This essay talks about how the young lovers in Midsummers Night’s Dream are the same people. In the play, there are 4 characters and they are under the group of young lovers. Helena and Hermia are both friends. Helena loves Demetrius and Hermia loves Lysander. Lysander and Demetrius both compete for Hermia’s love in the start of the story, but as the plot continues, they both compete for Helena’s love. Lysander ends up marrying Hermia and Demetrius ends up marrying Helena. In Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare made all of the young lovers indistinguishable. Helena claims that she and Helena are the same people. “How happy some o’er other some can be! Through Athens, I am thought as fair as she. But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so;,”(I.i.231-233). In this quote, Helena talks about how she and Hermia are the same in all of the eyes of Athens but Demetrius still loves Hermia over her. This shows that they are the same people because they are thought of as the same throughout Athens. Helena and Hermia’s characteristics are the same. Theseus tells Hermia to marry Demetrius to marry because her father says so. “Demetrius is a worthy gentleman. So is Lysander. In himself he is; but in this kind, …show more content…
Critics might say that Lysander is more loving than Demetrius who is more manipulative and rude (to Helena). This remains true in the beginning of the story, but as the story continues we see that Lysander also can be rude. “Content with Hermia! No: I do repent the tedious minutes I with her have spent. Not Hermia but Helena I love: Who will not change a raven for a dove?,”(II.ii.113-116). Demetrius also said similar things. “Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit; For I am sick when I do look on thee,”(II.i.215-216). They both can be rude or loving at certain times proving they are indistinguishable. Lysander and Demetrius both act in the same
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.
First, Hermia went through many different issues and conflicts throughout the story. Hermia was put in the situation of being forced to marry either Lysander or Demetrius. They both loved Hermia, but Hermia only loves Lysander and despises Demetrius. Egues comes to the decision of Hermia marrying Demetrius. Hermia states “If then true lovers have been ever cross'd,It stands as an edict in
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
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.
The two are almost eternally bonded to one another, which implies importance and durability. The idea that there is a blood tie between Hermia and Helena could suggest that their relationship
Lysander and Hermia also portray true love. Refusing to marry her suitor, Demetrius, she willingly gives up everything and runs away from Athens with her lover, Lysander, “There my Lysander and I shall meet, and thence from Athens turn away our eyes.” In the play within the play, Pyramus and Thisbe also present us with true love. Their situation
Helena chases Demetrius when he claims he hates her. Helena thought Hermia was against her because jealousy is blinding. Helena also believes that Demetrius and Lysander are making fun of her.
When Helena and Demetrius were together, she most likely was not this ambiguous about herself. She knows that she is very desirable,
Helena is madly in love with Demetrius and would give her life for just one kind word from him.
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
-Can you not hate me, as I know you do, But you must join in souls to mock me too?" (Lines 145-150). Helena had always been used to all the boys loving Hermia, so when the opportunity came that they both loved her, she did not know how to react. Helena is extremely insecure and needy, as her words express. She always assumes people are making fun of her because she isn't confident enough to try and persuade herself otherwise.
The hilarious play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare, tells the twisted love story of four Athenians who are caught between love and lust. The main characters: Hermia, Helena, Lysander, and Demetrius are in a ‘love square’. Hermia and Lysander are true love enthusiasts, and love each other greatly. Demetrius is in love with Hermia, and Helena, Hermia’s best friend, is deeply and madly in love with Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander try to elope in the woods because Egeus, Hermia’s father, disapproves of Lysander. Helena, hearing about their plans, tells Demetrius, and all four of them end up in the woods where Lysander’s quotation, “The course of true love never did run smooth”(28), becomes extremely evident due to several
Shakespeare uses the “doubling theme” between Demetrius and Lysander to relax and entertain the audience.The beginning of the story starts with Egeus, Hermia’s dad, and Theseus, the duke of Athens, talking with Demetrius, Lysander, and Hermia. They discuss how Lysander wooed Hermia unfairly when she was rightfully Demetrius’s. “This man [Lysander] has bewitched the bosom of my child: Thou, thou
He points out that Demetrius has had past lovers and that he may not always be faithful to Hermia. He then claims that Hermia is the only woman he loves and that he will always be faithful to her. it shows that he will go to great lengths (even though it may be considered crossing a line) to fight for what he believes in. In act 1 scene one Lysander and Hermia are planning to run off into the woods together to a relatives house so they may escape the law of Athens and may get married.