of our predecessors and create a new legacy for women has begun.

In many movements to lessen the pay gap, stand up to sexual harassment and assault in the form

3
of the “Me Too” movement, and finally more women stepping out to get new jobs and not falling

into past societal norms, the race to end the discrimination towards women has begun. Therefore,

as our society progresses we should understand the unjust and subservient roles women have

played in both literature and reality in the past, but also work to make sure that the literature we

leave behind exemplifies how far women have come and also how far we still must go.

4
 Works Cited
Andrews, Richards, and Vicki Wienand, editors. A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Cambridge
U P, 2014.

Bloch, Howard. “The History of Female Oppression.” Helena Wojtczak. Accessed May 19,
2019. http://www.historyofwomen.org/oppression.html.