Posted: February 17th, 2022

The Customs of Marriage and the Rights of Women in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

It’s exhausting to think about in right this moment’s world that there may very well be or ever have been restrictions on the alternative of one’s partner or the bonds of marriage. But historical past reveals that solely not too long ago has the freedom to decide on one’s partner change into a actuality, extra so for girls than for males. Women’s rights, particularly when it got here to selecting a mate, had been minimal. Marriages for girls tended to be organized, pre-paid, or not allowed earlier than, throughout, and after the 16th century. One may surprise what rights did ladies have regarding marriage and how can they be seen in the play, A Midsummer Night time’s Dream, by William Shakespeare.
In accordance with “The Legislation’s Resolutions of Women’s Rights,” revealed in 1632, ladies had been taught from delivery that they had been inferior to males. It was a standard perception at the time that ladies had been the “authors of authentic sin who lured males away from God and salvation” (Tudor Women, 2). Younger ladies, from delivery had few rights whether or not born into privilege or not. The ladies born into the Aristocracy or the higher courses comparable to Hermia, Helena, and Hippolyta, got the alternative to be educated, however largely in the methods of housewifery comparable to the right way to handle a family, needlework, music, meal preparation, and obligation to their future mate. All of these qualities had been thought of crucial in turning into a great spouse. Only a few ladies, even these from rich backgrounds, had been capable of change into students. Some ladies had been taught to learn and write, however the majority remained illiterate because it was not deemed a needed half of their training as future wives.
Women’s rights regarding marriage had been even fewer. “Husbands of higher class ladies had been chosen for them by their fathers or different male kinfolk. Only a few ladies of noble delivery selected their very own companions” (Tudor Women). Marriages had been virtually at all times organized for political causes, whether or not it was to fortify alliances, for land, cash, social standing, or to strengthen the bonds between two households. It was additionally thought of silly to marry for love.

In A Midsummer Night time’s Dream, Shakespeare presents this very downside in the story line involving Hermia and Lysander. Hermia is in love with Lysander however her father, Egeus, calls for she marry Demetrius, whom he has deemed the solely man worthy of his daughter’s hand. Though we all know that Demetrius and Lysander are each from comparable rich backgrounds, Demetrius has Egeus’s approval for causes we’re unaware. When Lysander proclaims his love for Hermia, Egeus responds heatedly by stating,
Scornful Lysander! True [Demetrius] has my love;
And what’s mine my love shall render him,
And he or she is mine, and all my proper of her
I do property unto Demetrius (1.1 95-98).
Exercising his rights as the father leaves Hermia unable to marry the man she loves. So as to add to this unhappy affair, if she doesn’t do as her father needs, her father will “dispose of her, / which shall be both to this gents/ Or to her demise” (1.1 43-45). As the legislation of the land and Biblical legislation each said that ladies and kids ought to submit and obey their mother and father and husbands, it will have been extremely unlikely for Hermia to have married Lysander as she did in the play. This is only one of many political and societal modifications Shakespeare made in his play.
Weddings throughout the Elizabethan time had been rather more time consuming and extravagant than most weddings of right this moment. First there got here the betrothal. Theseus and Hippolyta are betrothed though we all know by means of classical historical past that Theseus captured Hippolyta and owned her. However readers can see that he has a deep admiration for her and we are able to assume that their betrothal is a considerably blissful one. In accordance with the Compendium of Frequent Information of Elizabethan England, the betrothal is the giving of what we all know as the engagement ring to be placed on the proper hand. The contract is then sealed by a kiss. This similar ring although additionally turns into the wedding ceremony ring and modifications to the left hand at the wedding ceremony.
Additionally said in the Compendium, had been the guidelines of the betrothal interval. “The intention to marry have to be introduced in the church 3 times; that’s, on three consecutive Sundays or holy days, in the similar parish” (Compendium, pg 1). If this announcement isn’t made, then the marriage is taken into account “clandestine, and unlawful.”
Onerous as it’s to imagine, ladies’s rights grew to become even fewer after marriage. In accordance with a Homily on the State of Matrimony from the Elizabethan interval states that “yee wives, be ye in subjection to obey your individual husbands. As for his or her husbands, them should they obey, and stop from commanding, and carry out subjection” (pg four). This perception is taken instantly from the Bible and was thought of the final rule of marriages throughout this time. The Homily additionally says to, “Let ladies bee topic to their husbands as to the Lorde: for the husband is the head of the lady, as Christ is the head of the Church.” Shakespeare addresses this perception in an uncommon and virtually satirical approach by means of Oberon and Titania. Titania is a headstrong and impartial fairy Queen who defies her husband’s will. Oberon in flip, performs a deviant trick on her to make her fall in love with Backside, a mortal changed into a donkey.
The trick is performed as a result of Oberon needs a little bit changeling boy that Titania has obtained. One other frequent perception throughout this time was “That which the spouse hath is the husband’s” (Legal guidelines pg 5). Because it states in The Legislation’s Resolutions of Women’s Rights, For thus it’s, if earlier than marriage the lady had been possessed of horses, meat, sheep, corn, wool, cash, plate, and jewels, all method of moveable substance is presently by conjunction the husband’s, to promote, maintain, or bequeath if he die. And although he bequeath them not, but are they the husband’s executor’s and not the spouse’s which introduced them to her husband (Legislation’s pg four).
As we have no idea whether or not Titania or Oberon had been married when she obtained the boy, perception was nonetheless that Oberon had the rights to the little changeling boy and not Titania, whether or not he was given to her or not. She was not submitting to her husband’s will and due to this fact, was punished by being tricked into loving an ass.
All through A Midsummer Night time’s Dream, Shakespeare addressed quite a few political and social customs of the aristocracy. Though not a lot modified for the rights of ladies throughout the Elizabethan interval, readers right this moment can achieve a greater understanding of the time by means of historic paperwork and literary works. To be unable to marry for love, to don’t have any alternative in your mate, and to be fully submissive to your husband’s each whim, needed to have been miserable it doesn’t matter what the customs had been. A nice deal has modified now since then, however in all actuality it has solely been just a few many years since ladies have been allowed a lot freedom in their very own lives.

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