Although we try to be equal, there is always the fact that some people see others as less than or greater than themselves. The play Midsummer Night’s Dream is a story written by William Shakespeare that tells the tale of lovers, that were in a confusing situation with each other. Although it is a play about love, there were different barriers and little opportunities for women. Since men had their own opinions about women, and women themselves believed they were to please men, it has created many barriers for women and very few opportunities. This is shown from the characters Helena, Hermia, and Hippolyta.

Barriers were a big part of of the storyline in the story. Men thought of women differently, like as if they were not equals. For instance, …show more content…
Since they had the opportunity to marry into a somewhat royal position, they could be seen with equality. One example of this was with the character Hippolyta. Hippolyta is the queen that is going to marry Theseus. Although in a high position, she has some barriers with what she can say and do. For instance, this is seen near the beginning of the play, when Theseus was in the argument with Hermia. In Act 1, scene 1, line 120, he stated to Hermia that, “You’ll either be executed or you’ll never see another man again.” Hippolyta disagreed with this statement, and she believed that what he was doing was wrong. Still, Theseus continued and ignored Hippolyta. Another barrier that was shown in the play was with the character Helena. A barrier she faced was with the person she loved named Demetrius. In Act 1, Scene 1, from lines 241-243, it states, “Through Athens I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so…” This statement that Helena says shows that although equal in her community, she might not have been equal with demetrius. It shows us that women might have tried to portrait themselves only to please the man, and not who they really are as a