A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Jealousy
In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare, jealousy is presented in two different ways: through friendship and romance. A friendship that involves jealousy is Hermia and Helena’s. At the same time, jealousy, in regards to romance, is seen in Titania and Oberon’s relationship. Jealousy is a strong emotion that leads to desperation, insecurity, and conflict in their relationships through revengeful actions.
The insecurity caused by jealousy is present in Hermia and Helena’s friendship. The first example of insecurity is when Helena does not accept Hermia’s compliment when she calls her fair, instead Helena replies with “Call you me “fair”? That “fair” again unsay. / Demetrius loves …show more content…
The jealousy makes her insecure about herself because she does not think that she’s enough for Demetrius, and, will rather be Hermia since she has managed to capture his heart; Helena knows that Demetrius does not want her and she is willing to change herself. Furthermore, Helena constantly compares herself to Hermia which is portrayed when she mentions that “[t]hrough Athens I am thought as fair as she. / But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so” (1.1.232-233). The compliment she receives from a whole town does not suffice for her, for she only desires for Demetrius’ approval of her beauty. The most distinguishable moment of insecurity, in Helena, is when Demetrius and Lysander both confess their love for her, but, she does not believe them. She thinks they are working together to humiliate her and tells them that they …show more content…
She thinks low of herself and begs Demetrius to treat her crudely; this is when she tells Demetrius, “Use me but as your spaniel: spurn me, strike me, / Neglect me, lose me… / (And yet a place of high respect with me) / Than to be used as you use your dog?” (2.1.210-2-17). This portrays just how low she can get in order to spend time with him, and for him to acknowledge her presence, even though he will not treat her as an equal. Helena gives him the consent to be treated lower than she deserves. She is also so desperate to gain Demetrius’ attention that she plans to inform him of Hermia and Lysander’s getaway so that he will be grateful toward her. Helena
In the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare, jealousy is presented in two different ways: through friendship and romance. A friendship that involves jealousy is Hermia and Helena’s. At the same time, jealousy, in regards to romance, is seen in Titania and Oberon’s relationship. Jealousy is a strong emotion that leads to desperation, insecurity, and conflict in their relationships through revengeful actions.
The insecurity caused by jealousy is present in Hermia and Helena’s friendship. The first example of insecurity is when Helena does not accept Hermia’s compliment when she calls her fair, instead Helena replies with “Call you me “fair”? That “fair” again unsay. / Demetrius loves …show more content…
The jealousy makes her insecure about herself because she does not think that she’s enough for Demetrius, and, will rather be Hermia since she has managed to capture his heart; Helena knows that Demetrius does not want her and she is willing to change herself. Furthermore, Helena constantly compares herself to Hermia which is portrayed when she mentions that “[t]hrough Athens I am thought as fair as she. / But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so” (1.1.232-233). The compliment she receives from a whole town does not suffice for her, for she only desires for Demetrius’ approval of her beauty. The most distinguishable moment of insecurity, in Helena, is when Demetrius and Lysander both confess their love for her, but, she does not believe them. She thinks they are working together to humiliate her and tells them that they …show more content…
She thinks low of herself and begs Demetrius to treat her crudely; this is when she tells Demetrius, “Use me but as your spaniel: spurn me, strike me, / Neglect me, lose me… / (And yet a place of high respect with me) / Than to be used as you use your dog?” (2.1.210-2-17). This portrays just how low she can get in order to spend time with him, and for him to acknowledge her presence, even though he will not treat her as an equal. Helena gives him the consent to be treated lower than she deserves. She is also so desperate to gain Demetrius’ attention that she plans to inform him of Hermia and Lysander’s getaway so that he will be grateful toward her. Helena