Helena's Speech on Love
For this assignment we will be looking at one specific monologue and analyzing it for meaning.
This speech is given by Helena as she tells the audience of her plan to betray Hermia to Demetrius.
HELENA
How happy some o'er other some can be!
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
230 He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no quantity,
Love can transpose to form and dignity.
Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind.
235
And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.
Nor hath Love’s mind of any judgment taste—
Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste.
And therefore is Love said to be a child,
Because in choice he is so oft beguiled.
240
As waggish boys in game themselves forswear,
So the boy Love is perjured everywhere.
For ere Demetrius looked on Hermia’s eyne,
He hailed down oaths that he was only mine.
And when this hail some heat from Hermia felt,
245 So he dissolved, and showers of oaths did melt.
I will go tell him of fair Hermia’s flight.
Then to the wood will he tomorrow night
Pursue her. And for this intelligence
If I have thanks, it is a dear expense.
250 But herein mean I to enrich my pain,
To have his sight thither and back again.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
First, read the passage through carefully to make sure you understand the basic content of Helena's speech. I
have broken Helena's speech down into four parts as is evidenced by the alternating colors.
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In the first part of Helena's speech, she explains her feelings for Demetrius and his lack of feeling for her
In part 2 of her speech, Helena defines love as if love were cupid.
In part 3, she goes on to tell us that Demetrius loved her before he met Hermia.
The last part of her speech outlines Helena's plan to gain Demetrius' love back.
Questions:
From Part 1:
1. In part one of Helena's speech, she uses a persuasive device called bandwagon to help herself feel better.
Bandwagon is a type of persuasion in which someone tries to convince others to believe a certain thing because
"everyone else is doing it." How does the first part of her speech incorporate bandwagon?
2. Evan as Helena plans to get Demetrius to fall in love with her again, she says:
And as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Even though Helena is deeply in love with Demetrius, she says that she makes the mistake of loving him too much.
yet, she still plans to go through with her schemes. What does this say about her character?
From Part 2:
3. In Part 2, Helena compares love to a blind child with wings that flies everywhere in haste and lies all the time.
WOW! Explain the logic she uses in coming up with her comparison.
4. Do you agree with her definition of love? Why or why not?
5. Helena has a very negative view on love, why?
From Part 3:
6. Has Demetrius ever loved Helena before? When?
7. Who does she blame for him not loving her anymore? Is this fair? Why or why not?
From Part 4:
8. We learn from Hermia that she believes eloping with Lysander will solve all of Helena's problems. Yet, Helena still
plans to tell Demetrius about Hermia's plans. Put yourself in Helena's shoes. Explain her logic behind the plan she
devises.
9. Compare the different types of logic used between answers 7 and 8. What influences Helena to act so differently
from what an objective observer would typically do in the situation?
10. Based on everything we have looked at in this short speech, how has your opinion of Helena's character
changed?