How Two Shakespearean Couples Resolve the Conflict in Their Relationships In Shakespeare’s comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and As You Like It, the playwright deals with love, relationships, and how couples come to terms with their problems and resolve the conflicts within themselves and with those around them. Both of the plays point out that when individuals look within themselves and face the issues that are keeping them apart from the one they love, they can begin to heal the relationship. Helena and Demetrius from A Midsummer Night’s Dream go to the forest to run away from their problems while Rosalind and Orlando from As You Like It are forced to flee to the forest because they are no longer welcomed in their homes. Both couples find the forest to be a place of refuge and are able to resolve their conflicts and come together in the end of their respective plays to be married.Helena and Rosalind both are in love with a man that they cannot have until the conflict is resolved. Helena has been rejected by Demetrius, who now says he is in love with Hermia, Helena’s best friend. Helena is devastated and asks Hermia to help her regain Demetrius’ love and attention by teaching Helena how to be more like Hermia:The rest I’ll give to be to you translated.O, teach me how you look, and with what artYou sway the motion of Demetrius’ heart. (1.1.191-193)Helena suffers from a low self-esteem and cannot accept Demetrius’ rejection of her. Helena is described as the “ideal woman” of the time in that she is tall, blond, and fair skinned, whereas Hermia is shorter, dark haired, and olive-skinned. In spite of their appearances, Helena is jealous of Hermia because Demetrius is now in love with her: Demetrius loves your fair, O happy fair!You eyes are lodestars, and your tongue’s sweet airMore tuneable than lark to shepherd’s e...
