Character Analysis on Demetrius of a Midsummer Night's Dream
by William Shakespeare

In the novel A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, Demetrius is an Athenian aristocrat who wants to marry Hermia. Initially, Demetrius could be defined as the antagonist because he tries to marry Hermia even if she does not want and he drives away Helena, his previous girlfriend, even though she loves him desperately. Hermia's father Egeus wants Hermia to marry Demetrius whereas she loves Lysander. Demetrius could be defined cruel because he tells Helena that he will leave her to the mercy of the wild beasts if she will continue to pursue him. When Lysander leaves Hermia, she asks Demetrius to help her find him but he replies that he would rather give Lysander's carcass to his hound. However Demetrius really loved Hermia and even pursued her through the dangerous woods. Eventually, because of magical influence he will fall in love in Helena and after a fight with Lysander, who has been magically influenced too, Lysander will marry Hermia and Demetrius will marry Helena. When Hermia's father Egeus will ask the governor of Athens that Hermia shall be executed for disobedience, Demetrius will protect her, changing from the antagonist of the story to a hero.

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