Modified Mythological Figures, Theseus’ Character, and Patriarchal Power in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Abstract

A Midsummer Night’s Dream includes relatively many characters related with Greek elements such as Greek mythology and history. The main characters in the play such as Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, Helena, Lysander, and Demitrius are borrowed from Greek mythological or historical figures. It is quite interesting to notice that Shakespeare employs Greek mythological and historical characters in various ways. First, some theatrical characters in the play take after mythological heroes. Then, other theatrical figures are from historical characters who are involved in Greek history. Additionally, several mythological stories or characters are used to combine elements of Ancient Greece with those of Renaissance England. Shakespeare craftily creates his theatrical characters by changing the specific features of the original mythological figures. For example, on one hand, some theatrical characters may represent original mythological figures, on the other hand, others appear as slightly or totally different characters. There is a correlation between theatrically modified characters and Theseus’ changing attitude toward patriarchal culture. This essay examines how mythological characters are transformed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream in terms of reading Theseus’s changing attitude and behavior in relation to patriarchal power.