https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb A character study of 'Helena' from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' by William Shakespeare en-us 2021-09-22 19:40:58 UTC 2024-05-27 10:33:31 UTC hello@padlet.com jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1761056079 2021-09-22 19:51:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1761056079 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1761180896 -Who am I?
My name is Helena, I am an upper class citizen of Athens. I am in love with Demetrius whom the father of my best friend, Hermia wishes to wed his daughter. I am extremely jealous of this as Hermia is beautiful and has the attention of the man I love despite her having another love. I am a very emotional and sarcastic person with differing loyalties.
-What time is it?
It is late afternoon, approaching evening time.
-Where am I?
I find myself in the woods in Athens, Greece.
-What surrounds me?
I am surrounded by trees and various other forms of shrubbery, it is a dry evening. I'm also surrounded by Hermia, Demetrius and Lysander somewhere in the woods.
-What are my given circumstances?
I am in the woods because I informed my love Demetrius that Hermia (my best friend and his love), that she is running away with her love Lysander to elope. I'm hoping that once he realises that she loves someone else to the point of running away with him that his affections will turn back to me as they once were.
What are my relationships?-
My best friend is Hermia who is running away with her love, Lysander. I am in love with Demetrius however he is running after Hermia whom he has feelings for. Lysander has been acting rather strange of recent as he awoke and started to show affection to me which is very confusing. Demetrius has also been acting affection which is unusual so I feel that they are mocking my affection.
-What do I want?
I want Demetrius to love me however I do not like how he and Lysander are acting so I want them to stop.
- What is in my way?
Currently Hermia is in my way of getting the man I love. I am also stopped by their cruelty towards me by fighting over my affection.
What do I do to get what I want?
I told Demetrius about Helena running away with Lysander to get him to realise that she doesn't reciprocate his feelings so that he will come back to me and be my love once again. This is combatted by the hysteria I face as he and Lysander mock me and I push them away to prevent them from continuing this cruelty towards me.


]]> 2021-09-22 21:16:27 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1761180896 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765542700 2021-09-24 12:41:36 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765542700 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765543037 https://www.bl.uk/treasures/shakespeare/midsummer.html#:~:text=A%20Midsummer%20Night's%20Dream%20was,VI%20of%20Scotland%2C%20in%201594. 
https://www.shmoop.com/midsummer-nights-dream/act-3-scene-2-translation.html]]> 2021-09-24 12:41:46 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765543037 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765582924 Friendship - There are clear themes of friendship within the play, most notably between Helena and Hermia; 'I evermore did love you Hermia.' (Shakespeare, 1596, 3 2:336.) It is not just about their closeness but also their argumentative stature when it comes to the men in their life which can imitate naturalism and the complexities of real human relationships, especially those between two women; 'Will you rent our ancient love asunder, to join with men in scorning your poor friend.' (Shakespeare, 1596, 3 2:231.)

The Complexities of Love - Another theme found within this scene is the tension between true love, unrequited love, spell love and the complexities that those types of feelings have. Helena has been pining over Demetrius for a very long time and there is a lot of unrequited love from Helena towards Demetrius; 'I am your spaniel, and, Demetrius,
The more you beat me, I will fawn on you,' (Shakespeare, 1596, 2 1:223) however when they are in the woods, Demetrius is put under a spell where he falls in love with Helena but now she feels that he is only tricking her and so despite her love for him, she doesn't reciprocate those feelings. Hermia and Lysander are in love; 'Thy love ne'er alter till thy sweet end,' (Shakespeare, 1596, 1 2:64), they are the entire reason that everyone is in the woods as they are running away together. This is a very strong symbolic gesture of love so when the love juice is put into his eyes and he falls in love Helena, Hermia's best friend, it is a very drastic betrayal of love and trust.


Magic - Another theme found throughout the performance is that of magic. The fairies play tricks in all three of the storylines, with Titannia being spelled to love Bottom and the four lovers in the woods. Oberon and Puck are the main culprits; 'My mistress with a monster is in love.' ( Shakespeare, 1596 3 2:7). The magic is mainly found through the love juice that Puck and Oberon put in the eyes of their victims.


