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

connotation, denotation, and the figurative function of the words. Shakespeare utilizes the words contrived, injurious and derision in Helena’s monologue to convey her distrust of Hermia.
In fact, Shakespeare uses the word “contrived” in Helena’s monologue to promote her character as defensive. As Helena communicates her distressed feelings towards Hermia in her monologue, she exposes her theory that Hermia is apart of the cruel joke that Lysander and Demetrius is playing on her. “Have you conspired, have you with these contrived…” (3.2.199). Helena believes that this whole situation with everybody suddenly falling in love with her suddenly, was unrealistic. She thought Hermia, her childhood friend, was apart of the horseplay. Due to this reason, Helena kept a guard up believing that everyone was artificial. In relation, the root of the word “contrived” was based off of something untruthful and false (“Contrived” Online Etymology).The etymology of “contrived” helps readers understand why Helena thought this situation was unnatural. “ You do advance your cunning more and more. When truth kills truth, O devilish holy fray!These vows are Hermia’s… Nor none, in my mind, now you give her o’er”(3.2.130-137). Shakespeare utilizes the word in a negative connotation to define how watchful Helena was to Hermia, because of the suspicious behavior going on between the characters .
Additionally, Shakespeare utilizes the word, “injurious,” in Helena’s monologue to showcase her character as vulnerable to Hermia.

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

level.
Furthermore, Helena’s powerful diction is crucial to the stories message, as the use of the word derision, portraying the aggravation and frustration against her best friend Hermia of conspiring to cause Demetrius and Lysander act as if they are in love with her. Therefore, Helena accuses Hermia for causing Lysander and Demetrius to fall in love with her unexpectedly. “To bait me with this foul derision” (3.3.200). Indeed, mockery is a very rude way of teasing, as for Helena, this is not right for a best friend to do. Shakespeare uses this negative term to show how the games Puck and Oberon have played upon the mortals, have affected the relationships between them. The root of the word “derision”is from Latin derisionem, noun of action from past participle stem de- "down" ridere "to laugh."(“Derision”Online Etymology). In result, this word shows a negative connotation, shakespeare uses this diction to portray the message of betrayal in this relationship, clearly show in this scene with the proper diction used to describe the actions.
To conclude, the chosen diction in Helena’s monologue portrays the overall message of distrust. In order for readers to understand the overall message, they must understand connotation, denotation and the figurative function of contrived, injurious and derision. Helena perceives Hermia as fraudulent friend, accusing her of mockery causing damage in their relationship. Therefore, causing turmoil of words against Hermia, the diction clearly portrays frustration and the message of distrust.