Demetrius is a very important and essential character to A Midsummer Night's Dream. At the beginning of the play he is in love with Hermia. Hermia is not in love with him, but with Lysander, and is being forced to marry Demetrius or she will be put to death. Demetrius claims Hermia as his right, and her father, Egeus, fully supports Demetrius. In this scene, although Hermia shows no interest in him, he still tries to convince her by saying, "Relent, sweet Hermia, and, Lysander, yield they crazed title to my certain right". He only seems to love the beauty of women, not what is on the inside or true feelings of any kind. Demetrius, in the beginning, yearned for the love of Hermia but was not good enough for her. Helena is in love with, or better explained, obsessed with Demetrius. She relentlessly chases him through the entire beginning of the play, and Demetrius grew very irritated, and even threatened her physically. He has no regard to Helena or her feelings, and said, "I"ll run from thee and hide me in the brakes and leave thee to the mercy of wild beasts." He also has a deep disrespect for Lysander, because he is in the way of his chances to pursue Hermia. When Hermia completely shuts out Demetrius, he starts to show true emotion and chooses not to persue her any longer. He said to Lysander, "Lysander, take thy Hermia." Demetrius basically only cares for what he wants and whom he must manipulate to get it. He is selfish, jealous, and hurtful to Hermia in the beginning, but as the play goes on, he becomes sensitive and loving. He is a very important and entertaining character to the play and it wouldn't be the same without him.
