Discuss the depiction of 'Helena' in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

Helena's character is the epitome of unrequited love. Her intrinsically irrational nature stemming from her emotional instability is clearly demonstrated in Act 3 Scene 2 through the elongated "O" sound that carries the weight of her emotion: "O spite! O hell!", which is further developed by the exclamatory punctuation that is so representative of her volatile nature. Ultimately, it is her internal instability that defines her external behaviour as a woman unloved.

HM

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