How Does Shakespeare Present Helena In A Midsummer Night's Dream

“So we grew together, Like a double cherry--seeming parted but yet an union in partition---”(3.2.211-213). Helena and Hermia were once close but betrayal took them apart. A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare portrays the adventures of four young lovers and a group of amateur actors, their interactions with woodland fairies and a duke and duchess in a mythical Athens. Particularly, Demetrius and Lysander begin to see Helena as a love interest. Instead of feeling flattered, Helena believes that Hermia, along with Demetrius and Lysander, conspired to make a mockery of her. Helena feels betrayed by Hermia who she thought was her best friend. In reaction, Helena exposes her frustration upon Hermia who she believes began this horrible nightmare with her powerful speech showing disappointment against her best friend. Helena’s language is crucial to communicating her message through

Shakespeare achieves this by emphasizing Helena’s emotional discontent towards Hermia who she once was close to. To elaborate, Helena accuses Hermia of conspiring against Helena. She admonishes her calling her a harmful person. “To fashion this false sport, in spite of me.- Injurious Hermia!” (3.2.197-198). In context, Helena claims that Hermia is hurtful to her, harmful. Helena is somewhat surprised that Hermia would commit this act against her. Shakespeare selects this word because this word’s negative connotation highlights how toxic Hermia is to Helena. The meaning of “injurious” informs the audience that injurious means abusive or wrongful (“Injurious” Online Etymology). Etymology explains that injurious. Shakespeare uses tone to exemplify Helena’s susceptibility and how she directs blame towards Hermia. Therefore, Helena conveys her vulnerability through “injurious” because she truly believes Hermia has deeply betrayed her on a personal