HermiaCharacter Analysis

Hermia Is in love with Lysander and refuses to Marry Demetrius- despite the threat o death or a life as a nun from The Duke for disobeying her father

Her and Lysander agree to run away together in the forest, where they then end up lost and begin to sleep

As she awakes she realises Lysander is gone and fears that Demetrius had killed him and runs off to find him

When she finds the others, both Lysander and Demetrius reject her and she begins to think they are playing a joke on her

After pucks mishap Lysander and Demetrius were now in love with Helena- not Hermia

The disaster is resolved when antidote is put into Lysander’s eyes so that he and Hermia can again be in love together

After hearing the lovers story the Duke decides to allow the two to marry despite the threat of Egeus

Summary of events Hermia was involved in:

Hermia is fist introduced in the play, as the disobeying daughter of Egeus.

From this the assumption is made that Hermia is a bad daughter, a rebel standing up against the Patriarchal society she lives in.

It is also assumed that Hermia is just young and in love, and not very smart to be disobeying his father and the Duke for man she hardly knows.

How is you character established in the exposition of the play? Are

there any assumptions made?

  EGEUS 22   Full of vexation come I, with complaint 23   Against my child, my daughter Hermia. 24   Stand forth, Demetrius. My noble lord,  25   This man hath my consent to marry her.  26   Stand forth, Lysander: and my gracious duke,  27   This man hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child;  28   Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,  29   And interchanged love-tokens with my child:  30   Thou hast by moonlight at her window sung,  31   With feigning voice verses of feigning love,  32   And stol'n the impression of her fantasy  33   With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,  34   Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweetmeats, messengers 35   Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth: 36   With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart, 37   Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,  38   To stubborn harshness: and, my gracious duke,  39   Be it so she will not here before your grace  40   Consent to marry with Demetrius, 41   I beg the ancient privilege of Athens,  42   As she is mine, I may dispose of her:  43   Which shall be either to this gentleman  44   Or to her death, according to our law  45   Immediately provided in that case.

Act 1, Scene 1

‘Bewitched’ inferring that Egeus believes Hermia is not truly in love with Lysander but instead Lysander has used magic

Referring to Hermia as his own, a posession

Represents patriarchal society in Which Hermia lives, always obedient to a man

Threatening Hermia that if she doesn't’t Marry Demetrius she will be killed

THESEUS 46   What say you, Hermia? Be advis'd fair maid: 47   To you your father should be as a god; 48   One that composed your beauties, yea, and one  49   To whom you are but as a form in wax 50   By him imprinted and within his power  51   To leave the figure or disfigure it.  52   Demetrius is a worthy gentleman. HERMIA  53   So is Lysander. THESEUS  53                          In himself he is;  54   But in this kind, wanting your father's voice,  55   The other must be held the worthier.  HERMIA  56   I would my father look'd but with my eyes.  THESEUS  57   Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.  HERMIA  58   I do entreat your grace to pardon me.  59   I know not by what power I am made bold,  60   Nor how it may concern my modesty,  61   In such a presence here to plead my thoughts;  62   But I beseech your grace that I may know  63   The worst that may befall me in this case,  64   If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

Act 1, scene 1 continued

Hermia standing up to the Duke, which was frowned upon at this time

Hermia refuses to wed Demetrius, defying the patriarchal society and her fathers orders.

Again describing the patriarchal society of this time- To Hermia Egeus should be seen as a ‘God’ and not fought against. She should obey her fathers orders to marry Demetrius

Hermia is explaining that through her eyes Lysander is perfect and that her father has a very one sided view on the issue and only has eyes for Demetrius

Her love for Lysander leads her away from her arranged marriage to Demetrius- she explains that she truly loves Lysander and she would rather die than marry Demetrius

Magic- Lysander is put under a spell to fall in love with Helena which drives Hermia and his relationship apart

What forces stimulate their personal pursuit of/away from

love/arranged marriage?

Disobeying her fathers arranged marriage with Demetrius and having to overcome the possible threat of death and or a life of a nun.

The patriarchal society in which she lives Hermia faces the challenge of following her heart or

following her headAfter running off with Lysander and Lysander falling in love with Helena, Hermia faces the challenge of rejection form Lysander

Throughout the play, Hermia has to deal with her love being thrown in one way or another

What obstacles and challenges does your character endure?

HER.What? Can you do me greater harm than hate?Hate me, wherefore? O me, what news, my love!Am not I Hermia? Are not you Lysander?I am as fair now as I was erewhile.Since night you lov’d me; yet since night you left me:Why then, you left me (O, the gods forbid!)In earnest, shall I say?LYS.Ay, by my life;And never did desire to see thee more.Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt;Be certain! Nothing truer; ’tis no jestThat I do hate thee, and love Helena.HER.O me, you juggler, you canker-blossom,You thief of love! What, have you come by nightAnd stol’n my love’s heart from him?

Act 3, Scene 2- lines 270-280

Referring to Helena as a ‘thief of love’ because Helena has ‘stole’ Lysander's love – this is a powerful line exaggerating the fact that Lysander is now in love with Hermia

Lysander explaining that he loves Helena and no longer loves Hermia, but in fact hates her

Explaining that Hermia is confused as to the sudden change of heat, she doesn't’t understand why he has suddenly rejected her for HelenaHermia is explaining her distress and disappointment that Lysander has rejected her and by using the line ‘O, the gods forbid!) suggests her anger that she has risked her life for him and their love together

Hermia’s pursuit of love has turned her Jealous and changes her behaviour towards Lysander, Demetrius and especially Helena

What is the relationship between the pursuit of love and the challenge of transformation?

The audience would enjoy watching Hermia’s journey towards self-discovery as her ambition for true love is admirable and can also be relatable to the audience

It can be frustrating to read or see Lysander reject Hermia, because of the love potion but Hermia’s ambition and strength with dealing with the situation is exciting to watch throughout the play

How would an audience react to this characters journey towards self-discovery? Why?