In Goodnight Desdemona, one of MacDonald's main goals is to explore and analyze feminist themes. The play frequently addresses issues concerning women's rights, gender identity, and women's struggles. MacDonald highlights numerous historical and contemporary examples of women's oppression, mistreatment, or misinterpretation while also considering potential solutions to these problems.

Constance's experiences at Queen's University illustrate MacDonald's first example of sexism in modern society. Professor Night has taken advantage of Constance's ideas and hard work for years, using her writings to secure his position at Oxford University. Despite benefiting from her contributions, he belittles her by using condescending terms such as "interesting little mind" and diminutive names like "my little titmouse" and "pet." These expressions reveal the professor's sexist, prejudiced, and exploitative behavior, as he exploits Constance due to her gender.

Constance's journey into the worlds of Shakespeare's plays uncovers the deep-rooted sexism in traditional interpretations of literature and history. Tybalt displays a general mistrust and contempt for women, an attitude partially shared by both Iago and Romeo. MacDonald suggests that Desdemona and Juliet, both strong-willed figures, encounter sexism in their time and are also misunderstood by modern scholars and readers. Goodnight Desdemona stresses the need to reevaluate historical views on women and recognize the extraordinary female figures in history and literature.

Goodnight Desdemona also delves into feminist themes concerning gender identity and roles. Several characters in the play undergo a journey of understanding their gender roles. When Romeo and Juliet dress in drag, and when Desdemona participates in sword fighting or military activities, MacDonald comments on the fluidity of gender identities and the importance of challenging and redefining their boundaries. Constance stands out as the most significant character in this regard, as she realizes that her suppressed attraction to women, her academic ambitions, and her ability to assert herself are all valid and essential aspects of her identity as a woman.

Linked to the theme of feminism, MacDonald's critique targets the current academic culture in both Canada and the UK. Goodnight Desdemona highlights a conventional, male-dominated university environment where senior male professors frequently take advantage of gifted female students. MacDonald contends that Canada in the 1980s must reform this unjust system. Ramona seems poised to become Professor Night's next victim in a system that shows little promise of change, despite the fact that both are moving from Canada to England.

Another important element of MacDonald's thematic exploration is her examination and critique of Elizabethan culture and drama. In Goodnight Desdemona, she reinterprets some of Shakespeare's most famous characters, providing a new perspective on his works and the historical context in which they were created.

MacDonald's observations on Shakespeare's plays and Elizabethan society are often crafted with deliberate satire. For example, she humorously underscores Othello's pride, Tybalt's tendency for anger and aggression, Romeo's capriciousness, and Juliet's fixation on death. Although these characteristics are present in the original plays, MacDonald exaggerates them to highlight these imperfections. She also pokes fun at typical Elizabethan cultural traits, such as fluid gender roles and ribald humor.

Yet, not all of MacDonald's analyses are satirical. In Goodnight Desdemona, she reimagines Shakespearean figures, especially Desdemona and Juliet, in a way that reflects how she believes they should be perceived. This method reveals both their virtues and their flaws. The play implies that Desdemona's inclination toward violence and Juliet's intense nature are essential aspects of Shakespeare's work that modern audiences and critics often misunderstand.

MacDonald consistently highlights the problem of seeing no middle ground between comedy and tragedy throughout the play. Most of Shakespeare's characters tend to adopt a tragic outlook, often teetering on the edge of a...