Hippolyta effectively has no choice but to succumb to the demands of her Fiance being a “spoil of war” Helena and Titania find themselves threatened by the use of violence by their male superiors Demetrius and Oberon, while Hermia faces the threat of her own death via her father and the court of law in Athens. Hermia is the only successful female protagonist to gain some independence from Egeus and Demetrius by running away with Lysander and remaining faithful to her values when Lysander suggests they sleep together before they are officially married. The patriarchal and —evidently violent— society in which Athens finds itself in for the duration of the play creates many complications for Hippolyta, Hermia, Helena and Titania but in the end, Hermia does make some progress for equality from the patriarchy through her refusal to marry Demetrius and her newly approved marriage to Lysander, aided by the actions and reactions of the other essential male characters within the
Hippolyta effectively has no choice but to succumb to the demands of her Fiance being a “spoil of war” Helena and Titania find themselves threatened by the use of violence by their male superiors Demetrius and Oberon, while Hermia faces the threat of her own death via her father and the court of law in Athens. Hermia is the only successful female protagonist to gain some independence from Egeus and Demetrius by running away with Lysander and remaining faithful to her values when Lysander suggests they sleep together before they are officially married. The patriarchal and —evidently violent— society in which Athens finds itself in for the duration of the play creates many complications for Hippolyta, Hermia, Helena and Titania but in the end, Hermia does make some progress for equality from the patriarchy through her refusal to marry Demetrius and her newly approved marriage to Lysander, aided by the actions and reactions of the other essential male characters within the