A Midsummer Night's Dream Research Paper

Helena and Hermia have this kind of love and would do anything for each other. It happens that Helena is in love with Demetrius who Hermia is being forced to marry. Demetrius does not want Helena but Hermia. Helena loves her friend Hermia but at the same time wants to get her man.

Demetrius delivers this line in the forest after Helena has provided him with the information concerning Hermia and Lysander's plans to elope. Since Demetrius has taken what he wants from her and tells her to leave him alone. This shows that love can possess a cruel and abusive nature.

The love for Helena appeared out of nowhere. He did not develop the passion for her, it happened in one day. True love needs true passion, not passion from a potion. Love is not something that is material; it is felt from the heart, not a potion. Demetrius’ and Helena’s love is forged

Helena believes she is inferior to Demetrius. Helena constantly compares herself to Hermia, since Demetrius and Lysander are in love with Hermia and Helena has no admirers. In Act 3, the four lovers arrive in the woods, since Demetrius chases Hermia and Lysander before they get married. Helena follows, and the four Athenians end up together. A love potion is given to Lysander and Demetrius earlier in the play by a fairy, causing them to love Helena. In a state of confusion, Helena exclaims, “If you were civil and knew courtesy, / You would not do me thus much injury. / Can you not hate me, as I know you do, / But you must join in souls to mock me too?” (3.2.149-52). Helena is aware of the hate people have for her and feels insecure about the men suddenly loving her. Her lack of love convinces her the affection shown cannot be genuine. Helena says to herself “No, no, I am as ugly as a bear; / For beasts that meet me run away for fear: / Therefore no marvel though Demetrius / Do, as a monster fly my presence thus” (2.2.66-70). Helena thinks she is ugly and lesser then the people around her, since Hermia is loved more and Demetrius despises her. The insecurity shown in her demeanor is a large part of Helena’s

In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Helena is greedy and desperate for Demetrius’ love, and she handles this different from what usually happens when someone is experiencing unrequited love. Although Helena is in love with Demetrius, he is in love with her best friend Helena, who was ordered by her father to marry him. To try and make Demetrius love her, she chases after him and tells him how much she is in love with him. This is shown when the two go into the woods, to find Hermia and

Hermia and Helena’s actions are a big part of what makes up their personalities. Helena’s personality throughout the play, is opposite of Hermias. When Helena comes face to face with the reality that nobody loves her, she becomes overwhelmed with self pity. “Through Athens I am thought as fair as she/ But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so” (23) She has no confidence which leads her to constantly believe that no one will ever love her. Even when Lysander and Demetrius have the magic nectar on their eyes, and they both fall in love with Helena, she continues to deny their love because she doesn’t believe them. Throughout the play all she wants is to be loved, yet when Lysander and Demetrius finally love her, she doesn’t believe him. Helena’s personality is not only completely different than Hermias, but so is her appearance.

Lysander and Demetrius fight to gain the upperhand in Egesus’ plea for Hermia’s hand in marriage. Lysander tells him: “You have her father’s love, Demetrius. / Let me have Hermia’s.” (1.1.95-96). Demetrius has power because he and Egesus share the belief that Hermia is his right. Lysander tries to obtain power by pushing his belief of true love onto Demetrius by asking him to have Hermia’s love. Lysander struggles to reclaim power from Demetrius, forcing him to prove his worth to Thesus. Lysander does not have to do this until Demetrius stated his power. Also, Demetrius is involved with another power struggle. When Helena chases Demetrius, they use their feelings toward one another to get what they want from their encounter by saying: “For I am sick when I do look on thee.” / “And I am sick when I look not on you.” (2.1.219-220) Demetrius uses his hatred against Helena to get her to leave him. Helena uses her love to get him to stay. Because of this, they act unreasonably with cruelty (Demetrius) and passivity (Helena). Using companionship causes another battle for power. Oberon negotiates with Titiana to claim her boy but she resists. “If not, shun me, and I will spare your haunts.” / “Give me that boy and I will go with thee.” (2.1.147-148) Titiana gains power over Oberon by refusing her company to him, if he persists in his pursuit for the boy. Oberon finds power by granting her his

7. What is Lysander’s comment about Demetrius’s previous love affair with Helena? What does this say about

Helena and Demetrius spend the night together which causes Helena to fall in love with him. Except Demetrius does not return her feeling of love and instead likes her best friend Hermia instead. When Demetrius is under the love potion he says “Lysander, keep thy Hermia. I will none. If e’er I loved her, all that love is gone. My heart to her but as guestwise sojourned And now Helen is it home returned, There to remain.”(Act 3 Scene 2). He pursues Helena and toys with her feelings (even though it wasn’t intentional) showing that love indeed can change and turn on

True love is a great thing to have but sometimes magic needs to play an important part. The magic in the play altered many relationships and caused a lot of chaos, but none were affected more than Helena and Demetrius. The fairies decide that it would be better if they attempt to alter their relationship, “A sweet Athenian lady is in love/ With a disdainful youth. Anoint his eyes,/ But do it when the next thing he espies/ May be the lady. Thou shalt know the man/ By the Athenian garments he hath on./ Effect it with some care, that he may prove/ More fond on her than she upon

As Helena learns of Lysander and Hermia's plan to run off and be happy, she instantly gets jealous and agonizes over her heartbreaking situation with Demetrius, the man who loves an already happy Hermia and not her. While by herself, Helena realizes love is flawed and has a mind of its own.

However, the plan backfires because Demetrius follows the couple to win Hermia back. Helena states, “As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds,/Had been incorporate, So we grew together,/ Like to a double cherry-“ (3.2.208-210). This quote shows the normal relationship between the two- they are like the same person, obviously meaning that they are very attached. But, the friendship is tarnished after Lysander and Demetrius come into play. The friendship between the two may be rocky, however it is a good example of a foil and is extremely entertaining.

Love is truly a mystery, no one knows exactly how or why it works, but it is the feeling of love that is similar to a dream. William Shakespeare wrote A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the 1500’s. The play includes five acts and shares many characteristics with his other works. It is about two lovers that are separated on many occasions, but somehow still fight for each other. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare shows that love can overcome even the largest obstacles through Lysander by his undying commitment to Hermia .

In the beginning of the book, Demetrius really wanted to marry Hermia and Hermia's’ father wanted her to marry him too. But Helena had her sights on Demetrius. But Demetrius thought that Helena was ugly and did not like her. After Helena told him Hermia and Lysander were going into the woods where they would get married, he wanted to follow to try and stop them from getting married. So, he is the type of guy that is really insistent on getting what he wants.

By Helena mistaking Hermia for something she has not done has made them get into a big fight. In the woods, a fairy named Puck puts a love potion on Lysander and Demetrius’ eyes that makes them fall in love with the first person they see. They both woke up and saw Helena; she thought they were playing a trick on her and Hermia was apart of it. Helena says,”Lo, she is one of this Confederacy! Now I perceive they have conjoined all three to fashion this false sport, in spite of me. -Injurious Hermia! Most ungrateful maid! Have you conspired, have you with these contrived to bait me with this foul derision? Is all the council that we to have shared, the sisters’ vows, the hours that we have spent when we have chid the hasty-footed time for parting us-oh, is it all forgot?...And will you rent our ancient love asunder to join with men in