When taking a close look at Act V it may seem that we are just wrapping things up. However, if you read closely you’ll find some interesting character choices. As an actor I love to pick apart a character. Sometimes one line can give so much insight or it might mean nothing (the actor usually gets to decide). While reading this time I particularly took note of Hippolyta at the end of the play. She listens to Theseus and Philostrate discussing how untalented the entertainment is and how it might be amusing to watch them embarrass themselves. Her reaction to this surprised me.
This is my third or fourth time reading A Midsummer Night’s Dream but it is the first time I was really curious about Hippolyta. This is mostly due to our class discussion about the amazon women. I was mostly unfamiliar with the legend and after researching the mythology of the Amazons I had a completely different view of Hippolyta. At first, I felt sympathetic toward her because she is a war-prize-bride and in that matter is captive in her marriage. But after knowing more about the legend I felt that if she was a fierce warrior queen she could certainly take care of herself. I also thought that this was an interesting addition to the current governmental and social hierarchy. Since this is a woman who is used to being in charge, she may be able to even the playing field between herself and her new husband. But I digress, back to the actors! I was so surprised that Hippolyta cared at all about these men. She says to Theseus “I love not to see wretchedness o’re charged, and duty in his service perishing” Basically, she doesn’t like to see poor people laughed at when they are trying to do a good thing. Is this just a slip up on the part of the playwright or a glimpse into a softer side of Hippolyta? Could this be a comment about the maternal nature in women that even Hippolyta’s warrior persona cannot deny? Is the writer displaying disbelief in this ancient myth? Is Shakespeare saying that the amazons were not as terribly fierce as we’d like to think? I am fascinated at how many questions arose for me from this one line and display of sympathy.
New Paltz Students Blogging about Shakespeare
Monday, September 13, 2010
Sympathy from the Amazon Queen???
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
4 comments:
All of act V seemed a bit like a non sequitur to me. Hippolyta is not the only one who seemed to act out of character: Egeus doesn't have any protest against Hermia marrying Lysander and Theseus (the man who offered Hermia a choice between death and death) suddenly values "love." The only ones who remain the same are the "rude mechanicals." Perhaps this is because now that the aristocrats can no longer define themselves through their problems (Hermia is no longer the girl who isn't allowed to marry the love of her life, Demetrius is no longer the guy who is being chased by a crazy girl,) they must find a new way to maintain their identities, and they do so by differentiating themselves strictly from the laborers?
I've read the play before and never gave that much attention to Hippolyta, but looking closer at her character I do find her response to the players in the last act to be interesting. She even goes as far as saying "beshrew my heart, but I pity the man" when Pyramus discovers the bloody mantle, which is something you wouldn't expect from someone in her position. It's also interesting to see a humbler Theseus, as he not only rebuked his earlier denial of Lysander and Hermia's love in Act IV, but now shows affection for these rude mechanicals, people whom someone as he, I would imagine, would normally ignore.
Oh man you would be a fierce Hippolyta. You know I've seen productions where the actors playing Hippolyta also played Titania. I wonder if they are foils or compliments to eachother?
I have read this play many times before as well, and personally had never given a thought to Hippolyta before this class! You're right in saying that it seems a bit out of character for her to suddenly feel sympathy, being that she is an Amazon. It does seem out of character for her. But perhaps her even speaking is to a different end, seeing as she is the only woman to speak. It could be a sign that she is a strong woman, almost on par with the men...even if what she is saying is out of character
Post a Comment