Marjorie Garber Shakespeare After

Shakespeare After All -- Contrapunctual Love in "A Midsummer's Night's Dream" In the introduction to her text, Shakespeare after All, scholar Marjorie Garber engages in the paradoxical task of making an argument that essentially Shakespeare's plays have no 'argument.' Garber states that although the different characters may argue amidst themselves, Shakespeare's plays take no final position as to what is the correct moral approach to life. Arguments about human behavior are submitted "contrapunctually" in Garber's phrase.

For example, the reaffirmation of the patriarchal order and patriarchal control of marriage in "A Midsummer's Night's Dream," as expressed by Hermia's father in Act I of the play, is subverted by the marriage between Hermia and her beloved Lysander. Yet conventional gender dynamics are affirmed contrapunctually affirmed through the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta, as well as the newly submissive Titania to the antics of Oberon.

For example, one seamless or non-Garber-like reading of the play suggests that the chaos of the forest simply and clearly asserts the feminine will of choice in marriage. The play begins with Hermia's father Egeus stating to Theseus that Lysander has turned his daughter's affections from the man he wishes her to marry, Demetrius. Lysander, "with cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, / Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me," her father.

(I.1) Hermia's decision to marry Lysander drives her to leave her father, refuse to "fit" her fancies to your father's will" as she is ordered to by Theseus, as Hermia and her beloved Lysander abscond to the forest. (I.1) Ultimately, their actions lead to a chain of events that subvert Egeus' patriarchal control and decision-making regarding his daughter's future. "Egeus, I will overbear your will;" says Theseus, eventually using kingly power to affirm what the lover's flight to the forest has created in their hearts.

(V.1) Yet Hermia's act also has a conservative aspect to it, for it brings 'right' the original promise made by Demetrius to Helena. The forest enchants both the male lovers, and Demetrius is still enchanted by Puck's love spell, which is why he adores Helena. What took place before the forest's charms was actually more 'wrong' than what the spells of Midsummer created.

Now all is harmony once again, and what the women wanted in the first place is allowed and Helena, "she, sweet lady," is rewarded for her doting "devoutly dot[ing], dotes in idolatry/Upon this spotted and inconstant man [Demetrius]." (I.1) Thus, to see the play as an affirmation of feminine dominance of love would be wrong, for the woods merely asserts the relations between the lovers before the play began.

Also, the male lovers would never have been charmed by Puck had they not unwittingly gotten in the way of Oberon and Titania's own romantic wrangling. True, Oberon shows compassion when he sees Helena's self-abasement before Demetrius, and insists Puck ensure that Demetrius falls in love with her.

But Oberon also uses his magic to shame Titania into giving up "a little changeling boy," that strikes his fancy, "to be my henchman." (II.1) Titania initially refuses out of respect and love for the memory of the mother of the boy, a "votress of my order." (II.1) Male domination of the fairy kingdom and the fairy queen's will holds sway, and Oberon uses his greater power to shame the queen into giving up the boy -- by making her fall in love with Bottom.

If Oberon had not been using his male authority, he would never have thought to charm Demetrius into falling out of love of Hermia and in love with Helena, "a sweet Athenian lady is in love/With a disdainful youth," as he calls her when he commands Puck's actions with compassion towards Helena, even while his heart is filled with spite for his own lover.

(II.1) Also, note that Oberon sees Helena calling herself Demetrius' spaniel and dog, rather than asserting herself -- and she has betrayed her old female friend Hermia, by telling her beloved Demetrius about Hermia's flight. Another further nuance to any singular reading of the play is offered by the framing of the tale of Theseus and Hippolyta themselves. "Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, / And won thy love, doing thee injuries," says Theseus.

(I.1) The play begins with an affirmation of male kingly dominance through marriage over a female warrior.

Also, there is a hint that Oberon was unfaithful to Titania with Hippolyta, a lack of fidelity he is never punished for, even while Titania fumes, "But that, forsooth, the bouncing Amazon, / Your buskin'd mistress and your warrior love, / To Theseus must be wedded, and you come/To give their bed joy and prosperity."(II.1) But does this mean that "A Midsummer's Night's Dream" is merely, despite Hermia's initial defiance, a linear reaffirmation of fatherly or male authority, either.

Hardly -- for the nuptials of Theseus and Hippolyta are commemorated by a play about the dangers of parents over-directing their children's love, in the form of a play about "Primus and Thisbe." Although the play is funny, it presents a message, however unintentionally about.