Prompt #5: Hermia was treated unfairly by her father and the Athenian Law.

(explain the
unfairness of each of the 3 choices)

Insanity, Torture, or Death.

Laws are made to provide everyone with equal rights to life, liberty, the pursuit of
happiness, and to, in turn, keep us safe. However, in Medieval society, some laws are not as
serviceable than others. The laws were prejudice, and supported mens rights above womens.
For example the Athenian Law in William Shakespeares A Midsummers Night Dream was a
generous contribution to one of the conflicts in the book. The law stated that the father would
chose his daughters suitor, and Hermia disagreed with her fathers (Egeus) choice. Hermia
wanted to wed Lysander but her father was forcing her to marry Demetrius. Theseus (the Duke)
provided Hermia with her 3 choices she was allowed under *cue ominous voice* Athenian Law:
marry Demetrius like her father has demanded, join the church as a nun and never wed anyone
ever, or death if she disobeys her father. I firmly believe that the *cue ominous voice* Athenian
Law is beyond irrational, because the law failed to present Hermia with the rights to be safe and
happy.
Hermias first option was to marry Demetrius like her father had commanded her too,
without her consent, which was fascistic. In my opinion, out of the question for 2 main reasons:
her father was forcing her too and that he was not the best of men. Egeus was forcing her against
her will to marry Demetrius without taking her opinion into consideration. As her father, and a
man, he is automatically the head of the family and control of Hermias life. She despised him
and treats him like the scum he was known to be. Speaking of Demetrius being scum, he was, in
todays slang, a player. Lysander made this plain to see when he told Theseus and Egeus that,
Demetrius, Ill avouch it to his head, Made love to Nedars daughter, Helena, And won her soul;
and she, sweet lady, dotes, Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry, Upon this spotted and inconstant
man. (AMND, 1.1.108-112, Lysander) He makes it extremely clear that Demetrius has also won
the heart of Helena and hooked up and then bailed. This makes you question, what father would
want to make their own daughter spend the rest of their life tied to that kind of man? Even after a
divorce, if by some miracle a divorce was granted, then she would still have the reputation of the
ex-wife of a disloyal man. Overall, I think that option one was not a passable option, or even
considerable, because she had no say in the matter and Demetrius was lousy man.
The second option that Hermia was allowed under *cue ominous voice* Athenian Law,
was to become a nun. She didnt only have equal rights or the free will to select her husband but
also could not have the normal life she desired. The only free will she did have was the between
obeying her father or to gradually die. I think that this option is almost as bad as spending the
rest of your life with Demetrius. If you were to become a nun you would have to, as Theseus put
it, You can endure the livery of a nun, For aye to be in shady cloister mewed, To live a barren

sister all your life, Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. Thrice-blessd they that
master so their blood To undergo such maiden pilgrimage, But earthlier happy is the rose
distilled Than that which, withering on the virgin thorn, Grows, lives, and dies in single
blessedness. (AMND, 1.1.72-80, Theseus) If she were to become a nun, she would have to give
up men till death. Then she would have to stand by as all her female friends are given away and
have children and grandchildren. This would be okay at first, because she would have felt
accomplished that she had defied her father. Then, over time, she would start regretting her
decision wondering what wouldve happened if shed married Demetrius and realizing that
wouldve been just as horrendous, if not worse, she will start considering death because it seems
like the best option because she will die eventually if shed had chosen death then she wouldnt
have had to endure all the torture of everyone proceeding on with their lives and starting their
own family and lives as she was a nun with her future static and only differing in her death. But,
notice that Theseus also said that though her life would be simple and fairly isolated, she would
live and die a blessed person. Therefore, this is also another unacceptable option for Hermia
because her life will be tedious and destroyed.
Hermias final option under *cue ominous voice* Athenian Law was death. This option,
to me, seems fairly logical because it promotes the feudal system of law. Hermia went against the
mens orders, so she had to die to protect this unfair law. Hermia wanted to marry Lysander
against her fathers will and for that she would die. For example, I doubt that she is the only girl
in all of Athens who would rather marry someone who was not her fathers choice and would try
to go against the law as Hermia is attempting too. Well, if Hermia was beheaded she could be
used as an example to the others that they will meet their demise as well if they attempt to resist.
Which would make Hermia just another shirt in the store, being used to their governments
advantage. The happiness, life, and well being of women have never been considered under these
circumstances. This is, yet another, option that would not foster her opposition but further sustain
the *cue ominous voice* Athenian Laws power.
In conclusion, I think that Hermias father and *cue ominous voice* Athenian Law both
are treacherous. Allowing a person only to marry whom they loather, nunnery, or death is (at
least in my opinion) ABSURD. Hermia whos, as a woman in a feudal society, opinions, and
desires werent taken into regard. She could only be frightened, threatened, or oppressed. If I
were in Hermias place I wouldve chosen death because: spending the rest of my life with
Demetrius will turn me insane , becoming a nun will just be spending the rest of my life in
temptation which is also tortuous, and finally death. I find that none of these options were
tolerable Nonetheless though, I find her dilemma very relatable, because my dad has tried to tell
me that he will be choosing my husband for me (first of all Im 13 my husband is like an
incomplete thought, its transformation from a possibility into reality is still yet to be
determined), but then I told him if he did that I would run away and not invite him to my
wedding to who I chose. He decided to let me choose, so I think that this is a pretty common and
functional tactic because Hermia attempted to do this as well (and it wouldve worked if not for

meddlesome Puck and self-indulgent Oberon). Overall, I think that I can understand that Egeus
feels that it is in his right to chose her husband because its his right thriugh tradition, but then
again tradition has to change as we evolve or else tradition will slowly fade away because
insanity, torture and death will never be enough options.