Inside Shakespeare’s mind :

Helena on the run

Not so fast Bard; there has been many instances that you have errornously overstepped your plot....long enough to get entangled in many a character before you found out where you were heading. But once the play took off, Shakespeare had the opportunity to retreat and rewrite where he had missed the step. His liveliest comedy, a Midsummer Night's Dream is such a confusion...from the tiniest character to the principle one, Shakespeare manages to dress them up to fill the gaps but not with such success. He wades through the plot adding a touch of super-natural to have a happy ending. That is Shakespeare.

His greatest gift for children.

Not before Shakespeare introduce the famous feel; that love runs smoothly in a world that is wondrously beautiful. (telling me?)

Synopsis

Duke of Athens, Thesus has to judge a matrimonial dispute in the midst of his marriage to Queen Hippolyta whom he defeated in a battle. Egeus wishes his daughter to wed Demitrius when she is already in love with Lysander. Hermia resolve to elope in spite of warning as to the consequences if she disobeys. She is schedule to meet Lysand in a wood nearby. They tell this plan to Helena who is also is love with Demitrius. She had been crying night after night over him and feels miserable at the prospect of losing Demitrius.

However, she is elated when Hermia declares she does not love Demitrius. Meanwhile in the woods, Puck, one of the Fairy Queen's train overhear a quarrel between Oberon and Titania over the little boy she had adopted and whom Oberon wanted for a henchman. When she refuses his request he orders Puck to fetch a flower whose juice squeezes upon Titania's sleeping eyes will cause her when waking up to fall in love with the first person she sees.

Puck makes the mistake of squeezing the juice on to Lysander's eyes but quickly undo the error before Helena wakes up. (From a Midsummer Night's Dream)

And Helena follows Demitrius into the woods, seeing them and having pity upon the young lovers, Oberon orders Puck to squeeze the flower and he himself annoints Titania's lids. On waking up, she sees Lysander persues Helena because of the mistake that Puck had made by choosing Lysander.

Titania waking up falls in love with Bottom who has been wearing an asses head. The confusion continues with Demitrius and Lysander fighting over Helena and watching them, Hermia feels distressed. The right thing to do now is to make all sleep and pair off the right lovers with each other.

(Enter Helena)

Helena – O'weary night and tedious night; abate thy hours. Shien comfort from the east. That I may back to Athens by daylight, from these my poor company detest and sleep, sometimes shuts up the sorrow's eye.

Steal me awhile from mine own company.... (sleeps)

Puck – Yet but three. Come one more, two of both kinds make up four. Here she comes, curse and sad. Cupid is a knavish lad. Thus to make poor females sad..... Act. IV. Sce. 11

When morning comes, they all wake up, back to where they started from. With all lovers united, Theseus and Hippolyta celebrate their delayed wedding.....

Puck – ‘The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not see. Man's hand is not able to taste; his tong to conceive no his heart to report what my dream was'..... (Act IV)

In performance

Bard's only child's play, it has been suggested that Midsummer Night's Dream was written for a wedding explains why it contains Romantics, Immortal and Mechanics. The lovely lyrical verses are ample proof for this suggestion. Of all the female characters apart from Titania, Helena stands out as the principle.

From its first production in 1662, Helena has been down-played with Titania and Hermia getting the honours. As late as 1895 at Daly's London. Helena was given pride of place with Ada Rehan doing the honours. Yet, Bernard Shaw wrote rudely that the panoramic visions were of Theseus’ barge was more absurd than anything that occurs in the tragedy.

It was Mendesohn's music that was scored in 1826 that was used for many years. However, the same year saw Weber's music used for Oberon in its opera. Benjamin Britten's glorious opera A Midsummer Night's Dream came in 1960.

Credits

* Theseus – Duke of Athens. Appear also in Two Gentlemen of Verona

* Hippolyta – Queen of Amazons. Overcome by Theseus and weds him later

* Egeus – Hermia's father.

* Hermia – Smallest of the lovers. Later finds herself as Maria in Twelfth Night

* Lysander – He and Demitius are interchanged. Lysander loves Helena

* Demitrius – Hermia pines for him when lost in the woods

* Helena – Beautiful, taller of the two girls

* Bottom – Nick Bottom the weaver

* Oberon – Creates all the mischief. Oberon's attendant.

* Titania – Queen of the fairies who has the key speech in the play

* Oberon – King of the fairies. He can have sinister overtones but is a figure of dignity and stature. Directors play him up to near perfection.