I learnt html before knowing dreamweaver. Dreamweaver is a useful tool but it doesn't mean you can do anything with it (a good example is creating form, which is easier to combine manual coding and dreamweaver script). It is important to learn html if you really want to be a web programmer. At least you have to choice in the future to use other WYSIWYG software, or even code your page with notepad.

With strong background of html, I am now capable of writing asp and php. You can do it too!