by Aidan McCarthy (Blogging Circle 2)
To say that any element of William Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is problematic or unrealistic simply based on the premise alone is not enough to hold any issue with the work itself. Not withstanding the fact that the entire premise of the play revolves around that of fairies tampering in the love affairs of young Athenian, what can be possibly construed as silly, are the actions of those same young Athenian lovers. In Act III Scene II line 115, Robin exclaims, “Lord, what fools these mortals be!” The actions of Demetrius, Lysander, Hermia, and Helena, while noble at times, are, for lack of a better word, silly. It is known that Lysander is deeply in love with Hermia and intends to run away with her since Hermia is expected to marry Demetrius, despite the fact that Demetrius once loved another woman. It is also known that Helena is in love with Demetrius despite the fact that Demetrius also intends on marrying Hermia. While the three aforementioned characters are set in their ways regarding their intentions to marry the ones that they are love, or proclaim to love, Helena is almost thrown to the wayside in an almost comical manner that can only be taken seriously in a piece of work by Shakespeare.
This also brings about the hilarity of the four characters’ immaturity, as Hermia and Helena, two characters who were once friends, are engaged in a bout of vicious verbal warfare. In Act III Scene II Helena says to Hermia in regards to their relationship,
“Lo, she is one of this confederacy!
Now I perceive they have conjoined all three.
To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.—
Injurious Hermia! Most ungrateful maid!
Have you conspired, have you with these contrived
To bait me with this foul derision?
Is all the counsel that we two have shared,
The sisters’ vows, the hours that we have spent
When we have chid the hasty-footed time
For parting us—oh, is it all forgot?
All schooldays’ friendship, childhood innocence?
We, Hermia, like two artificial gods,
Have with our needles created both one flower,
Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion,
Both warbling of one song, both in one key,
As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds,
Had been incorporate. So we grew together,
Like to a double cherry—seeming parted
But yet an union in partition—
Two lovely berries molded on one stem;
So, with two seeming bodies but one heart,
Two of the first, like coats in heraldry,
Due but to one and crownèd with one crest.
And will you rent our ancient love asunder
To join with men in scorning your poor friend?
It is not friendly, ’tis not maidenly.
Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,
Though I alone do feel the injury.”
Helena believes that Hermia is in cahoots with Lysander and Demetrius to play some sort of cruel trick on her, so as to humiliate her. This is strange, as the impression has been given that they have been friends for a very long time. I think that it is safe to say that Lysander and Demetrius’s squabble can be chalked up to blind rage and a bout of too much honor, and perhaps, too much pride. The four Athenian lovers squabble is laughable, but works to push the play forward, as the their carelessness plays right into the fairies’ hands.
I think as well that the contents of the love triangle between Demetrius, Hermia, Helena, and Lysander are so silly because almost each one is in love with someone who does not want them. In the beginning, Helena is in love with Demetrius who is in love with Hermia who is in love with Lysander. It’s actually quite comical to read about it because it feels like at least one person is not going to get a happy ending, which I predicted would be Helena. I thought this because she is the only one who does not have someone who loves her back. However, Hermia has two men who are after her and does not even want Demetrius. It’s interesting to see how two men could cause problems for these strong women who happened to be the best of friends at one point. Then all of a sudden when the love triangle adjusts and Demetrius and Lysander fall in love with Helena due to the love potion, she goes from admiring Hermia to blaming her. Their bond is basically gone at this point. It all seems like silly drama with the lovers chasing after each other and causing issues between relationships, but I actually find it to be a perfect storyline for a comedy.
It is supposed to be a comedy, yes, but I did not find any of it funny. I find it to be more of a tragedy, to be honest. Poor unrequited Helena is left to Demetrius by default – not because he really wants her but basically because he cannot have Hermia. And Hermia has all the luck – more than she even wants. I tried finding the funniness in this play but I couldn’t. It’s terrible how Demetrius and Lysander could so instantly destroy Hermia and Helena’s friendship that made them feel as one person. Boys have probably been the cause of more female-female friendships over the years than anything else. I do think it is silly that this happened so easily, however. To us nowadays, we just think: Oh Helena, there’s so many fish in the sea – find another boy who loves you for you. That’s easy to say now in 2017 but back then in Shakespeare’s time – people didn’t move around much. New people in towns and villages and cities were novelties. People only left a place if they were banished or publicly humiliated. So it is sad that Helena has to stay there and wind up with Demetrius. Yes, that’s what she wanted but is it really? O Lord, what fools these mortals be.
I enjoyed reading your post and taking in all your points. It reminded me of my own post about this power struggle between fairies and humans. Their worlds are so different and yet, humans are like foolish puppets to the fairies. It is also interesting how human beings fall under spells, without even a hint of potion. Helena and Hermia become immersed in this argument because of a misunderstanding. If Helena said something along the lines of, “Hey, do you know what is going on here?” instead of jumping down her throat, they together could have come to some conclusion (because clearly Hermia was confused as to why Lysander jumped ship so suddenly). I like your point: “…as their carelessness plays right into the fairies’ hands.” I think that was a really good way of phrasing it. Great post!
I enjoyed reading your post and taking in all your points. It reminded me of my own post about this power struggle between fairies and humans. Their worlds are so different and yet, humans are like foolish puppets to the fairies. It is also interesting how human beings fall under spells, without even a hint of potion. Helena and Hermia become immersed in this argument because of a misunderstanding. If Helena said something along the lines of, “Hey, do you know what is going on here?” instead of jumping down her throat, they together could have come to some conclusion (because clearly Hermia was confused as to why Lysander jumped ship so suddenly). I like your point: “…as their carelessness plays right into the fairies’ hands.” I think that was a really good way of phrasing it. Great post!
