1. Introduction 1.1 Shakespeare and A Midsummer Night's Dream William Shakespeare (1564 #8211;1616) was an English poet, playwright and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including collaborations, consist of approximately 39 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems and a few other verses. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. His works contain a wide range of social problems, not only embody the spirit of the times but also shine the glory of human nature. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a comedy written by William Shakespeare in 1595-1596. The play is one of Shakespeare's most popular works for the stage and is widely performed across the world. It portrays the events surrounding the marriage of Theseus, the Duke of Athens, to Hippolyta, the former queen of the Amazons, and revolves around the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors (the mechanicals) who are controlled and manipulated by the fairies that inhabit the forest. The play opens with Hermia, who is in love with Lysander, resistant to her father Egeus' demand that she marry Demetrius. Helena, Hermia's best friend, pines unrequitedly for Demetrius, who broke up with her to be with Hermia. Enraged, Egeus invokes an ancient Athenian law before Duke Theseus, whereby a daughter needs to marry a suitor chosen by her father, or else face death. Theseus offers her another choice: lifelong chastity while worshipping the goddess Artemis as a nun. Hermia decides to escape into the woods with Lysander because she does not want to succumb to the power of Theseus or Egeus. Helena, desperate to reclaim Demetrius's love, tells Demetrius about the plan. Then she follows Demetrius to the forest in search of Hermia. In the forest, the four young men and women meet Oberon, the king of fairies，Titania, the queen of fairies and six amateur actors who are rehearsing the play which is prepared for the duke and duchess#8217;s wedding ceremony. Oberon knows the love and hatred between the four young men and women. He wants to help them, so he orders his servant to spread some magical flower juice on Demetrius#8217;s eyelid. When Demetrius wakes up, he will be in love with the first living thing he sees. Instead, Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius. As a result, Lysander falls in love with Helena. Oberon is confused that Demetrius still follows Hermia. Then he uses his magic power to mesmerize Demetrius and asks Puck to bring Helena back. Upon waking up, Demetrius sees Helena. Now, both men are in love with Helena. However, Helena is convinced that her two suitors are mocking her, as neither loved her originally. Hermia finds Lysander and asks why he left her, but Lysander claims he never loved Hermia. Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander away from her while Helena believes Hermia joined the two men in mocking her. Hermia tries to attack Helena, but the two men protect Helena. Lysander, tired of Hermia's presence, insults her and tells her to leave. Lysander and Demetrius decide to seek a place to duel to prove whose love for Helena is the greater. Oberon realizes Puck made a big mistake. He orders Puck to keep Lysander and Demetrius from catching up with one another and to remove the charm from Lysander. In that way, Lysander can return to love Hermia while Demetrius continues to love Helena. Meanwhile, the six workmen are rehearsing their play for Theseus' wedding in the forest, near Titania's bower. Bottom, one of them, whose head was transformed into a donkey by Puck. When Bottom returns for his next lines, the other workmen run screaming in terror. Determined to await his friends, he begins to sing to himself. Titania, having received the magic juice, is awakened by Bottom's singing and immediately falls in love with him. It#8217;s all Oberon#8217;s scheme. He wants to get Titania's changeling boy to be his henchman. But Titania refuses his request. Then he instructs Puck to use the magic flower juice and to make Titania fall in love with an animal. It will shame her into giving up the little Indian changeling boy. Having achieved his goals, Oberon removes the charm from Titania and orders Puck to remove the donkey's head from Bottom. In addition, he also makes Helena, Hermia, Demetrius and Lysander believe they have been dreaming when they awaken. Eventually, all four find themselves separately falling asleep in the glade. Then Theseus and Hippolyta arrive on the scene, during an early morning hunt. They wake up the lovers. Since Demetrius no longer loves Hermia, Theseus overrules Egeus's demands and arranges a group wedding. In Athens, Theseus, Hippolyta and the lovers watch the six workmen perform Pyramus and Thisbe. The performers are so terrible playing their roles that the guests laugh as if it were meant to be a comedy. In the night, everyone goes to bed. Oberon, Titania, Puck, and other fairies enter, and bless the house and its occupants with good fortune. After all the other characters leave, Puck appears and suggests that what the audience experienced might just be a dream. 