AshleyTanaka

LanguageArts
Period7
3/3/14
Egeus:AHorribleFather
PeculiareventsareboundtooccurintheplayAMidsummerNightsDream,byWilliam
Shakespeare,inwhichtheaudienceisguidedthroughanenchantedforestwherefairiesargue
andthecourseoflovechanges.AmongstthecharactersisHermia,ayoungadultwhofindsthat
herheartbelongstoherloveramannamedLysander.However,herfather,Egeus,believes
otherwise.HebelievesthatHermiashallmarry
his
preferredman,Demetrius,orsheshallface
deathbytheAthenianLaw.Throughoutthebeginningoftheplay,Shakespearedemonstrates

whataterriblefatherEgeusis,becauseofthefactthatEgeusaskssomeonetokillHermia,he
forces
Hermiatomarryamanshedoesnotlove,andfinally,hebelievesthatHermiaishis
belonging,andthathecandoanythingtoHermia.

Inthebeginningoftheplay,EgeusasksTheseustokillHermiashouldshedisobeyhis
injunction,creatingthefirstandmostsignificantindicationthatEgeusisaterriblefather.Thisis
clearlyshownwhenEgeusstates,...Assheismine,Imaydisposeofher,whichshallbeeither
tothisgentlemanortoherdeath,accordingtoourlawimmediatelyprovidedinthatcase(ActI,
Sc.1,ll.4346).Nofathershouldwanttheirchildtodiealovingfatherwouldonlywantwhatis
bestforhischild.
Asking
forsomeonetokillhisowndaughtershowsthatheis
okay
forhis

daughtertoendherlifebeforeshecouldenjoyit.Thisalsoshowsthathehasnoloveforhis
child.Anyonewhowisheshisdaughtertodieunder
any
circumstancesoughttonotbecomea

fatherkillinghischildrenorhavinghischildrenkilledwoulddeprivehischildofherrighttolive.
Asamatteroffact,EgeusalsocoercesHermiatomakeachoiceopposingherdesiresto
marryDemetrius,makingEgeusallthemoreanunacceptablefather.

EgeusforcesHermiatomarryamanagainstherwill,asecondintimationofhowEgeus
isahorriblefather.ThisfactemergeswhenEgeusclaimsthathewantsHermiatomarry
Demetrius,butHermiarefusestodoso,wishingtomarryLysander(ActI,Sc.1,ll.2330).The
choiceshouldbeforHermiatodecidewhomtomarry,becausethischoiceaffectsHermia
specifically.ItdoesnothaveasmajoranimpactonEgeusasitdoesonHermia.Whenone
choosestowedanother,thedecisionismadesolelybecausethispersonlovesherbetrothed.
Thesepeoplearetogetherforlife,andtheycareforeachotherduetotheirlove.Egeusshould
notbeforcinghisdaughtertomakeadecisionthatdoesnotcomedirectlyfromher
heartfathersshouldacceptandrespecttheirdaughtersdecisionsandlovetheirdaughters

despitethedecisionsthattheymake.Furthermore,addingontothefactthatEgeusforces
Hermiatomakethedecisionthathewantshertomake,itisalsounacceptableforEgeusto
treathisdaughteraspropertyaswell.

Finally,Egeusstates,Andsheismine,andallmyrightofherIdoestateherunto
Demetrius(ActI,Sc.1,ll.99100).ThisisthethirdinnuendothatshowsEgeusspoorroleof
beingafather,anditissimplyinhisspeechalone.Thereisadifferencebetween
property
and
people
,andasafather,Egeusshouldbeawarethathecannotownhisdaughterowning

peopleisjustthesameasitistoenslaveothers.Egeusoughttoknowthathisroleistocarefor
Hermiauntilsheisreadytohaveafamilyandcareforherself,andthathecannotestatehis
daughtertoanotherman.Thedifferencebetweenobjectsandpeopleisthatunlikeobjects,
peopledohavetheirownopinions,andtheyhavealife,likeanyoneelse.Estatingapersonto
someoneelsewillmakethispersonmiserable,becausetheiropinionsdonotmatterwhenthey
arejustanotherobjectownedbysomeone.Becauseofthis,Hermiaismostlikelyunhappywith
herfather,asmanyotherswouldalsobetoowithEgeusastheirparent.

Overall,Egeusisaterriblefather,becausehegivesTheseuspermissiontokillhis
daughter,hedecidestoforcehisopinionsonHermia,andfinally,becauseEgeustreatshis
daughterasifshewerehisproperty,anddecidestogivehertoDemetrius.Astheexact
oppositeofthekind,lovingfatherthatmanypeopletodayarefamiliarwith,Egeussactionsand
decisionscontributetothereasonofwhythereisconflictinAMidsummerNightsDream.Had
henotwishedhisdaughtertodie(shouldshedisobeyhiscommand),HermiaandLysander
wouldhaveneverescapedintothewoods,andsotheloveconflictsamongsttheloverswould
neverhaveoccurred.


WorksCited
Shakespeare,William.
AMidsummerNight'sDream
.N.p.:n.p.,n.d.Print.