]]> 2021-09-24 12:59:31 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765582924 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765583486 Act 1: Scene 1 -
 I am aware that Hermia, my best friend, is in love with Lysander however her father wishes for her to marry my love, Demetrius. I express to Hermia how I love Demetrius no matter how much cruelty he sends my way. Hermia tells me of her plan to elope with Lysander so I tell Demetrius with the intention of him having the realisation that Hermia will run away with Lysander so that he realises she isn't in love with him and I would be a much better fit for him.

Act 2: Scene 1 -
I have gone with Demetrius into the woods to follow Lysander and Hermia, he has continued to belittle me and my love for him with threats and insults.

Act 2: Scene 2 -
Lysander has been telling me that he loves me and I am unsure as to why. He follows me around declaring that he has feelings for me, even when I ask him about Hermia, he still insists that he has feelings for me.

Act 3: Scene 2-
Lysander and Demetrius have been declaring their love for me and now it seems that Hermia has joined with them to mock my feelings for Demetrius. I do not know why my best friend would do this to me but she continues this charade vigorously.

Act 4: Scene 1-
Demetrius and I awoke from a stranger dream, my feelings for him reciprocated by him towards me. Beside us was Lysander and Hermia, both as in love as ever. The four of us go to the duke and proclaim our groupings and wish for marriage between myself and Demetrius alongside Hermia and Lysander.


]]> 2021-09-24 12:59:45 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765583486 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765585520 2021-09-24 13:00:36 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765585520 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765587093 2021-09-24 13:01:16 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765587093 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765587498 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/2ilx8d9i1dpq4ba4 ]]> 2021-09-24 13:01:27 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765587498 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765589187 Page 5-
Lysander - “I had no judgement when to her I swore”
Helena - “Nor none in my mind, now you give her o’er.”
• The beginning of Helena’s confusion stemming from Lydander’s proclamation of love.

Page 6 -
Helena - “Never did lockers waste more idle breath”
•Both men are mocking me and it’s a waste of time, I find it cruel and therefore an enraged.

Page 7-
Hermia - “You speak not as you think: it cannot be.”
Helena - “Lo, she is one of this conspiracy!”
Hermia is stating that she is confused by Helena’s words.

Page 8-
Helena - “Oh excellent!”
•By using sarcasm she is showing the displease and confusion in her voice.

Page 9-
Demetrius - “I love thee more that he can do”
Lysander - “if thou say so, withdraw, and prove it too”
•Clear demonstration of the confirmation that the two men are rivals for the same woman.

Page 10-
Helen - “Because she is something lower than myself,” 
•Very snarky comment to motivate Hermia’s angery hair grab and to watch Helena’s spite to the end.

Part 11-
Helena - “A foolish heart that I leave here behind”
Hermia - “what, with Lysander?”
Helena - “with Demetrius.”
• Helena is in love with Demetrius no matter how awful he treats her and follows her around for Hermia to accuse her of checking that it was him between him and Lysander.

 Page 12-
Helena - “My legs are longer though to run away.”
•Again pushing height to mock/insult her friend Hermia 

Page 16-
Helena - “And sleep that sometimes shuts up sorrows eye,”
I will rest my head as I’m too tired to go on 

]]> 2021-09-24 13:02:10 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765589187 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765590484 2021-09-24 13:02:41 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765590484 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765620631 https://nescol-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/30095905_nescol_ac_uk/EfVXkRZr8CNEjX414liYPVwBRvVbTpJ1aEuKcNHvhDaTYw]]> 2021-09-24 13:14:44 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1765620631 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788030227 https://nescol-my.sharepoint.com/:v:/g/personal/30081099_nescol_ac_uk/ES7oTScugx5CpZd4WmP3gCsB51zsBfX_IaSodX-6skE8Og]]> 2021-10-03 22:16:51 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788030227 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788261875 2021-10-04 01:34:57 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788261875 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788262528 2021-10-04 01:35:24 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788262528 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788263096 2021-10-04 01:35:48 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788263096 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788263686 2021-10-04 01:36:10 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788263686 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788264635 2021-10-04 01:36:44 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788264635 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788265390 2021-10-04 01:37:15 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788265390 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788265905 2021-10-04 01:37:34 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788265905 jessicaanneblum20 https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788267063 2021-10-04 01:38:20 UTC https://padlet.com/jessicaanneblum20/226zgxrpxhdqbfgb/wish/1788267063