1.2 Need for the study In recent years, the researches of Shakespeare#8217;s works are increasingly booming. However, most research and criticism focus on the study of his tragic ideas, revenge, human ability, female characters and historical view while few people have made a systematic study of his view on women reflected in the plays. Though a small number of people have made some comments, they consider Shakespeare aims to maintain ”patriarchal law” in most of his plays. A Midsummer Night's Dream is mainly Hermia does not want to marry the person who is chosen by her father Egeus. Egeus turns to Duke Theseus for help. If Hermia does not marry the man her father chose, she will face two choices: death or being a nun. It is exactly the oppression of women from patriarchal. From another point of view, Hermia would face punishment if she does not obey her father#8217;s order. But Hermia#8217;s lover Lysander will not be penalized. The law of Athen seemingly treats men more tolerantly than women. In the play, Oberon, the king of fairies and Titania, the queen of fairies have a quarrel over an Indian changeling. Titania refuses to hand over the boy to be Oberon#8217;s henchman. Oberon instructs his servants Puck to use the juice of a magic flower and to make Titania fall in love with the first being she sees on waking. Oberon wants to make Titania shamed and give up the Indian changeling. King and Queen of fairies are both leaders of fairies. But Oberon uses his power to make Titania humiliated and achieve his aim. That is the inequality of power between men and women. Based on this point, the author attempts to study Shakespeare#8217;s work A Midsummer Night's Dream from the perspective of feminism, especially focus on the relationships between different characters. 2. Literature review 2.1 An overview of feminism and ecofeminism Feminism is a range of political movements, ideologies, and social movements that share a common goal: to define, establish, and achieve political, economic, personal, and social equality of sexes. This includes seeking to establish educational and professional opportunities for women that are equal to those for men. A variety of movements of feminist ideology have developed over the years. They vary in goals, strategies, and affiliations. They often overlap, and some feminists identify themselves with several branches of feminist thought. There are cultural feminism, ecofeminism, French feminism, liberal feminism, radical feminism and so on. Cultural feminism is the ideology of a "female nature" or "female essence" that attempts to revalidate what they consider undervalued female attributes. It emphasizes the difference between women and men but considers that difference to be psychological, and to be culturally constructed rather than biologically innate. Ecofeminism links ecology with feminism. Ecofeminists see the domination of women as stemming from the same ideologies that bring about the domination of the environment. French feminism is a branch of feminist thought from a group of feminists in France from the 1970s to the 1990s. It is distinguished from Anglophone feminism by an approach which is more philosophical and literary. Liberal feminism asserts the equality of men and women through political and legal reform. Liberal feminists sought to abolish political, legal and other forms of discrimination of women to allow them the same opportunities as men. Liberal feminists sought to alter the structure of society to ensure the equal treatment of women. Radical feminism considers the male-controlled capitalist hierarchy, which it describes as sexist, as the defining feature of women's oppression. Radical feminists believe that women can free themselves only when they have done away with what they consider an inherently oppressive and dominating patriarchal system. Feminism has an impact on women#8217;s rights, international law, reproductive rights, language, heterosexual relationship, religion and theology. Feminist movement campaign for same pay as men, equal rights in law, and the freedom to plan their families. Feminists are proponents of using non-sexist language, such as using ”Ms.” To refer to both married and unmarried women. They are also propone gender-inclusive language, such as ”humanity” instead of ”mankind”. With the development of feminism, women have a legal right to choose whether to carry pregnancy to term. In addition, feminists push campaigns for reforms on issues such as domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women#8217;s suffrage, sexual harassment and sexual violence. Ecofeminism is a term that links feminism with ecology. The term is believed to have been coined by the French writer Fran#231;oise d'Eaubonne in her book Le F#233;minisme ou la Mort. From arguments that there are particular and significant connections between women and nature, ecofeminism relates the oppression and domination of all subordinate groups (women, people of color, children, the poor) to the oppression and domination of nature (animals, land, water, air, etc.). Ecofeminism describes movements and philosophies that link feminism with ecology. This movement seeks to eradicate all forms of social injustice, not just injustice against women and the environment. Ecofeminism argues that there is a connection between women and nature that comes from their shared history of oppression by a patriarchal Western society. Ecofeminism connects the exploitation and domination of women with that of the environment. As a way of repairing social and ecological injustices, ecofeminists feel that women must work towards creating a healthy environment and ending the destruction of the lands that most women rely on to provide for their families. 