Furthermore, a kyrios acted on her behalf anytime she needed legal contact with the outside or public world. His duties included effective dominance over her money or property. Up until marriage, a woman was under the guardianship of her father. When she got married, she would move to her husband's home, passing control to her husband. Athenian guardianship was strict and forceful; "anything an Athenian woman possessed belonged to her guardian, and he was free to dispose of it, including her life" (Kapparis 2). Evidently, women in ancient Athens were viewed as property of their guardians and had no rights. Hence, when Hermia disobeyed her father, it was expected that she would have to face execution. However, concerning Hoffman's adaptation in nineteenth century Italy, Hermia facing execution for disobeying her father was clearly outdated. By the nineteenth century, many women were contributing to their family's economic activity by providing financial support through work in factories. Women were able to "live off of their income alone by doing craftwork, running shops or prudently investing resources they had inherited from fathers and husbands" (Licini 1). Even though women were not allowed to vote at this time, steps were being taken to ensure that more women were receiving education. Sometimes, marriages were arranged. Parents might promise a daughter to the son of a friend or a neighbor when their children were still babies. However, "more often than not, parents had to approve of their children's marriages" (Skuza 2). All of this points to the fact that executing a daughter for disobeying her father was an outdated practice in nineteenth-century Italy. By this time, women had more rights than in ancient Athens. Thus, Hermia would most likely not be executed for disobeying her father. She would not have to run away with Demetrius, and these events would not have taken place.
