The Life and Times of a Woman

For a long time, dating back to the ancient Romans, women were always seen as inferior to men. They didn't have many rights or roles in society and they were not the ones who could make any decisions. Women's lives revolved around doing the housework, caring for the children, and other "womanly" tasks such as cooking and doing the laundry. The farther back in history you go, the more poorly women were treated and the less important they were. Shakespeare was no stranger to this class system. In A Midsummer Night's Dream, other than giving a small tribute to Queen Elizabeth within the dialogue, the women were portrayed as lesser people. Helena is portrayed a pathetic lover, constantly begging for a love that does not want her. Hermia seems to be solely an object, and Titania is depicted as being gullible.

Helena is shown as a poor soul who is jealous of Hermia's beauty and fawning over Demetrius who refuses to love her back. When talking to Hermia, Helena rants, "O that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill! O that my prayers could such affection move! None, but your beauty. Would that fault were mine!" (1.1.198-204). Helena is described as a pathetic woman wasting her time wishing she were someone else. In addition, she has no self esteem and obsesses over Demetrius to the point where she says, "And even for that do I love you the more. I am your spaniel, and, Demetrius, The more you beat me, I will fawn on you. Use me but as your spaniel" (2.1.206-209). She seems to be desperate and willing to do anything for Demetrius's love. Helena begs to be treated poorly, for any bit of attention from Demetrius is better than none at all to her. Shakespeare portrays women as weak and in need of male attention with this character.

Hermia is the beautiful woman who is wanted by both Lysander and Demetrius. She is fought over as if she were an object or prize to be won. Demetrius states, "Relent, sweet Hermia; and Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right" (1.1.93-94). He says how it's his right to own Hermia, rather than her own conscious choice to be with him. To this, Lysander then replies, "My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd, If not with vantage, as Demetrius's; And, which is more than all these boasts can be, I am belov'd of beauteous Hermia. Why should not I then prosecute my right?" (1.1.103-107). Lysander's argument to Theseus