A Midsummer Night’s Dream Group

Question:

farwataqvi
farwataqvi
Student
High School - 11th Grade

If I were Hermia, should I obey my father's wishes?

father is like a God like he told Hermia that she has to marry Demetrius or otherwise she has to be virgin for her rest of her life or she has to die.so if i would Hermia should i obey my father wishes to marry Demetrius instead of LYsandar. if yes then why and if i should not then why not?

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Posted by farwataqvi on Wednesday June 13, 2007 at 6:44 AM and tagged with a midsummer night’s dream.

Answers:


  1. alanrice Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    If you were a good young girl in Shakespeare's time, then yes, you should do as your father says. That's the conventional wisdom, and apparently the law of Athens supports this view. If you disobey, the penalty is pretty severe. Theseus spells them out in Act One scene 1.

    But Hermia is not a conventional girl. The law - and her father - demand that she do something she simply cannot, and she is compelled by her love for Lysander to disboey her father. The action of the play is really begun by Hermia's decision to elope with her lover.

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    Posted by alanrice on Wednesday June 13, 2007 at 9:10 AM


  2. arjun Teacher
    College - Senior

    in this comedy,Hermia does not obey to her father.I consider it revolution against old customs.Ok,father is like God and we should be obedient and his decision is replete with wisdom,but before love it is nothing.So,it is her that is ready to face the severe punishment.As far as I am concerned ,I could have obeyed in no way.Marriage is the contract of all life and afterward.so one does not like to be the spouse of a person whom that one doesn`t like.She loves Lysander and the love will appease her soul and change life.Besides Demertius does not like her and his love is other.
    In my idea,it is love of both sides that makes sweet home and happy valley of happy life.Otherwise it might have been hell..So, I am thankful to supernatural elements saved me from conventional system.

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    Posted by arjun on Monday June 18, 2007 at 2:27 AM