ENG220Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Hermia, Egeus, Protestantism
27/11/17
Shakespeare: Midsummer Night’s Dream
MND written in approximately 1594-96. A lot of similarities and verbal echoes between
MND and Shakespeare’s tragedies.
Themes: (still in the love rubric)
- Love and/as war “I wooed thee with my sword/And won thy love doing thee injuries”
(1.1.10-17): the play sets up a particular understanding of love as war, literally the
opening dialogue “wooed thee with my sword” alludes to rape. Idea of marriage is in
the least consensual manner. This runs through the text especially in act 3, idea that
love, or at least marriage can be thought without violence is established early in the
play.
- Parental Authority “As she is mine, I may dispose of her” (1.1.42): “as I see fit”, 6th
play of Shakespeare which depicts characters without mothers. A fairly explicit
violent relationship of parental authority: “or to her death”. Egeus threatens death
explicitly. Theseus responds: “leave figure or disfigure it”, a daughter to Theseus is a
shape formed by her father – am imprint (reference to Aaron in Titus) and it is in the
father’s power to also continue it or melt it back to “wax”. This raises alerts because
the play will follow up on that. Absolute male control over reproduction. Authority of
extreme nature. Basically, listen to your dad or he gets to kill you.
- The Law “or else the law of Athens yields you up/Which by no means we may
extenuate to death” (1.1.119-20): Duke of Venice says the same thing: the law is the
law (in Merchant of Venice). It is the set up of a tragedy – law and human action. Not
a tragedy as Theseus changes his mind in Act 4. But play sets up with the threat of
death.
- Love, doting, idolatry – and marriage – “eyes” vs “judgement” (1.1.56-57); note that
purpose of life is marriage (1.1.67ff): The play spends a bulk of time shaking different
ways of looking at the play, and not really doing anything. Love – the highest of 3.
Doting is like a crush. Idolatry – worship someone’s picture instead of doting the real
person. Love as based on irrational desire vs reasonable love. Eyes vs judgement.
Superficial – eyes to their beauty. And another love that is truer, on judgement. The
eyes are associated with idolatry and doting. Contrast of love based on reason and
love based on desire is not something MND can do. The play is deeply invested in
discovering this but cannot give an answer. The end is marriage.
- Gender and power: Theseus associates a life with marriage as the point of life, and as
an unmarried one for death. “Nun” vs in a “society of men”. A protestant version of
what being a nun is like. Contrast here of being single vs non-single. Hermia would
have to suppress her life spirit/instincts to endure a life of barren sister/nun – you
essentially become infertile, suspended, and animated – chanting hymns. This is a
standard protestant version of nun-life. On the other hand, Theseus’ idea of married
life is monastic, life is blooming, then dying. Whilst marriage is a “rose distilled”, the
rose is turned into perfume. You must pluck the flower out before it withers, make
sure it stays dry, then crush and separate its oils for scent – utter destruction for a drop
of liquid that smells like you or a child that looks like you. Theseus’ argument is
striking. Character tripped up by his own metaphors, how men in this play think of
marriage and of women, making women productive in a way that they can be.
Without having the rose/woman, having the power over the rose.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
A lot of similarities and verbal echoes between. Idea of marriage is in the least consensual manner. This runs through the text especially in act 3, idea that love, or at least marriage can be thought without violence is established early in the play. Parental authority as she is mine, i may dispose of her (1. 1. 42): as i see fit , 6th play of shakespeare which depicts characters without mothers. A fairly explicit violent relationship of parental authority: or to her death . This raises alerts because the play will follow up on that. Basically, listen to your dad or he gets to kill you. The law or else the law of athens yields you up/which by no means we may extenuate to death (1. 1. 119-20): duke of venice says the same thing: the law is the law (in merchant of venice). It is the set up of a tragedy law and human action.
