Unrequited Love
Helena's Playlist
Theme: Loving someone is terrible, unless they love you back.
In the play A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, there is a character named Helena who falls for a boy who hates her. Then in a surprising turn of events, he is drugged and falls in love with her. But she is so confused as to why he loves her all of a sudden, that she thinks he is messing with her and pushes him away. In the end, the drug spell is lifted and he stops being in love with her, and she half-loves him again; her love is still unrequited, however. Most importantly, at the end of the play, everything returns to normal.
Selena Gomez - Come & Get It
Come & Get It // Selena Gomez
"When you're ready, come and get it" This song would be on Helena's playlist because it describes her affection for Demetrius. This song's message is that whenever the guy is ready to love the girl, the girl will immediately start loving him. Fits Helena perfectly, doesn't it?
Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me
You Belong With Me // Taylor Swift
"Have you ever thought just maybe you belong with me" This song would be on Helena's playlist because she feels that Demetrius and herself would be perfect together. This song's message is exactly that; the girl thinks the guy is perfect for her and she for him.
Selena Gomez - The Heart Wants What It Wants (Official Video)
The Heart Wants What It Wants // Selena Gomez
"Save your advice cause I won't hear it, you might be right but I don't care; there's a million reasons why I should give you up, but the heart wants what it wants" That's just one part of the song; the whole song describes Helena's situation. She knows Demetrius is really mean and bad to her, but she's in love with him anyway, and she can't control what her heart wants. That is the whole message of this song.
Maroon 5 - Maps
Maps // Maroon 5
"I'm following the map that leads to you" This song is perfect for Helena's playlist because it describes how she will follow Demetrius anywhere, and always search for him, because she is so in love with him. That's precisely what the song is about.
Coldplay - A Sky Full Of Stars (Official audio)
A Sky Full of Stars // Coldplay
"And I don't care, go on and tear me apart; and I don't care if you do. But in a sky, but in a sky full of stars, I think I saw you" This song describes Helena's relationship with Demetrius well because Demetrius always "tears Helena apart" but Helena doesn't care, and loves him anyway. In fact, she loves him so much that he is her "star" guiding her to what her heart wants.
'N Sync - Bye Bye Bye
Bye Bye Bye // 'N Sync
"I loved you endlessly when you weren't there for me" and "Don't wanna be a fool for you, just another player in your game for two" When Demetrius suddenly falls for Helena, she thinks he's messing with her out of spite. So she immediately stops being in love with him, cause suddenly his horrible attitude towards her gets personal. This song would be on her playlist because it expresses her feelings towards Demetrius (and Lysander) at this point in the story.
Cher Lloyd - I Wish ft. T.I.
I Wish // Cher Lloyd ft. T.I.
"Baby I've seen the chick you're with; wish that I never did. Freaking perfect and 5 foot 10; just wanna punch her lip" and "I wish I was tall, I wish I was fast, I wish I could show up with a bag full of cash, cause if I want you, I've gotta have that. Come, come, kiss me, boy. I wish I had style, I wish I had flash, I wish I could wake up with a butt and a rack, cause if I want you, I've gotta have that. Come, come, kiss me, boy" Throughout the whole play, Helena is always complaining that Hermia is so pretty and wonderful and gets all the boys, and wondering why she herself can't be like that. This song voices a lot of jealousy, so it's perfect to describe how Helena feels about Hermia.
Demi Lovato - Really Don't Care (Official Video) ft. Cher Lloyd
Really Don't Care // Demi Lovato ft. Cher Lloyd
"You started messing with my head until I hit a wall, I guess I should've known" and "Even if the stars and moon collide, I never want you back into my life. You can take your words and all your lies, I really don't care" and "You don't deserve to know the way I used to think about you" These lyrics define Helena's feelings toward Demetrius after he falls in love with her perfectly. She really doesn't care about him, because she thinks he's lying to her, so she tells him to get out and stop lying to and messing around with her.
Fifth Harmony - BO$$ (BOSS)
BO$$ // Fifth Harmony
"You say that you're a baller and I see you trying to holla but that ain't how I was brought up...next!" and "I ain't thirsty for no bae, cause I already know what you trying to say" This is Helena's ideal song for telling Demetrius (after he falls in "love" with her) that she doesn't want him; she isn't "thirsty for no bae" and she is proud that she is free from him, but at the same time, upset with him because she still thinks he's making fun of her.
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
Paper Planes // M.I.A.
"I fly like paper, get high like planes" This line kinda says hey, everybody messes up, including me, and I want to just live my life instead of worrying about whatever I did. That's what Helena feels like at the end of the play, when she and Demetrius and Hermia and Lysander are "cool" and back to normal. Demetrius is acting normal again, not in love with Helena, and Helena half-loves him, but it's all okay, and life is good. That is the message to me, and that's why this song would be on Helena's playlist.
LORDE - The Love Club (music video)
The Love Club // Lorde
"What about the kid? It's time the kid got free" and "Take the pill, make it too real" and "Be a part of the love club; everything will glow for you" This song would be on Helena's playlist because it describes how at the end of the play, everything goes back to normal for the four teens, and Helena's all caught in this reality that seems so good to her, because the one where everyone wanted to date her was so crazy. "The pill" is a good representation of the love potion given to Demetrius and Lysander. "Take the pill..." paints a picture of how she thought Demetrius loving her would be the best thing, but instead, it got her really confused and wasn't so good after all. "The kid" getting free is her; free from all her confusion and worries. She goes back to her normal life with her "friends" and rejoins her "Love Club" again.
Keri Hilson - Turn my Swag on (Original version)
Turn My Swag On // Keri Hilson
Everybody needs to turn their swag on, especially Helena. I think she would listen to this while dancing on her bed wildly (alone, of course) like all us girls do. Whenever she felt down in this play, I feel like she would turn this song on, channel her inner Queen Bey, rock out, and feel better. This would be Helena telling off the world, screaming that she has swag.