Hippolyta In A Midsummer Night's Dream

Words: 453

Pages: 2

Open Document

The development of Hippolyta and Titania, two of the strongest females in the play, is almost mirrored; Hippolyta is a former amazon warrior woman (or ‘the bouncing amazonian’ as Titania refers to her), conquered by Theseus and brought back to Athens so Theseus can marry her ‘ With pomp, with triumph and with revelling’. She paraded around as a trophy and proof of Theseus’ power and strength. Hippolyta is introduced to the play as meek and submissive, her former power repressed by Theseus who ‘wooed thee with my sword, And won thy love, doing thee injuries’ a constant reminder to Hippolyta of his virile and masculine persona. Titania however is shown as strong and in control when introduced in Act 2, Scene 1, refusing to give the changeling …show more content…
Some critics, such as Amanda Mabillard, argue that Shakespeare was a humanist and wanted characters to be judged not by gender but by characteristics and actions. A Midsummer Night’s Dream challenges this idea by relying heavily on portraying and mocking gender stereotypes of the Elizabethan Era to add comedic strands and to flesh out the complex relationships in the play, making it a significant theme to explore. At the time of queen elizabeths rain, protestant leaders such as John Knox were spreading messages that indicated the attitude towards women at the time, saying that ‘Women in her greatest perfection was made to serve and obey man.’. Knox also refused to accept a Womans natural right to rule and as a result of this was banned from setting foot on english soil by Elizabeth- As the play was written to be a court performance, performed at the beginning of the 1600s just before the Queens death, the context in which the play was performed indicates the subtle ridicule of female subservience in the

02 Instructor Graded Assignment A Midsummer Night’s Dream Essay

Selected Plays 02: Instructor-Graded Assignment A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1. Interpret A Midsummer Night’s Dream in terms of its title. Make your answer an analysis of the concept of dream in the play. You should choose for discussion passages in which characters either dream or think that they are dreaming. What does dreaming mean in the play? Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream suggests the dreams are a significant theme of the play. The dreams are attached to strange, magical happenings which…

Words 722 - Pages 3

A Midsummer Night Essay

Comedies (Option One) William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night's Dream”, is a comedic themed play that interprets the events that surround the wedding of the Duke of Athens, Theseus, and Hippolyta. Which, includes the journeys of four young Athenian lovers as well as a group of six amateur actors, who are coordinated and influenced by the fairies who live in the forest in where a great portion of the story and/or play takes place. "A Midsummer Night's Dream”, is a comedy themed play that has merging…

Words 1093 - Pages 5

Compare The Image Of Magic In A Midsummer Night's Dream

Magic In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare shows his great writing skills involving metaphors, imagery, and magic. This essay is written to prove how great and affective thee three things are in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. In this play, the usage of metaphors. Imagery, and magic help readers better understand the writing. Shakespeare’s metaphors that were incorporated in the play were all used in an intellectual matter. The quote, “Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour,”…

Words 677 - Pages 3

Essay about Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night ' s Dream and Hippolyta

of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theseus and Hippolyta and Oberon and Titania are played by the same actors. What elements in the play might justify a director making this choice? In Modern productions of Shakespeare’s plays, actors sometimes take roles of multiple characters. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Theseus, Hippolyta, Oberon and Titania are evidently symbolic of each other. Both ruling couples have similar conflict of power, and progression towards peace; therefore, Theseus and Hippolyta and…

Words 469 - Pages 2

Love In A Midsummer Night's Dream

“Things base and vile, holding no quantity, love can transpose to form and dignity: love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind; and therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind”(1.1.232-235). Helena, one of the lovers in the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, explains the irrational nature of love displayed by characters throughout the story. The play shows how multiple lovers came together to overcome a journey, a journey of love. William Shakespeare uses love potions and fairies to confuse the lovers…

Words 1030 - Pages 5

Relationships In A Midsummer Night's Dream

expressed in many ways, whether good or bad. It can bring out the best in people, but also the worst. William Shakespeare seemed to understand this truth and often sought to open the eyes of his readers to these ideas. Thus, the theme of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is the contrast between irrational, flighty relationships and mature relationships. The contrast is apparent in the friendship of Helena and Hermia and that of Titania and the changeling’s mother. Helena and Hermia are emotional…

Words 735 - Pages 3

Essay on Ghengis Khan and Hernan Cortez

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Oberon shows his corruption and lying when he takes advantage of Titania by putting her under a spell and saying, What thou seest when thou dost wake, Do it for thy true love take. Love and languish for his sake: Be it ounce, or cat, or bear, Pard, or Boar with bristled hair, (II.ii.27-31). Getting whatever he wants, Oberon punishes people for pleasure just to hurt others. Set in the 1920’s Chicago during the Prohibition era, A Midsummer Night’s Dream focuses…

Words 709 - Pages 3

A Midsummer Night's Dream Essay

What Fools These Mortals Be In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Shakespeare, there are many aspects of love. Many characters present a dark feeling of love towards others. Helena believes her friendship with Hermia has changed ever since men have entered their lives. Helena reacts to this adjustment in her life with jealousy. Theseus shows his love for Hippolyta in a more manly way rather than romantically. He believes in the more dominant type of love, where man overpowers woman. Egeus…

Words 629 - Pages 3

Shakespearian Comedy Essay

Ryan Hoffman 10/25/12 Shakespeare Friedberg Contesting Patriarchal Marriage in A Midsummer Night’s Dream Marriage during Shakespeare’s time period was more than just a relationship between two willing parties but rather an arrangement for transferring property between families and generations of legitimate children. According to historian Lawrence Stone, “Marriage was used as an institutional device to ensure the perpetuation of the family and…

Words 1484 - Pages 6

What Is True Love In A Midsummer Night's Dream

In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, there are a lot of various sorts of love by utilizing different situation in different diverse circumstances. However, we’re going to pick three in this essay Parental Love, False love, and True love. Parental love is shown when Egeus needs the best for his child (Hermia.). He needs her to wed a man of his decision and does his best to make her see things his way. False love Helena and Demetrius They are not really a couple until the conclusion of the story…

Words 851 - Pages 4