A Midsummer Night’s Dream Group

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mahmuda092569
mahmuda092569
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What was Hermia's excuse for her disobedience? What did Theseus do on hearing her excuse?

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Posted by mahmuda092569 on Friday October 16, 2009 at 10:08 PM and tagged with demetrius, egeus, hermia, lysander, marriage, theseus.

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  1. lit24
    lit24 Teacher
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    Best answer as selected by question asker.

    In Act I Sc.1 Hermia's father Egeus complains to Duke Theseus that his daughter Hermia refuses to marry Demetrius, the man chosen by him to be her husband and that she is obstinate that she will marry only Lysander her lover. The Duke advises Hermia to obey her father and marry Demetrius:

    "What say you, Hermia? be advised fair maid:
    To you your father should be as a god;
    One that composed your beauties, yea, and one
    To whom you are but as a form in wax
    By him imprinted and within his power
    To leave the figure or disfigure it.
    Demetrius is a worthy gentleman."

    Hermia however replies saying that  Lysander is also a "worthy gentleman." Theseus replies that it may be true but since Demetrius has her father Egeus' approval he is certainly worthier than Lysander and that she must obey her father and marry Demetrius only. Immediately, Hermia excuses her disobedience by saying that her father must understand her feelings and try to understand the situation from her perspective:

    "I would my father look'd but with my eyes."

    To which the Duke replies that she must have faith in her father's wise judgement and maturer perspective and obey him:

    "Rather your eyes must with his judgment look."

    Hermia then asks the Duke to excuse her temerity in disobeying his commands and asks him what would be the consequences of her refusal to marry Demetrius. The Duke replies that she will have to be executed or become a nun:

    "Either to die the death or to abjure
    For ever the society of men."

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/midsummer-nights-dream/criticism
    http://www.enotes.com/midsummer-nights-dream/essays
    http://www.enotes.com/midsummer-nights-dream/themes

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    Posted by lit24 on Friday October 16, 2009 at 10:48 PM