A Midsummer Night's Dream Gender Analysis

Is there such a thing as traditional gender? If not, then be a virgin forever or die. In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare. The play starts out as a young adult female, Hermia, fighting her father, Egeus, for the right to choose who she marries, a duke, Theseus, is solidifying to marry a woman, Hippolyta, he recently conquered in battle, a woman who will never find love, Helena, and Titania and Oberon queen and king of the fairies they are at war as well. Then Demetrius and Lysander both love Hermia, Hermia only loves Lysander. Helena loves Demetrius, but cannot find a way to his heart. The gender tensions between the lovers slowly arise when Puck, the mischief-maker, turns and twists things around until all is well again. Once all might seem well for the men’s perspective. Women are not done, Shakespeare argues that the gender roles only go out to men and if there are women in the play, dressed up as men, they characters are usually subsided. Shakespeare …show more content…
The reason for this is that women typically are married off to a guy she is not in love with him. For example, while men are typically expected to be strong and independent, while women are expected to be obedient and passive. However, for Shakespeare argues that Hermia trying to be independent and love Lysander and not Demetrius, but Hermia’s father will not allow it. In the play Egeus says “I beg the ancient privilege of Athens: As she is mine, I may dispose of her, which shall be either to this gentleman or to her death, according to our law immediately provided in that case” (1.1.42-46). Egeus wants to “dispose” of Hermia, so making her independent therefore she is not socially accepted. Shakespeare exaggerates struggles between daughters and parents a lot like in The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Romeo and Juliet. These are all perfect examples of gender