You can't help feeling sorry for Helena and the way she is
treated by Demetrius whilst he is not in love with her and after Hermia, but at the same
time she doesn't really help herself that much. I assume you are refering to Act II
scene 1 of this play, when we first see Demetrius pursuing Hermia and Lysander into the
forest, and himself being pursued by Helena. We see Demetrius is quite exasperated by
the fact that whatever he says or does, even threatening to rape Helena, only seems to
make her love for him more constant. Note how Helena responds to the words of Demetrius
when he tells her that he "cannot love" her:
And even for that do I love you the
more.
I am your spaniel; and,
Demetrius,
The more you beat me, I will fawn on
you.
Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike
me.
Neglect me, lose me; only give me
leave,
Unworthy as I am, to follow
you.
So, whatever abuse
Demetrius throws at Helena, it is only met by fawning love and acceptance. There is
something rather pathetic and oddly touching about Helena, who, in her words expressing
her desire to follow Demetrius for love, reverses normal classical stories of chases, so
that Apollo becomes the one who is chased by Daphne rather than the other way round. She
displays the madness of love and is a perfect example of how love causes us to do
ridiculous things in its name.
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