A Midsummer Nights Dream – Hermia And Helenas Relationship Essay, Research Paper

A Midsummer Nights Dream – Hermia

and Helenas relationshipHermia 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. Hermia and

Helena were best friends when they were at school. "All

school-days’ friendship, childhood innocence?" (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 201, Helena)They had

complete trust in each other, telling each other their deepest secrets. "Is

all the counsel that we two have shared, The

sisters’ vows, the hours that we have spent," (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 198 -

199, Helena)They

worked together on everything they did including sewing and singing. "Both

on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, Both

warbling of one song, both in one key," (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 205 – 206)To some

people, Helena and Hermia became the same person, saying the same things,

thinking the same thoughts and having the same morals and principles. "As

if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds Had been

incorporate. So we grew together," (Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 207-208)Behaving

in the same way, they spent as much time as possible together. This time passed

quickly, whilst the time spent apart was slow and seemed pointless. "When

we have chid the hasty-footed time For

parting us-O, is all forgot?" (Act 3,

Scene 2, Lines 200 – 201, Helena)Although

Helena and Hermia were two separate people, they were, "a union in

partition", compared to a double cherry. "Two

lovely berries moulded on one stem." (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 211, Helena)Their

friendship was so strong that they seemed to be connected, the same person in

two different bodies. "So

with two seeming bodies, but one heart," (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 212, Helena)This had

lasted all their lives until the intervention of Lysander and Demetrius. The strong

friendship between Helena and Hermia quickly disintegrated when they became

involved with the two men. The love potion was meant to help, but Puck’s

mistake managed to completely reverse the relationship. When both Demetrius and

Lysander were under the influence of the "love-in-idleness" flower,

Helena believed that both were mocking her. "You

both are rivals and love Hermia And now

both rivals, to mock Helena." (Act 3,

Scene 2, Lines 155 – 156, Helena)When

Hermia seems to take the same attitude, even though she doesn’t know what’s

going on, Helena accuses her of betraying all women by entering into it. "Our

sex, as well as I, may chide you for it," (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 218, Helena)Helena and

Hermia quickly enter into a massive argument, accusing each other of stealing

their love. "You

thief of love. What, have you come by night And stolen

my love’s heart from him?" (Act 3,

Scene 2, Lines 283 – 284, Hermia)Their

childhood friendship is forgotten in an instant, completely torn apart by the

two men. It is not

the love potion which has had this effect on the women directly, it is the

performance of the two men, arguing over Helena who have caused the break up.

This exhibition of feelings upsets and confuses both Helena and Hermia. Hermia

feels cheated, and Helena is the first person she can find to blame. "O

me, you juggler, you canker-blossom," (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 282, Hermia)Helena,

however, thinks everything is some kind of cruel trick against her, and remains

slightly calmer than Hermia. "Lo,

she is one of this confederacy. Now I

perceive they have conjoined all three To fashion

this false sport in spite of me." (Act 3,

Scene 2, Lines192 – 194, Helena)As she is

taller than Hermia, she calls her a "puppet". "Fie,

fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you!" (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 288, Helena)Hermia

takes this insult as though it is the reason that Lysander doesn’t love her

anymore. "Her

height, forsooth, she hath prevailed with him." (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 293, Hermia)She goes

on to call Helena a "painted maypole" and is obviously very worked up

and angry. "And

with her personage, her tall personage," (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 292, Hermia)Helena is

afraid of what Hermia might do to her, and Hermia is not short of threats in

her vicious mood. "How

low am I? I am not yet so low, But that

my nails can reach unto thine eyes." (Act 3,

Scene 2, Lines 297 – 298, Hermia)Helena

does not want to fall out and does not understand why their past was so quickly

forgotten. "Good

Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. I evermore

did love you Hermia, Did ever

keep your counsels, never wronged you " (Act 3,

Scene 2, Lines 306 – 308, Helena)Hermia,

however, feels hard done by. She feels that Helena has caused her true love to

turn against her, and if Helena disappeared, everything would be fine.

"Why, get you gone. Who is’t that hinders you?" (Act 3,

Scene 2, Line 317, Hermia)Helena

also has the solution of running away, but can’t as she foolishly still loves

Demetrius.Helena and

Hermia’s relationship has changed completely, entirely because of the effect of

the love potion on Lysander and Demetrius. The friendship shown before the

argument contrasts greatly to the hostility afterwards. The change has been for

the worse, completely destroying the women’s trust in each other, and all

because of a fight between two men, caused by a mischievous spirit.