Part: I Annotation on Midsummer’s Night Dream.
My final project is based on the romantic and comedic plays of William Shakespeare. For the annotation segment, I chose to use the first scene of Midsummer Night’s Dream. I did not use the entire scene because I wanted to focus on Theseus, Hipployta, Hermia and her father Egeus. The goal of my annotations is to break down the mythological allusions that Shakespeare employs and to show the power struggle between Hermia and the men in her life. I highlighted the significance of the title, the allusions to Greek mythology, and the literary devices. The ending mostly focused on my analysis and the breakdown of the connections I made. I have tagged each of my annotations to make it easier to search through and I have incorporated numerous links on information that I think might interest readers. My ideal reader is someone who has a general knowledge of the text and is interested in the allusions and the analyses being made. My reference page also includes a summary of the plot, but it might not be enough for new readers of Shakespeare’s work. Because of the tagged function, readers can directly choose to begin at the area they are most interested in.
I began my annotations with information about the title, “Midsummer Night.” This night refers to a celebration on the eve and the day of the summer solstice. Bonfires are lit all night and it is believed that supernatural forces make themselves known to humans. I began with this because it foreshadows the events that are about to take place. Additionally, Shakespeare’s use of this holiday speaks to the social tension between Christianity and the previous faiths that existed. I inserted a link to a website that gives more information about the celebration.
My next annotation focuses on the allusions to Greek mythology. I begin with the story of Theseus and Hippolyta, two famous characters in mythology.. There are various accounts to their story, and I highlight two sources that might have influenced Shakespeare’s narration. I cite the work of Christine de Pizan who was famous for her happy-ending account of Theseus and the Hippolyta story in the 1500s, compared to Plutarch’s version, in which Hippolyta dies in battle. I have added the sources of Pizan’s work so readers can find it and have also incorporated links and websites about the Theseus and Hippolyta affair so readers can deduce which version fits better for their understanding. Another example of mythology is the mention of the moon. Hippolyta is the first to use it when she complains that the moon is moving too slow towards her wedding day. As she explains, “Another moon; but oh, methinks, how slow/ This old moon wanes! She lingers my desires,” (1.1.). The reference to the moon refers to Diana, the goddess of hunting who was most affiliated to the moon, and a guardian of virginal women. I have also linked resources for curious readers interested in Diana and what she stood for.
The last leg of my annotations focuses on the analysis of the scene, specifically the dialogue between Theseus, Hermia, and her father, Egeus. The introduction to Theseus and Hippolyta’s wedding plans speaks to the role of female agency, and like the role of the title, foreshadows the lack thereof in the play. Shakespeare ignores the forced and difficult decision that marriage to Theseus might have been for Hippolyta, especially when he waged war on her country for dominion. This directly plays into the next event that happens in the scene: Hermia’s refusal to marry her father’s chosen mate, Demetrius. In this section, I focus more on elaborating on certain phrases. An example is the dialogue in which Hermia informs Theseus that she is refusing to marry Demetrius. In rejecting Demetrius, she is rejecting her father’s power over her. But even as she does so, she is careful to assert the power of Theseus and Egeus over her, especially when she states, “I know not by what power I am made bold, /Nor how it may concern my modesty/ In such a presence here to plead my thoughts:” She affirms their power and in doing so, does not threaten them even though her refusal of Egeus’ choice is a direct opposition to his power over her.
The analysis is to add another layer a reader might have missed, and the allusions and literary devices helps tie it together.