The Customs of Marriage and the Rights of Women in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream

It is securely to imagine in straight offs world that in that respect could be or ever take hold been restrictions on the choice of ones spouse or the bonds of marriage. Yet history shows that only recently has the freedom to choose ones spouse catch a reality, more so for women than for men. Womens rights, especi in everyy when it came to choosing a mate, were minimal. Marriages for women tended to be arranged, pre-paid, or not allowed before, during, and after the 16th century. One magnate wonder what rights did women name concerning marriage and how stomach they be seen in the play, A midsummer Nights Dream, by William Shakespe atomic number 18.According to The Laws Resolutions of Womens Rights, published in 1632, women were taught from birth that they were inferior to men. It was a uncouth depression at the era that women were the authors of pilot program sin who lured men away from idol and salvation (Tudor Women, 2). Young women, from birth had few rights whethe r innate(p) into privilege or not. The women born into nobility or the upper come apartes such(prenominal) as Hermia, Helena, and Hippolyta, were given the opportunity to be educated, but mostly in the shipway of housewifery such as how to manage a household, needlework, music, meal preparation, and duty to their prospective mate. entirely of these qualities were considered imperative in becoming a good wife. Very few women, take down those from flush(p) backgrounds, were able to become scholars. except about women were taught to read and write, but the majority remained illiterate person as it was not deemed a demand part of their education as future wives.Womens rights concerning marriage were redden fewer. Husbands of upper class girls were chosen for them by their aims or other(a) male relatives. Very few women of alarming birth chose their own partners (Tudor Women). Marriages were to the highest degree ever arranged for political reasons, whether it was to fort ify alliances, for land, money, companionable status, or to streng thusly the bonds between dickens families. It was as well as considered foolish to attach for making love.In A Midsummer Nights Dream, Shakespeare presents this very puzzle in the story line involving Hermia and Lysander. Hermia is in love with Lysander but her father, Egeus, demands she marry Demetrius, whom he has deemed the only man worthy of his daughters dedicate. Although we cut that Demetrius and Lysander are both from similar wealthy backgrounds, Demetrius has Egeuss approval for reasons we are unaware. When Lysander proclaims his love for Hermia, Egeus responds heatedly by stating,Scornful Lysander True Demetrius has my loveAnd what is mine my love shall render him,And she is mine, and all my right of herI do estate unto Demetrius (1.1 95-98).Exercising his rights as the father leaves Hermia unable(p) to marry the man she loves. To add to this miserable affair, if she does not do as her father wi shes, her father depart dispose of her, / which shall be either to this gentlemen/ Or to her death (1.1 43-45). As the faithfulness of the land and Biblical law both stated that women and children should submit and pursue their parents and saves, it would hand over been highly unlikely for Hermia to have married Lysander as she did in the play. This is just one of many political and social changes Shakespeare made in his play.Weddings during the Elizabethan time were much more time down and extravagant than most weddings of today. First in that location came the betrothal. Theseus and Hippolyta are betrothed although we hunch forward with classical history that Theseus captured Hippolyta and owned her. provided readers can see that he has a deep admiration for her and we can outwear that their betrothal is a somewhat bright one. According to the Compendium of Common noesis of Elizabethan England, the betrothal is the giving of what we know as the engagement ring to be put on the right hand. The iron out is then sealed by a kiss. This same ring though as well as becomes the wedding ring and changes to the left hand at the wedding.Also stated in the Compendium, were the rules of the betrothal period. The intention to marry essential be announced in the church building tercet times that is, on three consecutive Sundays or holy days, in the same parish (Compendium, pg 1). If this announcement is not made, then the marriage is considered clandestine, and illegal.Hard as it is to believe, womens rights became even fewer after marriage. According to a Homily on the State of jointure from the Elizabethan period states that yee wives, be ye in conquest to obey your own husbands. As for their husbands, them must they obey, and cease from commanding, and perform subjection (pg 4). This belief is taken directly from the account book and was considered the ultimate rule of marriages during this time. The Homily also says to, Let women bee subject to th eir husbands as to the Lorde for the husband is the crafter of the womanhood, as Christ is the head of the Church. Shakespeare addresses this belief in an unusual and almost satirical way through Oberon and titanium oxide. Titania is a headstrong and independent queen Queen who defies her husbands will. Oberon in turn, plays a degenerate trick on her to make her die in love with Bottom, a someone turned into a donkey.The trick is compete because Oberon desires a shortsighted changeling male child that Titania has obtained. Another common belief during this time was That which the wife hath is the husbands (Laws pg 5). As it states in The Laws Resolutions of Womens Rights, For thus it is, if before marriage the woman were possessed of horses, meat, sheep, corn, wool, money, plate, and jewels, all manner of negotiable substance is presently by connector the husbands, to sell, keep, or bequeath if he die. And though he bequeath them not, yet are they the husbands executors and not the wifes which brought them to her husband (Laws pg 4).As we do not know whether Titania or Oberon were married when she obtained the boy, belief was still that Oberon had the rights to the little changeling boy and not Titania, whether he was given to her or not. She was not submitting to her husbands will and therefore, was punished by being tricked into gentle an ass.Throughout A Midsummer Nights Dream, Shakespeare communicate numerous political and social customs of the aristocracy. Although not much changed for the rights of women during the Elizabethan period, readers today can gain a break off understanding of the time through historic documents and literary works. To be unable to marry for love, to have no choice in your mate, and to be completely submissive to your husbands either whim, had to have been depressing no reckon what the customs were. A great deal has changed now since then, but in all actuality it has only been a few decades since women have been allowed so much freedom in their own lives.