Compare and contrast Helena and Hermia in "A Midsummer night's dream"

Hermia, originally the Apple of all Athens’ eye, put on an impossible pedestal by both Lysander and Demetrius, seems to trade social standings with the outcast Helena. It seems that Hermia doesn’t fully appreciate the quality of her state. She complains that her father will not allow her to merry her true love Lysander, and pawns her off to the inadequate Demetrius. Never can she accept the flattery of Demetrius’ unrequited love which her best friend would do anything to sincerely receive. Instead she revels in wonderment: “The more I [Hermia] hate, the more he [Demetrius] follows me” (I.i.198). Her unhappiness is far heightened when her two followers are given the love potion, turning them against her and beckoning to Helena. The cruel swap of fates lets the two female characters feel as though in the others’ shoes. It’s Hermia’s karma for being ungrateful at the attention bestowed upon her all these years that leads her to this harsh lesson.

In the play, Helena is heavily portrayed as jealous, neurotic, and persistent. The girl is unconfident and insecure, as she believes her best friend Hermia, is far superior than her. “Happy is Hermia, wheresoe’er she lies,/For she hath blessed and attractive eyes.” (2.2.96-97) She describes Hermia as happy no matter what circumstance occurs, as she is considered a beautiful person. “No, no, I am as ugly as a bear,/For beasts that meet me run away for fear.” (2.2.100-101) Speaking to Demetrius, she continues to put herself down, and describes herself as extremely unattractive that others run away from her. It is worth noting that Helena may have been confident in the past, but when Demetrius made the switch from her to Hermia, she lost that confidence, and felt as if she was not good enough. She

In these lines Lysander tells Hermia that, never did he desire to be with someone more. He also tells her to not question or doubt, but to be certain that he hates her and loves Helena. With Hermia shocked and heartbroken she shows her confusion and jealously to Helena. He states, “O me! You juggler, you canker blossom, / You thief of love! What, have you come by night/ And stol’n my love’s heart from him?” (3.2.282). In these lines Hermia is telling Helena that she is a trickster/cheater, and a love thief. She also asks what have Helena done to steal Lysander’s love from her. Although all of these Characters show acts of Jealously, They find happiness in the end.

Hermia and Helena's relationship has changed greatly after the intervention of Puck with the love potion. Once best friends, they have become each others enemies, and all for the love of Lysander and Demetrius.

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

When Demetrius becomes more infatuated with Hermia’s beauty and kicks Helena to the curb, her heart and self-confidence become pulverized. She thinks that she is no longer beautiful, compared to Hermia at least. “No, no, I am ugly as a bear,/ For beasts that meet me run away for fear” (2.2.100-101). If Demetrius is no longer enamored by her beauty, then she convinces herself that she has none. Also, since, in her eyes, Demetrius is some righteous, benevolent man, she believes that she is ineligible of anyone so perfect.

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

Occurring in Act 2 scene 1, Helena informs Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander’s plans to run away together in hopes of winning Demetrius’s heart. After hearing about their plan, Demetrius is determined to stop Hermia and pursues after her into the woods. Helena isn’t far behind and tries to reason with Demetrius. Once again she expresses her love for him and even offers him to do anything

In A Midsummers Night Dream a group of craftsmen put on a play for the Dukes wedding. A play about Pyramus and Thisbe. Little did the craftsmen know, that they are about to perfom Hermia and Lysander’s entire struggle. The play gives this drama a comical side, and give symbols and allusions to Hermia and Lysanders relationship.

Hermia of course is in love with Lysander , and Lysander is in love with Hermia. But there is also, Demetrius who is also in love with Hermia and Helena who is in love with Demetrius. They have been through many obstacles, like in the Act 3 scene 2. After Puck put the love potion on Lysander and he fell in love with Helena, he has followed her around nonstop. As Helena goes to find Hermia, Lysander follows close behind. “Lys: Why should you think that I should woo in scorn? Hel: You do advance your cunning more and more.” This is Lysander and Helena talking to each other, Lysander saying why would I mock you if I love you and Helena saying you just get better and better at your jokes, but in a sarcastic way. This shows the relationship between Hermia and Helena in Shakespeare's a Midsummer’s Night Dream.

