a word from our sponsors
See the new shakespeare.com. This feature, while it still provides useful information, is no longer maintained.
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help
The first act in AMND has to do with establishing the social
classes as they will later appear in the play. Egeus bases one's
worth on social class, public status- society's idea of worth.
His daughter Hermia wants a man who is skilled in the matters of
the heart- the other kind of worth- one's own tastes, desires,
attraction.
It is setting up the restrictiveness of Athens where the men
own the women and this establishes a world of conflict: order
versus desire. There's a three part plot center in this that is
being established- 1. all is normal, rules and regulations apply;
2. journey of self-discovery begins (the woods); and 3. come back
to the "real world" of athens to be harmoneously integrated.I don't know- hope this helps some- whatcha got for me?? :-)
JFPosted by Jen Franklin on April 09, 1997 at 16:59:07
In Reply to "Maybe" posted by J C on April 09, 1997 at 16:14:01
Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries From Genuinely Interested Students 4.2.97: Top | Help