Cycle 25: Character Analysis of Helena

This past cycle our class started reading A Midsummer Night's Dream which was written by Shakespeare. When reading the first two acts of this play the major characters that were introduced were Hermia, Lysander, Helena, Demetrius, Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, Oberon, Titania, and Robin Goodfellow. Hermia, Lysander, Helena, and Demetrius are four lovers. Hermia and Lysander love each other very much and want to get married, but Egeus, Hermia's father, forbids his daughter to marry Lysander and tries forces Hermia to marry Demetrius. While Demetrius loves Hermia, Hermia's good friend, Helena, is madly in love with Demetrius, who will not get Helena the time of day.

The character that interests me the most is Helena. From the reading, Helena appears to be Hermia's best friend. But, although a friend Helena's jealously and desperateness towards pursuing Demetrius overpowers Hermia's and Helena's friendship.

Hermia
I frown upon him, yet he loves me still.
Helena
O, that your frowns would teach my smiles such skill!
Hermia
I give him curses, yet he gives me love.
Helena
O, that my prayers could such affection move!
Hermia
The more I hate, the more he follows me.
Helena
The more I love, the more he hateth me.
Hermia
His foly, Helena, is no fault of mine.
Helena
None but your beauty. Would that fault were mine! (19-21)

In this scene Helena complains to Hermia how Demetrius does not love her. It almost seems as if Helena is so desperate she would do anything to be loved by Demetrius, even if that ruins their friendship. Helena appears to me to be living in Hermia's shadow. Helena must feel as if she acted more like Hermia, then Demetrius will love her. In Helena's personal feelings about herself, she constantly puts herself down because Demetrius shows no love to her but rather to Hermia.

If I were to play the character of Helena I would have to show emotions of rage, jealously, and desperateness all at the same time. Helena's rage comes through when no matter what she does Demetrius just does not seem to notice her. The character Helena must express frustration. Jealously must be shown when playing the role of Helena because throughout the two acts Helena is jealous of Hermia because she is able to capture the attention of Demetrius. Throughout the play so far, Helena goes through a lot of hardship.