Four lovers each with his or her own challenge in love, Lysander and Hermia who love each other but may never be together, and Demetrius who loves Hermia and rejects Helena’s truthful devotion. Shakespeare’s writing style is the essence that brings forth the emotions within his works. Throughout a Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, commonplace literary devices are used to emphasize his style of writing. , Shakespeare depicts the theme of love’s difficulty, especially with the use of figurative language, such as metaphor and personification, to show that though complications arise in complex situations, the ability to overcome becomes the true meaning of love. wise

At one time, Demetrius loved Helena, and then he fell in love with someone else. Initially, Demetrius had given his love to Helena: “He hailed down oaths that he was only mine, / And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt, / So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt” (MND 1.1.243-245). Helena loved Demetrius, and he promised to be with her forever. However once he met her friend, Hermia, Demetrius left Helena to chase after her friend. Helena’s jealousy of Demetrius’ love drives her to think about what he really wants. Helena believes that Hermia’s beauty is why Demetrius desires her. She tells Hermia, “Demetrius loves your fair”, and she goes further to say, “Were the world mine, Demetrius being bated, / The rest I’d give to be to you translated” (MND 1.1.182, 190-191). Her jealousy of Demetrius’ love has turned into jealousy of Hermia’s beauty. Helena obsesses over having Demetrius back to the point that she continuously follows him around. Demetrius is tired of Helena chasing him: “Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair?” (MND 2.1.199). Demetrius does not understand why she tries so hard to be with him when he does not even compliment her. Demetrius threatens Helena to leave him alone: “I’ll run from thee, and hide me in the brakes, / And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts” (MND 2.1.227-228). At this point, he is beyond exhausted with Helena, and he will do anything to get away from her.

She is thought of as less of a woman because of her choice to have sex with Demetrius when they weren’t married. She is constantly insulted and belittled, while Demetrius doesn’t get any negative treatment from the news. She later becomes desperate to be with him because the mistreatment that she often faces has led her to believe that she isn’t good enough for anyone else. Because she was judged for making her own decision to sleep with Demetrius, she thinks that allowing him to control her will be a solution to all of the issues she faced that far. She uses the option to control her as a way to entice Demetrius, and believes that she will be judged less if she dates him. Later on in the story on page 19, LIne 184-197, it is described how internal misogyny and constantly hearing men compare her to other women causes her to do it to herself. She compares herself to Hermia, who is often adored. This causes her to think of herself as less important when she realizes that she isn’t thought of as well as Hermia is. Because Hermia is more loved and adored by men that she is, Helena pictures herself as worse and doesn’t think she is worthy of love unless she hands over all of her self control to another person. She is taught to think that she must compete with other women, and eventually she does. Although she faces many intense gender roles, Helena still remains herself, even though she may not always like

Two determined men willing to do anything to get the one they love. In the comedy A Midsummer's Night Dream by William Shakespeare two men named Lysander and Demetrius fight for the one they love. Demetrius has consent to marry the one he loves Hermia, but she loves Lysander. During all this another woman named Helena is madly in love with Demetrius. Helena finds out she will die if she will not marry Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander run away through a forest with Demetrious looking for them, and Helena following Demetrious. Lysander and Demetrius are similar in their love for hermia but have different women love them. In today's world Demetrius would do better because he follows the rules, and is more skeptical than lysander.

Hermia was hurt and suffering because her Lysander left her unpredictably and so sudden. Was she not good enough, who is to blame? Hermia’s answer to these questions were Helena, her dear childhood friend. Hermia blamed her for the chaos that was brought into her life and the sudden loss of her loved one’s interest. But unfortunately, Hermia was unaware that Helena had nothing to do with this chaos. It was all love that twisted a perfect relationship of true love into a chaotic monster.