A Midsummer Night’s Dream- Unjust Laws and Loss of
Personal Choice
Equality is one of the ideals on which the United States is based.
Unfortunately, the country—and its laws—has not always lived up to that
ideal. The tension was evident in the writing of the Constitution itself.
Injustices like slavery, discrimination, and the growing gaps in income
equality are seen by many, as being supported by unjust laws and policies.
As we explore William Shakespeare’s play “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”,
characters face situations that touch upon the subject of unjust laws, the
removal of choice/character agency, and personal decisions about how to navigate these
struggles.
Part 1: Research
1. Find an unjust law or rule that is still “on the books” (in effect) from around the world.
2. Thoroughly research the law or rule. Each point below should be a minimum of a paragraph
answering the question. Make sure you keep track of and cite sources from your research.
a. Who enacted this law or rule? Was it an individual, group or a government agency?
b. Who does it benefit?
c. Who does it harm?
d. Is there currently any movement to abolish/change/ or support this law?
e. Is there a religious, societal, or political motivation for this law?
f. Explain why the law is unjust.
g. How does this law, idea, or theme tie to the content we reviewed within Shakespeare’s “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream”
(Reminder: Please attempt to approach this from a neutral standpoint. While we can’t completely erase
our western perspective, we should stay away from sweeping judgments about whole groups of people,
cultures, or religions. This project is about the law)
Part 2: Presentation
1. Create a presentation to give to the class. You have the option to choose any presentation format
that lends itself to research and reiteration (some common examples listed below)
Examples of Project Formats
Google Slides
Decision Webs
Verbal Presentation
Graphic Organizers
Digital Poster Board
Video Presentation
2. Present your findings in a roughly 5- minute presentation, discussing the topics and observations
listed in Part 1.
3. Utilize at least three different sources and cite them in an MLA format
Research & Presentation Analysis Rubric:
4
Excellent Bibliography on proper MLA format
Excellent understanding of the Topic you are analyzing
Excellent use of Textual Analysis
Excellent research techniques (should have at least 3 sources)
Excellent creativity and ingenuity
3
Very Good Bibliography on proper MLA format
Very Good understanding of the Topic you are analyzing
Very Good use of Textual Analysis
Very Good research techniques (should have at least 3 sources)
Very Good creativity and ingenuity
2
Good Bibliography on proper MLA format
Good understanding of the Topic you are analyzing
Good use of Textual Analysis
Good research techniques (should have at least 3 sources)
Good creativity and ingenuity
1
Has a thesis statement.
Has a Bibliography
Decent research technique.
The project is complete