I like your point about the “hilarity” of the characters’ immaturity, especially in reference to Helena and Hermia. You cite Helena’s speech about how she thinks that Hermia and the boys are in cahoots and conspiring to essentially humiliate her, and how she apparently thought better of Hermia because of their long-had friendship. While reading (and then later when discussing in class) this speech, I couldn’t help but think about the irony (and, as you say, immaturity) of Helena’s claims. She chastises Hermia, asking “And will you rent our ancient love asunder, / To join with men in scorning your poor friend?” (3.2.215-16). However, if anyone “rented their ancient love asunder,” it was Helena herself for plotting, at the end of Act I Scene I, to tell Demetrius that Hermia and Lysander are running away together: “I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight: / Then to the wood will he tomorrow night / Pursue her; and for this intelligence / If I have thanks, it is a dear expense.” (246-249). She tells Hermia off for something that she has already done, but of which Hermia herself is innocent, which contributes to the hilarity and irony of the scene you mentioned.
I agree with your point that Helena really is being a hypocrite here, and the irony that it brings to the story. It really does complicate the feminist nature of the plot, but setting that aside, it highlights the humor in the situation that nobody has a grasp on the romantic situation at all. There are a lot of assumptions that get thrown around that seem to be a bit of projection, particularly on Helena’s part, as she makes it clear that she was insecure about having both men attracted to Hermia before. Now that the two of them are interested in her, she automatically assumes that Hermia must feel the same way she did. However, when she doesn’t, its just kind of awkward, and in that way, humorous.
I wanted to address one of the concepts that I think your post is grappling with in a really good way (especially with the consistent consideration of who’s writing the play!), which is the element of silliness or foolishness in the four young Athenians. I think there’s such a neat point being made with their conflict–there’s the introduction of the fairies and magic, which makes them act completely irrationally–they’re being manipulated by forces beyond their control in ways that cause them to, in the cases of Demetrius and Lysander, completely reverse opinions that had already been established, in no uncertain terms, literally overnight. But, as you point out in your last paragraph, that also draws our attention to the irrationality that we see as just a part of being human–in the case of AMND, most often to do with love. It’s something that these young people are actively complicating their lives for: Helena makes herself miserable by pursuing a man who couldn’t care less for her, and Hermia’s relationship with her father (and literally her life) are endangered because she wants to be true to her own feelings (while her father is willing to see her executed because of another thing we take for granted–The Law). I think it’s a great way of holding up a mirror to the audience, a way of calling attention to our own idiosyncrasies and “what fools [we] mortals be” by putting the everyday next to the fantastical and making us think about what we see.
Hey Aidan, those are good thoughts on the play. I think there are a few reasons for what seems to be foolish squabble and over dramatic action in the play. The lovers’ carelessness and foolishness portray how human perception is distorted and twisted by earnest, mercurial emotions. The supernatural and fantastical elements highlight this theme. While under the love potion, Lysander ironically rants about will and reason, saying, “The will of man is by his reason swayed” and “Reason becomes the marshal to my will” (2.2.115, 120). Then, as if it couldn’t get any more ironic, Lysander says, “…as the heresies that men do leave / Are hated most of those they did deceive” (2.2.139-40). The theme of distorted perception crescendos with Theseus’ speech in act five: “Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, / Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend more / Than cool reason ever comprehends” (5.1.4-6). Reason and will are thrown to the wayside when earnest, mercurial emotions take over. No matter how sincere these emotions may be, they are subject to our shattered perception.
Some really good points here Aidan, however I’m not sure I’d chalk up all of the Athenian’s actions to just being silly. The one kin particular I wouldn’t be too quick to label silly is Helena. This woman genuinely has some self esteem issues, as she is jealous of Hermia before the play even begins. To me, it is not a surprise when Helena thinks Hermia is in cahoots with the Demetrius and Lysander, as it just shows how truly unbelievable she believes the circumstances of her current situation are. I would totally agree that perhaps the actions on the part of the other three Athenians could be overarchingly called silly, however I believe Helena’s actions may have to be taken with a grain of salt.
I’m not sure I necessarily agree with the characters mentioned as being “silly”, but as far as Helena goes I do view her as foolish to an extent. Is it so foolish to follow one’s heart? I’ll say yes, and no. In Helena’s situation, she’s following her heart with her love of Demetrius, but he mistreats her and cares not for her. He plans on marrying Hermia even though she’s in love with Lysander. If the 3 of the characters were real, and modern, I could see them on an episode of Jerry Springer fighting it out. It’s difficult to judge these characters as silly when they’re merely following their hearts. Certainly foolish, even more than just Helena; Hermia is foolish for disobeying her father’s wishes and running away with Lysander, Demetrius is foolish for still wanting to marry Hermia despite her love for Lysander, and Helena once again is foolish for wanting Demetrius. I guess it’s true that love makes you do crazy things.
Aidan,
This is a really interesting idea because we tend to take the plot for granted when presented with a text. It does seem kind of foolish for these characters to act the way we do. Like the conflict between Hermia and Helena, for example. It seems ridiculous that after years of being friends, one suspicious action on Hermia’s part would cause Helena to immediately turn on her. It seems so wrong for her to just automatically assume that her friend double crossed her instead of hearing her justification for her actions.