Hermia

[MEHRAN ALAM]

After reading and watching 2 versions of the Midsummer Nights Dream, I chose to discuss about the character Hermia, daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander. Starting off, I would like to say that the only version of the play that seemed different compared to the text and and Dromgooles version was the 2018 version directed by Sacha Bennet. At first watching the movie, I was a little confused of what was going on, I felt as if i needed more context of where things were going and taking place, but eventually it started getting deeper into the film and I started understanding the roles of the characters and how the differ from the original version of the text, also how it has its own twist, for example instead of Athens it takes place in Los Angeles also Hermia who is a normal citizen of Athens is a super star in the 2018 version, if Im correct. Even with the distinct roles the characters play, the same sense of drama and clash are still there and the questioning of marriage and love. One thing that i noticed in the 2018 version of the play to the actual text was, in a scene one part one, Egeus made his complaint to Theseus  of his daughter Hermia wanting to marry Lysander instead of Demetrius, Theseus then makes it clear to Hermia that she should adhere to her fathers decision or face the consequences. After Theseus leaves with Egeus and Demetrius, Hermia and Lysander are left alone. Lysander comes up with a plan to run away with Hermia to his widow aunts house which is far away from Athens, which means they are far away from Athen Laws so they can get married. In this particular scene Hermia responds to Lysander idea, “I sear by thee, by Cupids strongest bow, by his best arrow with the golden head, By the simplicity of Venus doves… In that same place thou hast appointed me Tomorrow truly will I meet with thee”(1.1.168-178).It is obvious from Hermias response that se agrees to Lysanders idea, but one thing that stood out to me was in the 2018 version of the play, Hermia instead of speaking to Lysander in person she replies to his idea through text, soon as she was going to text him the same exact response written in the text, she deletes it right after she ends her conversation with Helena who on the other hand is highly attracted to Demetrius. I didn’t quite understand the reasoning to her deleting that text instead of sending it to him, was it because of the change in character dynamic within Hermia in the 2018 version? Or is it the fact that she didn’t want to look desperate to Lysander? Im not sure, but that was one thing that seemed kind of off to me, but over all the text of Shakespears Midsummer Nights Dream and Dromgooles version on the other hand seemed similar in context, theme, text, and dialogue.

[Paul L. Hebert (he/him/his)]

Ah! This detail in the movie drives me crazy!

I’ve elsewhere written about the fact that I think Lysander doesn’t speak up nearly quickly enough in defense of Hermia, and that further I think this attempts to assure Hermia that life isn’t so bad is dumb (or at least tone deaf).

It does make me think about how Hermia would respond to Lysander, though. Hermia is facing death or becoming a nun. Lysander doesn’t get the person he loves, but he’s not under the pressure (of course… it’s the woman!). So his

As far as the dialogue goes. Bennett’s version is near identical to Shakespeare with the exception that he moves pieces of dialogue. I’m really a purist, so I think it’s interesting how Bennett attempts to make a stage production a movie. Most people see movies but not everyone sees plays, so the elements of theater may be less familiar. The close-up, underacting, naturalness, are not part of theater which often needs to be big and over-the-top to be read by distant audiences (well a certain type of theater). But in movies you can focus on small details and do instant cut-aways that you can’t in theater. The movie version, in someway, is illustrative of how different movies are than plays.

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