asked 10 Sep '11, 00:44

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cbryant
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I don't believe that much is said on the subject, and we're left to guess for ourselves. The most important thing, of course, is that Demetrius asked for her hand and Lysander did not. There are plenty of stories out there where the dad wants a certain guy for his daughter, even though she loves somebody else. It could be exactly that - that Lysander didn't have the respect for Hermia's father to go ask for proper permission to be a suitor?

Here's how Egeus introduces the problem:

Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her. Stand forth, Lysander: and my gracious duke, This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child; Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchanged love-tokens with my child: Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung, With feigning voice verses of feigning love, And stolen the impression of her fantasy With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits, Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth: With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, To stubborn harshness:

I don't think this is an Othello/Desdemona case where he really worries about her having been bewitched, but it does seem to add up to "Obviously you've turned my daughter against me." But that's where they're at now, and it doesn't really say anything at all about their history. As far as we know Lysander could have come once, asking for permission, and been denied it for some reason. Then, Lysander has reason to go behind Egeus' back, and Egeus has a grudge against him. But that's all just guessing and filling in your own back story.

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answered 10 Sep '11, 12:02

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duane ♦♦
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edited 10 Sep '11, 12:05

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Asked: 10 Sep '11, 00:44

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Last updated: 10 Sep '11, 12:05

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