A Midsummer Nights Dream A Nightmare for Women Up until the turn of the century women have been looked at as the weaker sex in comparison to men The right to vote wasnt established until 1920 and previous to that women were much underrepresented The farther back in history you go the more poorly women are treated and portrayed The Bard himself was no stranger to overlooking the importance and equality of women In A Midsummer Nights Dream Helena is portrayed as jealous petty and pathetic Hermia