Demetrius, What a Character!

       Overall Demetrius is a relatively simple character to understand. Demetrius almost always talks in trochaic pentameter, as one can see in line 4.1.170, and he has rhyming skills. He refined speech shows that he is a high class character in the play. Demetrius is not necessarily mean, but is a blunt man. He tells Helena that he has no love for her and will never have love for her straight to her face (2.1.218-9). Although this makes Hermia sad, it is only the truth. Shakespeare also portrays him as an ignorant character. He looks straight through Helena towards Hermia although Helena is thought of as one of the prettiest girls in Athens (1.1.233-4). Through Demetrius' dialogue it is evident that he is very headstrong. A great example of this is in Act 3, Scene 2, Lines 45-46, he never gives up on Hermia until he is changed by Oberon's potion. Through all of this Demetrius acts upright or aboveboard. He never rapes Hermia or tries to kill Lysander, although it was well within his power (3.2.77). Through out the whole play Demetrius only wants his love, Hermia, at first, and then later Helena. Although Demetrius is relatively easy to understand that doesn't mean he isn't an important or influential character.