A Midsummer Night's Dream - Hermia
16th Line - "O, when she is angry, she is keen and shrewd. She was a vixen when she went to school, and though she be but little, she is fierce." Helena
"Little" again? Nothing but "low" and "little"? Why will you suffer her to flout me thus? Let me come to her.
13th Line - "I pray you, though you mock me, gentleman, let her not hurt me. I was never curst; I have no gift in shrewishness. I am a right maid for my cowardice. Let her not strike me. You perhaps may think, because she is something lower than myself, that I can match her." Helena
"Lower"? Hark, again!
12th Line - "Fine, i' faith. Have you no modesty, no maiden shame, no touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear impatient answers from my gentle tongue? Fie, fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you!" Helena
"Puppet"? Why so? Ay, that way goes the game. Now I perceive that she hath made compare between our statures; she hath urged her height, and with her personage, her tall personage, her height, forsooth, she hath prevailed with him. And are you grown so high in his esteem because I am so dwarfish and so low? How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak! How low am I? I am not yet so low but that my nails can reach unto thine eyes.
1st Line - "Disparage not the faith thou dost not know, lest to thy peril thou aby it dear. Look where thy love comes. Yonder is thy dear." Demetrius
Dark night, that from the eye his function takes, the ear more quick of apprehension makes; wherein it doth impair the seeing sense, it pays the hearing double recompense. Thou art not by mine eye, Lysander, found; mine ear, I thank it, brought me to thy sound. But why unkindly didst thou leave me so?
9th Line - "Thy love? Out, tawny Tartar, out! Out, loathed med'cine! O, hated potion, hence!" Lysander
Do you not jest?
5th Line - "Have you not set Lysander, as in scorn, to follow me and praise my eyes and face, and made your other love, Demetrius, who even but now did spurn me with his foot, to call me goddess, nymph, divine and rare, precious, celestial? Wherefore speaks he this to her he hates? And wherefore doth Lysander deny your love (so rich within his soul) and tender me, forsooth, affection, but by your setting on, by your consent? What though I be not so in grace as you, so hung upon with love, so fortunate, but miserable most, to love unloved? This you should pity rather than despise." Helena
I understand not what you mean by this.
7th Line - "Quick, come." Demetrius
Lysander, whereto tends all this?
11th Line - "Ay, by my life, and never did desire to see thee more. Therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt. Be certain, nothing truer, 'tis no jest that I do hate thee and love Helena." Lysander
O me! You juggler, you cankerblossom, you thief of love! What, have you come by night and stol'n my love's heart from him?
6th Line - "O excellent!" Helena
Sweet, do not scorn her so.
2nd Line - "Why should he stay whom love doth press to go?" Lysander
What love could press Lysander from my side?
10th Line - "What? Should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I'll not harm her so." Lysander
What, can you do me greater harm than hate? Hate me? Wherefore? O me, what news, my love? Am I not Hermia? Are not you Lysander? I am as fair now as I was erewhile. Since night you loved me; yet since night you left me. Why, then, you left me- O, the gods forbid!- In earnest, shall I say?
15th Line - "A foolish heart that I leave here behind." Helena
What, with Lysander?
14th Line - "Good Hermia, do not be so bitter with me. I evermore did love you, Hermia. Did ever keep your counsels, never wronged you- Save that, in love unto Demetrius, I told him of your stealth unto this wood. He followed you; for love, I followed him. But he hath chid me hence and threatened me to strike me, spurn me, nay, to kill me too. And now, so you will let me quiet go, to Athens will I bear my folly back and follow you not further. Let me go. You see how simple and how fond I am." Helena
Why, get you gone. Who is't that hinders you?
17th Line - " 'Follow'? Nay, I'll go with thee, cheek by jowl." Demetrius
You, mistress, all this coil is long of you.Nay, go not back.
3rd Line - "Lysander's love, that would not let him bide, fair Helena, who more engilds the night than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light. Why seek'st thou me? Could not this make thee know the hate I bear thee made me leave thee so?" Lysander
You speak not as you think. It cannot be.
18th Line - "I will not trust, I, nor longer stay in your curst company. Your hands than mine are quicker for a fray. My legs are longer though, to run away." Helena
I am amazed and know not what to say.
4th Line - "Lo, she is one of this confederacy! Now I perceive they have conjoined all three to fashion this false sport in spite of me. - Injurious Hermia, most ungrateful maid, have you conspired, have you with these contrived, to bait me with this foul derision? Is all the counsel that we two have shared, the sisters' vows, the hours that we have spent when we have chid the hasty-footed time for parting us- O, is all forgot? All schooldays' friendship, childhood innocence? We, Hermia, like two artificial gods, have with our needles created both one flower, both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, both warbling of one song, both in one key, as if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds have been incorporate. So we grew together like to a double cherry, seemingly parted, but yet an union in partition, two lovely berries molded on one stem; so with two seeming bodies but one heart. two of the first, like coats in heraldry, due but to one, and crowned with one crest. And will you rent our ancient love asunder, to join with men in scorning your poor friend? It is not friendly; 'ts not maidenly. Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it, though I alone do feel the injury." Helena
I am amazed at your words. I scorn you not. It seems that you scorn me.
8th Line - "Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing, let loose, or I will shake the from me like a serpent." Lysander
Why are you grown so rude? What change is this, sweet love?