She loves Demetrius, and at one time he returned her love. But before the play begins, he fell in love with Hermia and left Helena in despair. Because of Demetrius's abandonment of her, Helena lacks self-confidence and self-respect, going so far as to tell Demetrius that she'll love and follow him even if he treats her like his dog. She's also a bit conniving and desperate, willing to betray her friend Hermia's confidence in order to try to win back Demetrius's love. Physically, she's tall and blond.
Helena Quotes in A Midsummer Night's Dream
The A Midsummer Night's Dream quotes below are all either spoken by Helena or refer to Helena. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, scene 1
Quotes
She, sweet lady, dotes,
Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,
Upon this spotted and inconstant man. (109)
Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,
Upon this spotted and inconstant man. (109)
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. (227)
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia's eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind,
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind. (227)
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2, scene 1
Quotes
We cannot fight for love, as men may do;
We should be wooed and were not made to woo.
I'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell,
to die upon the hand I love so well. (226)
We should be wooed and were not made to woo.
I'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell,
to die upon the hand I love so well. (226)
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, scene 2
Quotes
Lord, what fools these mortals be! (117)
Related Characters:
Robin Goodfellow (Puck) (speaker), Hermia, Helena, Lysander, Demetrius
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
To set against me for your merriment:
If you we re 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?
If you were men, as men you are in show,
You would not use a gentle lady so;
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,
When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.
You both are rivals, and love Hermia;
And now both rivals, to mock Helena:
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes
With your derision! none of noble sort
Would so offend a virgin, and extort
A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. (147)
To set against me for your merriment:
If you we re 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?
If you were men, as men you are in show,
You would not use a gentle lady so;
To vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts,
When I am sure you hate me with your hearts.
You both are rivals, and love Hermia;
And now both rivals, to mock Helena:
A trim exploit, a manly enterprise,
To conjure tears up in a poor maid's eyes
With your derision! none of noble sort
Would so offend a virgin, and extort
A poor soul's patience, all to make you sport. (147)
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, scene 1
Quotes
Get the entire Midsummer LitChart as a printable PDF.
Helena Character Timeline in A Midsummer Night's Dream
The timeline below shows where the character Helena appears in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, scene 1
...lover: before he met Hermia, Demetrius wooed and won the heart of a woman named Helena.
(full context)
Just then, Hermia's childhood friend and Demetrius's former love, Helena, enters. She wishes she had Hermia's beauty so that Demetrius would love her. To make...
(full context)
Left alone on the stage, Helena gives a speech about the tricks love can play on one's eyes, transforming even "things...
(full context)
Act 2, scene 1
Just then, Oberon hears voices. Since he's invisible, he decides to spy. Demetrius and Helena enter, walking through the woods. Demetrius tells Helena to stop following him since he does...
(full context)
After they exit, Oberon promises that soon Demetrius will seek Helena's love. Once Puck returns with the love-in-idleness flower, Oberon tells him that "A sweet Athenian...
(full context)
Act 2, scene 2
Demetrius runs into the glade, pursued by Helena. He demands she cease following. She begs him to stay. But he runs on, and...
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Helena wakes Lysander, who immediately professes his love for her. He curses Demetrius for mistreating her,...
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Act 3, scene 2
...love juice on some true-love's sight" (3.2.91). He orders Puck to search the forest for Helena, and use some illusion to bring her to Oberon, who will make Demetrius fall in...
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Oberon puts the love ointment on Demetrius' eyes as Puck returns with the warning that Helena is on her way and trailed by the lovelorn Lysander. Puck is excited to watch...
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Helena enters with Lysander following and begging her to see that his vows of love are...
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The two men now begin to fight and argue over Helena, and each tries to get the other to settle for Hermia.
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...abandoned her. Lysander tells her it was love that made him leave; his love for Helena. Hermia can't believe what Lysander is telling her. Meanwhile, Helena now thinks that Hermia has...
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Hermia can't understand why Helena would accuse her of such a thing. She demands Lysander tell her what's going on....
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Helena asks Lysander and Demetrius to protect her, which they gladly do, though she never ceases...
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Act 4, scene 1
...honor of Duke Theseus's wedding and the weddings of Lysander and Hermia and Demetrius and Helena.
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...followed Hermia into the woods because he loved her, he now, "by some power," loves Helena (4.1.161). Theseus overrules Egeus, decides that the four lovers will marry at his wedding, and...
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