2.2 Previous studies on A Midsummer Night's Dream In The Imperial Votaress, Louis Montrose draws attention to male and female gender roles and norms present in the comedy in connection with Elizabethan culture. In reference to the triple wedding, he says, "The festive conclusion in A Midsummer Night's Dream depends upon the success of a process by which the feminine pride and power manifested in Amazon warriors, possessive mothers, unruly wives, and willful daughters are brought under the control of lords and husbands." In Lv Anning#8217;s thesis, she describes the images of women in the male-centered society. She attempts to interpret the influence Shakespeare patriarchal consciousness made on the shaping of female images from diverse female images. She thinks Shakespeare advocated the woman#8217;s personality should be gentle and submissive, and female should be controlled by men#8217;s desire, claims and emotions in aspects of fate. She attributes it to two reasons: one is the social entrenched patriarchal ideology, and the other one is Shakespeare#8217;s own gender and experience. There is another Chinese scholar Zhu Xiufang who centers on the relationship between women#8217;s status and social background. She analyzes the status and right consciousness of women in Elizabethan times. During the period, the feudal patriarchal ideology is still in the dominant position in the United Kingdom. Male is in the dominant status, while female#8217;s social status is very low and females are seen as males#8217; properties. So there is no right for women. With the development of capitalism, great changes have taken place in economic, political and cultural fields, so have people#8217;s minds, especially women#8217;s realization towards themselves and society. Women#8217;s right and subject consciousness have begun to awake. In the Li Shaoli and Cu Donghui#8217;s Female ontological consciousness and deconstruction of male hegemony in Shakespeare#8217;s comedies, they think Shakespeare#8217;s interpretations on women have broken through the traditional definitions of women and sex discrimination against them in a patriarchal discourse mechanism. In his comedies, women occupy dominant positions, independent and autonomous, questioning and challenging male hegemonies, which highlights the distinctive female consciousness and their pursuit of gender equality. At the same time, female ideology and behavior firmly fettered by powerful male hegemony, which makes it difficult for women to completely shake off patriarchal yokes. M. Ayub Jajja wrote the thesis--A Feminist Reading of Shakespearean Tragedies frailty, Thy Name is Woman. He thinks that Shakespeare#8217;s plays revolve around the issues like love, jealousy, hatred, wars, intrigues, human failures and failings. But deep down the words are the carriers of ideologies. They, at one level, project the binary opposition between male and female, in which male side is privileged. Shakespeare#8217;s plays are not lacking in women with positive human qualities, and some of them are presented with qualities and attributes at par with men. But on the whole, these works disseminate the conventional perception of women, and portray them from the patriarchal perspective. As to Lv Gaigai#8217;s thesis Submission in Struggle----An Exploration of Shakespeare#8217;s View on Women through an Analysis of Father-daughter Relationship in His Plays. Lv holds the point that Shakespeare favors the family and family relationship, especially the father-daughter relationship. In his plays, Shakespeare vividly depicts some brilliant daughters who are oppressed or ignored but struggle their way in the patriarchal society. Their rebellious spirit shows women#8217;s courage and self-awareness in pursuing love and freedom. Though some of them become victims of the patriarchal society in their conscious or unconscious rebellions, their struggle is an indispensable part in defying the male-centered world. There is a Chinese scholar focusing on the feminism and patriarchy. In her essay A Feminist Reading of Shakespeare#8217;s Love tragedies, she tries to provide the general information of the development and the status quo of feminist story and point out the natural relationship of feminism and patriarchy. She introduces a sketch of the historical and biological research of three love tragedies. She focuses on how the female characters break through the shatters of feudal arranged marriage. It proves that women recognize their self-consciousness and fight for their own fate. 2.3 Deficiency in previous studies Shakespeare#8217;s plays focus on the issues like love, jealousy, hatred, wars, intrigues, human failures and failings. Many scholars focused on the study of his tragic ideas, revenge, female characters, some of them have made a detailed study of his plays from the perspective of feminism. They analyze Shakespeare#8217;s view on women from the social background, Shakespeare#8217;s own gender, political circumstance and so on. Based on these points, the author attempts to study Shakespeare#8217;s work A Midsummer Night's Dream from the perspective of feminism, especially focus on the relationships between different characters. Works Cited Chen, Xiaolan. [陈晓兰], 女性主义批评与莎士比亚研究. 国外文学（季刊）, 1995(4):27-32. Chen, Yingke. [陈莹轲], 莎士比亚喜剧中两性观的两面性. 安徽大学硕士学位论文, 2010. Claire McEachern. Fathering Herself: A Source Study of Shakespeare#8217;s Feminism. Shakespeare Quarterly 39 (1988): 269-290. Lv, Anning. [吕安宁], 论男权意识对莎士比亚悲剧中女性形象塑造的影响. 辽宁师范大学硕士学位论文, 2014. Lv, Gaigai. [吕改改], 屈从下的抗争#8212;#8212;从莎剧中的父女关系看莎士比亚的女性观. 河北师范大学硕士学位论文, 2010. Margaret Loftus Ranald. The Performance of Feminism in The Taming of the Shrew. Theatre Research International 19(1994):214-225. M. Ayub Jajja. A Feminist Reading of Shakespearean Tragedies: frailty, Thy Name is Woman. Pakistan Journal of Commerce and Social Science 8(2014):228-237. Shareon M. Harris. Feminism and Shakespeare#8217;s Cressida: "If I be false#8230;". Women#8217;s Studies 18(1990):65-82. Zhang, Qi. [张琦], 不能完成的颠覆#8212;#8212;论莎士比亚女性主义研究. 外国文学研究, 2001(4):48-53. Zhu, Xiufang. [朱秀芳], 男权社会中女性形象#8212;莎士比亚喜剧中的女性主义意识解析. 山东师范大学硕士学位论文, 2011. Cao,Qing.[曹青], 莎士比亚戏剧中的生态女性主义思想. 长沙理工大学硕士学位论文, 2015