Washington Allston's 1818 painting Hermia and Helena.

Helena, frequently called Helen, is one of the iconic four young lovers in William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. She is generally interpreted as being tall and slim and blonde - her best friend Hermia calls her a "painted maypole" during an argument. Helena comes from a rich family in Athens and, with regards to status, is towards the higher end of the social hierarchy. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Washington Allston (November 5, 1779 - July 9, 1843) was a U.S. poet and influential painter, born in Waccamaw, South Carolina. ... 1818 (MDCCCXVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar. ... Look up icon in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... An intimate relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... For other uses, see A Midsummer Nights Dream (disambiguation). ... Hermia is a Technology Centre near Tampere University of Technology (TUT). ... Dancing around the maypole, in Ã…mmeberg, Sweden The maypole is a tall wooden pole (traditionally of hawthorn or birch), sometimes erected with several long coloured ribbons suspended from the top, festooned with flowers, draped in greenery and strapped with large circular wreaths, depending on local and regional variances. ... For the business meaning, see Wealth (economics). ... a family of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 1997 Family is a Western term used to denote a domestic group of people, or a number of domestic groups linked through descent (demonstrated or stipulated) from a common ancestor, marriage or adoption. ... Social hierarchy, a multi-tiered pyramid-like social or functional structure having an apex as the centralization of power. ...

Helena and Demetrius were previously a couple. However, before the play begins, Demetrius has fallen in love with Hermia instead, leaving Helena devastated. She soon becomes obsessed with Demetrius, following him constantly and declaring her undying love, even when faced with death threats from the object of her affection. Look up Demetrius in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

When Helena discovers that Hermia and her secret lover, Lysander, have planned to elope, she informs Demetrius in the hope that this will make him love her. However, her plan backfires when Demetrius insists on following them in the hope of winning Hermia's love. Eventually, all four lovers find themselves in the Athenian forest, where the sleeping Lysander and Demetrius have a love juice sprinkled into their eyes by an errant fairy called Puck. This causes the pair to fall in love with the first person they see when they awaken; this is Helena. Lysander is one of the iconic lovers in William Shakespeares play: A Midsummer Nights Dream. ... To elope, most literally, merely means to run away. ... This article is about the capital of Greece. ... A potion (from Latin potio, potionis, meaning beverage, potion, poison) is a drinkable medicine or poison. ... by Sophie Anderson For other uses, see Fairy (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Puck (mythology). ...

Demetrius and Lysander then begin to declare their love for Helena, and argue with each other over who should claim her affection. Helena, who has been used to being overlooked by men, believes that the pair are mocking her, and accuses Hermia of being a part of the joke. This leads to an argument between Hermia and Helena, and Helena storms off. Photograph of a nude man by Wilhelm von Gloeden, ca. ... Look up argument in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

When Demetrius and Lysander decide to rest again, Oberon, King of the Fairies, commands Puck to right the situation. This leads to Lysander falling in love with Hermia again, and eventually, to the marriage of Helena and Demetrius, who remains in love with her still due to the love juice Puck had sprinkled upon him. Nonetheless, Helena continues to love Demetrius as she always has. Oberon, also Auberon, King of the Fairies, is most well-known as a character in William Shakespeares play, A Midsummer Nights Dream, written in the mid-1590s. ... For other uses, see Monarch (disambiguation). ...

Helena is considered to be a very vulnerable, sensitive character, due to her growing up in the shadow of the vivacious and attractive Hermia. However, Helena is more attractive, even if she isn't much self-confident because of Demetrius: she shows strength and a new belief in herself by refusing his advances when she believes he is making fun of her, despite the fact that she claimed he was her one true love. Helena can also be a humorous character at times, particularly during some of her desperate arguments with Demetrius. Overall, Helena is the character who changes most and for the better, changing from a self conscious, lovesick girl into a confident, happy woman. The sensitivity or insensitivity of a human, often considered with regard to a particular kind of stimulus, is the strength of the feeling it results in, in comparison with the strength of the stimulus. ... For other uses, see Humour (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Happiness (disambiguation). ... Diverse women. ...