WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Either 13 Read this extract, and then answer the question that follows it:

Demetrius: I love thee not, therefore pursue me not.

Where is Lysander and fair Hermia?

The one I’ll slay, the other slayeth me.

Thou told’st me they were stol’n unto this wood,

And here am I, and wood within this wood,

Because I cannot meet my Hermia.

Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more.

Helena: You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant;

But yet you draw not iron, for my heart

Is true as steel. Leave you your power to draw,

And I shall have no power to follow you.

Demetrius: Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair?

Or, rather, do I not in plainest truth

Tell you I do not nor I cannot love you?

Helena: And even for that do I love you the more.

I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius,

The more you beat me, I will fawn on you.

Use me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me,

Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave,

Unworthy as I am, to follow you.

What worser place can I beg in your love,

And yet a place of high respect with me,

Than to be used as you use your dog?

Demetrius: Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit;

For I am sick when I do look on thee.

Helena: And I am sick when I look not on you.

Demetrius: You do impeach your modesty too much

To leave the city and commit yourself

Into the hands of one that loves you not;

To trust the opportunity of night,

And the ill counsel of a desert place,

With the rich worth of your virginity.

Helena: Your virtue is my privilege for that:

It is not night when I do see your face,

Therefore I think I am not in the night;

Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company,

For you, in my respect, are all the world.

Then how can it be said I am alone

When all the world is here to look on me?

Demetrius: I’ll run from thee and hide me in the brakes,

And leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts.

Helena: The wildest hath not such a heart as you.

Run when you will; the story shall be chang’d:

Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase;

The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind

Makes speed to catch the tiger – bootless speed,

When cowardice pursues and valour flies.

Demetrius: I will not stay thy questions; let me go;

Or, if thou follow me, do not believe

But I shall do thee mischief in the wood.

Helena: Ay, in the temple, in the town, the field,

You do me mischief. Fie, Demetrius!

Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex.

We cannot fight for love as men may do;

We should be woo’d, and were not made to woo.

[Exit Demetrius.

I’ll follow thee, and make a heaven of hell,

To die upon the hand I love so well.

How does Shakespeare make this such an entertaining and significant

moment in
 the play?

HIGH-LEVEL RESPONSE

Introduction
In this extract from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare creates a scene that is both highly
entertaining and deeply significant to the play’s exploration of love and gender roles. Through witty
dialogue, dramatic irony, and the reversal of traditional courtship, Shakespeare not only amuses the audience
but also highlights the emotional turmoil and confusion that love can bring. This moment is crucial as it
encapsulates the play’s central themes and sets the stage for further chaos in the enchanted woods.

Body Paragraph 1: Comedy through Reversal of Roles and Characterisation

One of the most entertaining aspects of this scene is the reversal of traditional gender roles, with Helena
desperately pursuing Demetrius. Helena’s declaration, “I am your spaniel; and, Demetrius, / The more you
beat me, I will fawn on you,” is both humorous and pitiable, as she likens herself to a dog eager for any
scrap of affection. This animal imagery is extended when Demetrius threatens to “leave thee to the mercy of
wild beasts,” to which Helena retorts, “The wildest hath not such a heart as you.” The comic effect is
heightened by Helena’s exaggerated devotion and Demetrius’s blunt rejections, such as “I love thee not,
therefore pursue me not.” The audience is entertained by the absurdity of Helena’s persistence and
Demetrius’s frustration, which upends expectations of how lovers should behave.

Body Paragraph 2: Dramatic Irony and Language

Shakespeare further entertains the audience through the use of dramatic irony and clever language. The
audience is aware that the lovers are being manipulated by magical forces, which adds a layer of irony to
Helena’s suffering and Demetrius’s anger. Helena’s language is full of poetic imagery, as when she says,
“You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; / But yet you draw not iron, for my heart / Is true as steel.” This
metaphor not only emphasises her steadfastness but also her sense of helplessness. Demetrius’s rhetorical
questions, “Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair?” highlight his exasperation and the futility of Helena’s
pursuit. The quick exchanges and witty retorts keep the pace lively and engaging, ensuring the audience
remains amused even as the characters’ emotions become more intense.

Body Paragraph 3: Significance to Themes of Love and Gender

Beyond its entertainment value, this scene is significant because it explores the play’s central themes of
love’s irrationality and the subversion of gender norms. Helena’s willingness to endure humiliation—“Use
me but as your spaniel, spurn me, strike me, / Neglect me, lose me; only give me leave, / Unworthy as I am,
to follow you”—demonstrates the pain and folly of unrequited love. Her lament, “We cannot fight for love
as men may do; / We should be woo’d, and were not made to woo,” directly addresses the expectations
placed on women and the frustration she feels at having to pursue Demetrius. This moment also
foreshadows the further confusion and role reversals that will occur as the magical elements of the play
intensify. By highlighting these themes, Shakespeare ensures that the scene is not only amusing but also
thought-provoking and integral to the play’s message.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Shakespeare makes this moment both entertaining and significant through his use of comic
role reversal, dramatic irony, and exploration of love’s complexities. The lively dialogue, vivid imagery, and
emotional intensity draw the audience in, while the scene’s deeper themes resonate throughout the play. This
extract stands as a microcosm of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, blending humour with insight into the nature
of love and human behaviour.

