A Wedding of Hippo Sized Preportions
By: Jeff Foxworthy
Theseus and Hippolyta is the smallest of the 4 subplots. But are still important because we begin the play and end it with them. To begin the play we are in Theseus’ palace and we come into the middle of a conversation he is having with his bride to be Hippolyta. He talks about how they first met and he won her over (They met when they were fighting and he “won her over” by defeating her and taking her as a spoil of war). While he goes on and on she is just sitting there resenting him. Finally the lovers along with Egeus come into the palace and ask for a council with Theseus. Theseus is then told how Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius but Hermia refuses because she is in love with Lysander. Theseus then tells her that she has 3 options per the law of Athens. She can either A) Marry Demetrius. B)Become a cloistered nun and let that beauty go to waste. Or C) be put to death. He then leaves and we do not see him again till Act 5. He is getting married along with the lovers. At the reception Theseus wishes for some entertainment so Bottom and the mechanicals come in to put on the play they were rehearsing before Bottom was turned into an ass (More than he already was that is). As you can see Theseus and Hippolyta have small parts in the play, but they tie everything up together very nicely.