Demetrius

Play

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Summary

Demetrius is the young Athenian whom Hermia's father Egeus has designated as Hermia's rightful suitor. He was once in love with Helena but transferred his affections to Hermia — making him a faithless figure before the enchantment even begins. He pursues Hermia into the wood and is hostile to Helena who follows him. Oberon takes pity on Helena and directs Puck to apply the potion to Demetrius's eyes; unlike Lysander, Demetrius is never unenchanted, and so his final love for Helena rests on fairy magic — a quietly ironic note in the resolution.

Notable Quotations

"I love thee not, therefore pursue me not." *(II.i)*

"O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!" *(III.ii, enchanted)*

Cross-references

• A Midsummer Night's Dream — the play
• Comedies — genre
• character_helena_mnd — the woman he spurned, whom he is enchanted to love
• character_hermia — the woman he pursued before enchantment
• character_lysander — his rival for Hermia, then his co-pursuer of Helena
• character_oberon — who takes pity on Helena and directs his enchantment