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:: Tuesday, April 27, 2010 ::

And even for that do I love you the more

DEMETRIUS
Do I entice you? do I speak you fair?
Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth
Tell you, I do not, nor I cannot love you?

HELENA
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.
What worser place can I beg in your love,--
And yet a place of high respect with me,--
Than to be used as you use your dog?

DEMETRIUS
Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;
For I am sick when I do look on thee.

HELENA
And I am sick when I look not on you.

For a long time, my sympathies lay with Helena because she seemed the most down-trodden and unfortunate of all the four young lovers. Unloved, spurned and cast aside by her once lover, she is a picture of abject pity. With no regard to pride, modesty or self-worth, she pursues him ceaselessly through the forest to the point of exhaustion, her body failing where her spirit has not.

My pity however, has been contaminated with disdain at present because Helena had lowered herself to the point that she was willing to be "used as a dog" by Demetrius despite his repeated rejection of her.

It begs the question - stupidity or loyalty? Helena's persistence is heart-breaking in that she is willing to lower herself merely to be in Demetrius's presence despite how hurtful it must be to hear him tell her that he does not like her, hates her even.

Her behaviour prompts a feeling of unease in me because one cannot help but feel awkward watching her demean herself for someone who does not deserve this... dogged loyalty.

Indeed, Demetrius has played Helena false by falling for beauteous Hermia, even though the latter is already spoken for. Disconcertingly, the oaths he swore to Helena "melted as the snow". This in itself should have clued Helena on to the fact that Demetrius was not worthy as a lover.

Yet, in her bitterness there is truth in speech - she bemoans to the audience that Love is painted blind. Love is like a child, easily beguiled. Love knows no reason. Love transforms the base and formless into something approaching dignity. She cannot help but chase him due to her feelings of love.

HELENA:
You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant;
But yet you draw not iron, for my heart
Is true as steel: leave you your power to draw,
And I shall have no power to follow you.

One sees a glimmer of rational thought in there - Helena seems to express (just barely) that she wishes she were not drawn to Demetrius. There is the suggestion that it is his fault that she is attracted to him - that she has no volition in her behaviour. She cannot help but want to be with him.

I am currently torn between admiration and disdain for Helena - on one hand, she is somehow strong enough to continue chasing him despite the hurtful words (delusional much?). On the other hand, this is a woman who has so little pride in herself that she has no qualms being abused by a man who does not love her.

Is it love? Obsession? I don't know, but I can't help but be disturbed by Helena the hound, and Shakespeare's ending for this woman. Helena is reunited with Demetrius, whose heart is magically changed. She is rewarded for her persistence - and indeed, if not for her indefatigable show of perseverance, there would not have been divine (or fey, really) intervention.

But in real life, her behaviour would be cause for concern - this is a woman who stalks and follows a man who does not love her, putting herself willingly in the role of abused victim just so "she can be near him".

And therein lies my change of heart towards Helena - I cannot in good conscience feel sorry for someone who seems to be asking to be hurt by putting herself in harm's way. She is no role model nor heroine of the story, she does not win through with wit and courage, but the "simple and fond" stubbornness.

:: And that's all she wrote 5:45 PM [+] ::
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