Assessment of the Essay

AO1: Knowledge and Reference

 The essay integrates a range of well-chosen quotations (e.g., “I am your spaniel…”, “I love thee not,
therefore pursue me not”, “You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant”).
 References are embedded and support the analysis throughout.

AO2: Understanding and Interpretation

 The essay shows a critical understanding of the scene’s significance (reversal of roles, dramatic
irony, themes of love and gender).
 There is insight into character motivation and the play’s broader themes.

AO3: Language, Structure, and Form

 The essay explores Shakespeare’s use of language (animal imagery, metaphor, rhetorical questions,
poetic imagery).
 It comments on structure (quick exchanges, lively pace) and dramatic effects (irony, humour).

AO4: Personal Response

 The response is evaluative and personal, especially in the conclusion and in the discussion of the
scene’s entertainment and significance.
 There is sustained engagement with the text and task.

Level and Mark Justification

 Strengths:
o Consistent, well-integrated textual evidence.
o Detailed, insightful analysis of language and theme.
o Clear, evaluative personal voice.
o Structure is logical and fluent.
 Areas for Slight Improvement:
o Could show even more “flair” or originality in interpretation for the very top of Level 8.
o Could include a little more on the wider context of the play or link more explicitly to the
play’s resolution.

Overall, this essay fits securely within Level 8 (23–25 marks).

A fair mark would be 24/25, as it meets all the top-level criteria with only minor room for further
sophistication or originality.

MEDIUM-LEVEL RESPONSE
Introduction
In this scene from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare creates a moment that is both funny and
important. The conversation between Demetrius and Helena shows how love can be painful and confusing,
and the way they speak to each other makes the audience both laugh and feel sorry for them.

Body Paragraph 1: Comedy and Character

Shakespeare makes the scene entertaining by showing Helena chasing after Demetrius, even though he
clearly does not love her. Demetrius says, “I love thee not, therefore pursue me not,” but Helena refuses to
give up. She even says, “I am your spaniel,” which is funny because she is comparing herself to a dog.
Demetrius tries to get away from her, saying he will “run from thee and hide me in the brakes,” but Helena
insists on following him.

Body Paragraph 2: Language and Irony

The language in this scene is also interesting. Helena uses strong images, like when she says her heart is
“true as steel.” Demetrius asks, “Do I entice you? Do I speak you fair?” showing he is frustrated. There is
also irony because the audience knows that the lovers are lost in the woods and being affected by magic,
which makes their actions even more confusing and funny.

Body Paragraph 3: Themes of Love and Gender

This moment is important because it shows how love can make people act foolishly. Helena says, “We
cannot fight for love as men may do; / We should be woo’d, and were not made to woo,” which shows she
feels it is wrong for her to chase Demetrius. The scene also shows how women were expected to behave in
Shakespeare’s time, but Helena goes against this by following Demetrius.

Conclusion
Overall, Shakespeare makes this scene both entertaining and meaningful by using funny dialogue, strong
images, and by showing how love can turn everything upside down.

Assessment (Medium-Level Essay)

 AO1: Some relevant reference to the text, though mostly paraphrased or quoted briefly.
 AO2: Shows understanding of the scene’s meaning and some deeper implications (love, gender
roles).
 AO3: Some response to language and structure, but not always developed in detail.
 AO4: Personal response is present but not always fully developed.

Level 5 (14–16 marks)

This essay demonstrates a reasonably developed, relevant personal response with some thoroughness in
supporting evidence. It could be improved by integrating more detailed analysis and a wider range of
quotations.

LOW-LEVEL RESPONSE
Introduction
This part of the play is when Helena is following Demetrius in the woods. It is important because it shows
how much Helena loves Demetrius.

Body Paragraph 1
Demetrius tells Helena to go away, but she does not listen. He says, “I love thee not,” but Helena keeps
following him. She says she is like his dog and wants to be with him. Demetrius says he will run away from
her.

Body Paragraph 2
Helena says she is sad when she is not with Demetrius. Demetrius says she should not be in the woods at
night. Helena says she feels safe with him. They argue a lot.

Body Paragraph 3
This is entertaining because Helena is chasing Demetrius. It is also important because it shows love can be
hard.

Conclusion
Shakespeare makes this scene interesting because the characters are confused and do not know what to do.

Assessment (Low-Level Essay)

 AO1: Limited reference to the text, mostly paraphrased.

 AO2: Shows some limited understanding of the scene’s simple/literal meaning.
 AO3: Little awareness of language or structure.
 AO4: Limited attempt at personal response.

Level 2–3 (6–10 marks)

This essay demonstrates a basic understanding with little supporting reference and only a simple personal
response. It could be improved by including more quotations, deeper analysis, and clearer explanation of
why the scene is significant and entertaining.