William Shakespeare is a famous poet, playwright and actor. Many believe he was the most zealous writer in the English language and also the most significant playwright in history. Shakespeare wrote his plays for diverse audiences, he manipulated complex and universal themes such as patriarchy and gender roles, placing emphasis on women's search for power, equality, happiness and identity. Shakespeare embarked on issues that everyone could relate to, so his stylistic techniques appeal to a wide audience. Shakespeare wrote for an “audience that encompassed almost the entire social spectrum of his time, from the monarch to the working-class citizens who could occasionally afford only a penny to see the play” (Anderson 28). In his plays, A Midsummer Night's Dream and King Lear, Shakespeare clarifies the obstacles to life and human relationships, induced by the manifestation of the male desire to maintain power and dominion over the female gender. Shakespeare interrogates patriarchy and gender roles through his interrogation of power struggle and gender ambiguity, this is made clear through his use of a multi-faceted plot and intricate characterization. During the Elizabethan era, male dominance and masculinity ruled society. Females were expected to conform and accept male power, without expressing dissatisfaction with such authority. Failure to do so would often result in harsh punishment for the female. For men, family existence was one of authority and control, men were expected to provide for their families and make all decisions regarding the interests of their wives and children. Women depended solely on their husbands for support, while single women relied on their families for support…paper double standards…as it relates to females scrutinizing their love interest over males than examine females. This can be compared to Theseus' seizure of Hippolyta. Although women in Shakespeare's time were not given the opportunity to make their voices heard, Shakespeare gave them a voice through the production of his plays. In both A Midsummer Night's Dream and King Lear, Shakespeare highlights the ways in which male superiority hinders women's lives, and questions and mocks accepted patterns of prescribed female and male behavior. “While female characters such as Regan and Goneril take on masculine characteristics and King Lear takes on feminine characteristics, Shakespeare demonstrates that men and women are always seeking a balance between their gender roles, and that this can sometimes be corrupted by power” ( Ink).