Demetrius in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Importance of Demetrius in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream

The character, Demetrius, in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night's Dream, is very difficult to identify except by his relation to the one he loves, or, more particularly, to the one who loves him. Helena's ridiculous chasing after him and his irritation with her are the primary marks of his character. While in this state, he even begins to threaten Helena with bodily harm, coming off as not quite the gracious courtly lover he truly means to be. It's simple to discover his unchivalrous character by how easily his eye was distracted from Helena by Hermia in the beginning. He could be a gentle, loving man if he truly desired, but he takes satisfaction being put in his place by others. In the end, still under the spell of fairy magic and therefore not seeing with true eyes, he seems a bit imbecilic laughing at the acted "lovers" in the play. He doesn't realize it, but he is in a play of his own. Likewise, as with the other characters, what happens to him is far more interesting than the sort of character he is. Shakespeare portrays the character, Demetrius, throughout the play as lacking self-confidence, rude, violent, lacking individuality and unromantic.

Since Demetrius only has two lines throughout the entire first act, it shows that he can't stand up for himself, likewise, this lack of speech displays his lack of self-confidence and image: “Relent, sweet Hermia, and, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right” (Demetrius, 1.1.93-94). Demetrius believes that since he has Egeus' approval, that Hermia should relinquish to him and states that Lysander is going against his privilege. Demetrius takes advantage of his stature by claiming Hermia as a r...

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...nsformation are all experienced by Demetrius to a great extent, especially with his lovers and enemies. His vile, yet sensitive personality really kept the reader examining what he could change into next, which seems as if they were more than just a single character. Demetrius, as a character, is essential to the play, for a backbone and plot.

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