Demetrius

fictional character in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

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June 25, 2026

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Demetrius is a fictional character in William Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. He is one of the four young Athenians whose romantic entanglements drive the plot.12

Initially, Demetrius is pursued by Helena, but he is in love with Hermia and is favored by Hermia's father, Egeus, to marry her. However, due to the meddling of the fairy Puck, Demetrius is enchanted by a love potion and mistakenly falls in love with Helena instead. This causes considerable confusion and conflict among the lovers. Ultimately, the enchantments are reversed, and Demetrius is restored to his original affections.213

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The lovers’ conflict in Athens (Act I)
…father demands that she marry Demetrius. Hoping to win Demetrius’s favor, Helena tells him their whereabouts and follows him to the forest, where he goes in search of Hermia.
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…father demands that she marry Demetrius. Hoping to win Demetrius’s favor, Helena tells him their whereabouts and follows him to the forest, where he goes in search of Hermia.
Read More