Who Is Helena In A Midsummer Night's Dream

Helena’s first trouble caused by love is that she is lovesick. This is caused by her unreciprocated feelings for Demetrius, and is expressed in the lines “I’ll follow thee and make a heaven of hell / To die upon the hand I love so well,” Shakespeare (2.1.250-251). She says this upon deciding to follow Demetrius into the woods, implying that she feels so miserable, that her life is much like a living Hell. However, she thinks that following him, and being able to see him, will make her feel better.

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

Casting Actors to Play Helena and Hermia from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream A Midsummer Night’s Dream examines the theme of love in all its aspects. When Act one scene One opens we are at the court of Duke Theseus and he is swearing his undying love for Hippolyta so at the very start we are introduced to love and its deep emotional impact. The declaration of love between the Ducal pair is shortened by the arrival of Egeus with his disobedient daughter Hermia.

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.

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

When Helena and Demetrius were together, she most likely was not this ambiguous about herself. She knows that she is very desirable,

At the beginning of the play, no one likes her. It was as if she wasn’t even there. If Oberon didn’t order Puck to put the magical love juice on the men, she would have been forever lonely. But once the men fell in love with her, Hermia was erased from the men’s world. They were fully unto Helena. “I say I love thee more than he can do. / If thou say so, withdraw and prove it too. / Quick, come.” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream III.ii.:254-256) This small passage shows Demetrius and Lysander fighting for Helena’s love. Demetrius tells Lysander that he loves her more than him, but Lysander wants to have a duel to see whose love is stronger towards Helena. Helena thought they were mocking here due to the fact that they never loved her before. This can relate to the quote “The course of true love never did run smooth” (A Midsummer Night’s Dream I.i.:137) because it shows that even though she wanted a normal relationship, life made her relationship challenging. This quote will be additionally clarified in Oberon’s relationship with

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

The obstacle that Helena faces occur because of her love for Demetrius. She is in love with him, however the love is not returned. Helena’s love stems from a night she spends with Demetrius. Lysander explains that Demetrius has won Helena’s heart by saying, “Demetrius, I’ll avouch it to his head, Made love to Nedar’s daughter, Helena, And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes,” (Shakespeare 1.1. 108-110). Demetrius does not have any feelings for Helena, he uses her for his own sexual pleasure, However, Helena falls more in love with Demetrius after she experiences the sexual act. This further causes a strain in Helena because of the feelings she has for Demetrius. Helena must figure out whether he shares the same feelings that she does for him. Helena recognizes that her love for Demetrius has a strong influence on her actions. Helena explains that she loves Demetrius’s very basic qualities saying, “So I, admiring of

William Shakespeare starts with a seemingly unresolvable conflict in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The main characters are lovers who are either unrequited in their love or hassled by the love of another. These lovers are inevitably paired. How does Shakespeare make this happen? He creates many subplots that, before long, are all snarled up into a chaotic knot. So, what actions does Shakespeare take to resolve these new quandaries? He ends up trusting a single key entity with his comedy. It’s only then that he introduces a special character into his world: a mischievous fairy whom is known by the name of Puck. Puck is the catalyst for all these subplots and, indeed, for the entirety of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Try to take Puck

Helena, portrayed as a poor dopey-eyed woman, in love with a man who does not desire her, symbolizes a trampled woman in need of a self-esteem boost. Helena is not so different than most women depicted in this time period. During the 15th and 16th centuries women were considered inferior to men, property of men, not much more than breeding stock expected to deliver heirs. Helena is depicted as a fool, a needy whiny woman who nobody loves. Helena, who is so consumed with her love of Demetrius, chases him into the wood begging him for attention, “I am your spaniel” ( ). Helena is begging Demetrius to love her again, telling him that the more he tells her no, the more he demands she go away, the stronger her emotions become. Helena cannot allow him to leave, even after he threatens her reputation and safety, she still desires to marry Demetrius. Helena is completely submissive in this scene, proclaiming that her desires mean

Helena is portrayed as a desperate character, her passion being for the love of Demetrius. Helena spends most of the story pursuing Demetrius in hope of receiving any form of affection in return, only receiving affection due to magic. While chasing Demetrius, Helena says “What worser place can I beg your love, - And yet a place of high respect with me, - Than to be usèd as you use your dog?” (II.i.208-210) Helena, knowing demeaning herself to the position of a dog, believes that she is not worthy enough for such authority, therefore hoping she will be given the honour. Helena compares herself to a dog in the sense that the more Demetrius rejects her, the harder she will try to receive any emotion from her master. Although heartbroken by Demetrius’ hatred for her, Helena showers Demetrius with comments, only to be continuously beaten down. This is explicitly shown when Helena comments on Demetrius’ demeanor and is, again rejected, saying, “You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; But yet you draw not iron, for my heart Is true as steel: leave you your power

Explanation: (Character Description) This reveals Helena’s true intentions towards Hermia. She is jealous of her in every way. Even towards the she still thinks the same about Hermia when Demetrius is hers.

Helena cannot stop the chase on Demetrius. She reminds us that love is blind, declaring that she is as beautiful as Hermia, so there is no logical explanation for Demetrius' sudden shift in affection. Helena gets upset when she believes that Hermia has betrayed her by joining Demetrius and Lysander.

Hermia is the person who I sympathize the most in the act two of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Egeus who is Hermia’s father believes she should get married with Demetrius. Demetrius pursues the love of Hermia, but Hermia loves her boyfriend Lysander. Under her father’s pressure, Hermia is trying to escape from Demetrius, because he is also on her father’s side. Hermia is forced by her father about her own marriage reveals her vulnerable ability towards her life and the powerless of woman in the society. In the end of act two, there is an example shows her lamentableness. Hermia wakes up from her nightmare and shouted, “Lysander! What, removed? Lysander! Lord! What, out of hearing? Gone? No sound, no word? Alack, where are you? Speak, an if you