The theme of friendship, particularly the theme of betrayal within
friendship, is especially expressed in Hermia and Helena's friendship.
We repeatedly see just how close Hermia and Helena were as children. In fact,
the woods in which most of the play is set actually served as a place where
they spent a great deal of time together as children, pouring out their hearts
to each other. In contrast, now the woods is serving as the setting in which
their friendship is broken apart. We first learn that the woods is a symbol of
Hermia and Helena's childhood friendship in the opening scene when Hermia
discloses her and Lysander's plan to escape Athens, as we see in her lines:
And in the wood, where often you and I
Upon faint primrose-beds were wont to lie,
Emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet,
There my Lysander and myself shall meet. (I.i.219-222)
This passage not only portrays the theme of friendship by describing how
close Hermia and Helena were as friends, it is also sets up the woods as the
ironic setting of betrayal.
It is Helena who makes the decision to betray her childhood best friend Hermia
by informing Demetrius of her and Lysander's plans to escape Athens via the
woods, as we see in Helena's line, "I will go tell him of fair Hermia's flight"
(251). Since the line portrays betrayal, it not only depicts the theme of
friendship, but it also portrays the theme of friendship betrayal.
Ironically, even though Helena betrays Hermia, she later believes that Hermia
has actually betrayed her by joining with the men in mocking her, as we see in
her lines:
Lo, she is one of this confederacy!
Now I perceive they have conjoin'd all three
To fashion this false sport, in spite of me. (III.ii.195-197)
Helena's accusation of Hermia's betrayal in the very same woods they bonded
in as children, shows us that the woods is being used as an ironic setting to
portray both friendship and the betrayal of friendship. In this same speech we
see further references to the women's closeness as children when Helena reminds
Hermia of how they used to do and share everything together and asks Hermia if
she will now break up their friendship by joining with the men to mock Helena
just for the fun of it, as we see in her lines, "And will you rent our ancient
love asunder, / To join with men in scorning your poor friend?"
(218-219).
Therefore, these references not only portray friendship as a theme in A
Midsummer Night's Dream, they further serve to portray the betrayal of
friendship as a theme.
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