The Best and the Worst of Love
Helena's Mix Tape
Theme: Love brings out the best and the worst of people!
Throughout the play, Helena is influenced by love to make choices. As these choices are made, they can make the character seem really nice and kind, or in other cases, mean, selfish, and ignorant. Most importantly, these choices really show the reader and the audience how much the characters in A Midsummer Night's Dream can be changed and influenced by love. Helena is one of the better examples of this story, because in the beginning, love makes her very insistent and demanding, but as the story progresses, she becomes more likable, but during her argument with Hermia, love truly brings out the worst in her. I also think that Shakespeare really tried to make love and choices really prominent and related because of how often they were paired as themes. The play was also focused around love, so the fact that it would be a defining factor in the choices made by the characters was fitting too.
The Who - Behind Blue Eyes (Original Version)
Track One: Behind Blue Eyes - The Who
In the beginning of the play, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena goes on ranting about perfect and lovely Hermia is. She continues to talk about how amazing Hermia is, and contrasting her directly to herself. After an argument, she has another argument within herself that keeps blaming other people for her feelings. She goes on to really insult and wish ill on other characters, notably Demetrius and Hermia. In the song, Behind Blue Eyes by the Who, it talks about how the lead singer goes through pain that nobody else can understand. Helena seems to be going through this thought process too because she blames Demetrius and Helena for not knowing what she is going through mentally, and she also tries to tell them that too. In this song the lead singer, Roger Daltrey, really tries to have the girl he is theoretically talking to understand him. Helena could relate to this song during the opening scene, as this was when she had a similar thought process as this song dictates. This scene also makes Hermia seem lonely and a little bit harsh and self-centered, which also shows how love can really bring out the worst in people. All the time during the opening scene, this seems to be a re-occuring theme for Helena.
FROZEN Do You Want to Build a Snowman Kristen Bell, Agatha Lee Monn & Katie Lopez from Frozen HD
Track Two: Do You Want to Build a Snowman - Frozen
I think that if Hermia was going to listen to this question, then she would probably listen to the part where Elsa is in the bedroom and says "Go away Anna". Helena could relate to this directly as she is constantly trying to get Demetrius' attention, and in return, Demetrius is just rejecting Helena. I think that Helena would listen to this song in the beginning of the play because this is the point in time where she is getting rejected by Demetrius. This song also shows Anna repeatedly trying to get the attention of Elsa, but alas, she can't really get a response other than a stern no. The same thing happens with Helena because repeatedly throughout the beginning of the book. In this way do I think that Helena could directly relate to the song: Do You Want to Build a Snowman. I also think that this shows how characters, such as Demetrius and Elsa, make really poor choices that make them seem to be very mean and self-centered. In this way this song is also prevalent because Demetrius was doing things out of love that made him seem very unreasonable and mean.
WAR - WHY CAN'T WE BE FRIENDS
Track Three: Why Can't We be Friends? - War
When Helena is following Demetrius in the woods, she pleads to him repeatedly to at least like her. During this scene, Demetrius is the antagonist, as he refuses all of her attempts to win him. In this song, the band War sings about why two people can't be friends. The lyrics suggest pleading to someone, so that they may become friend, even though they may have a difference. In both the music and the play, the difference seems to be one that is a hard one to overcome, as neither end with a fixed up situation. In this way the song and play scene are similar. Helena could relate to this directly as she was pleading to Demetrius for his love and friendship and in reply she got nothing. In this scene, Helena is portrayed as an innocent person, and Demetrius is portrayed as a hater and self-indulgent character. So this is a reverse to the previous theme of Helena being a dislikable character who made decisions that were badly influenced by love.
Queen - Somebody To Love
Track Four: Somebody To Love - Queen
This song by Queen, tells of the despairs of Freddie Mercury, who is trying to find "Somebody To Love". During Act 2, Helena stumbles upon Lysander who wakes up and starts proclaiming his love for her. The relation between this song and the play is sort of contradictory. This is so because during all of the play leading up to this scene, Helena was looking for love, and now she has found it, just in the wrong person. In this way, she has really gotten what she was wanting, but not exactly. I think that this song actually goes deeper than this. In the song, the lyrics indicate a very desperate tone and feeling that indicates that the person just wants Somebody To Love. The same thing happens in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Helena wants to find love, preferably Demetrius, but in the end she seems desperate. During the play, I think that Helena would listen to this song right before she finds Lysander, as at that point in time, she is still very desperate for love. This scene has love make her seem very lost and in despair. This would make the audience feel bad for her, and maybe have a bit more sympathy for her once she realizes that Lysander loves her.
Van Halen - Women and Children First - Could This Be Magic
Track Five: Could This Be Magic - Van Halen
After the surprise of Lysander, Demetrius wakes up and also declares his love for Helena. The thing is, Helena thinks that this is all a big joke, but what she doesn't know is that it was actually Robin who put a Magic potion into both of their eyes. The song, Could This Be Magic, hits this scene perfectly. It talks about a plot and how the sudden turn of events could actually be love, or could this be magic? In the play, Helena doesn't believe that the sudden turn of events are real, so she tells the men that she thinks that this is some clever ploy to make her feel bad about her not having a lover. This would be the substitution of Magic in Helena's mind because she is probably thinking: Is this love or just a clever ploy? The song is actually right about it being magic, so in this way it is more prevalent than what Helena might be thinking. For it to make the most sense, Helena would have to listen to this song right when Demetrius proclaims his love for her, and it just sinks in. This way, she could really connect with the song.
Monty Python - Holy Grail French Taunting
Track Six: Monty Python French Taunting
During this scene, King Arthur and his knights of the round table, are at a castle and meet a French person who taunts them. Helena did the exact same thing when Hermia shows up. She accuses Demetrius, Lysander, and Hermia to have launched a ploy to make her feel bad. In response, she is insistent and insults them, calling them swine, devils, and other insults that are very offensive. There is a connection... In this video/clip, the French man blatantly insulted the Arthur company for no reason, Helena did the same thing, essentially, but this time she was insulting them for a real purpose, not just for fun as the French person was doing. In both scene's the taunter, Helena and Frenchie, are made out to be very annoying people. In Helena's case, her love situation causes her to come across as spiteful and mean. This shows how love can really bring out the worst in you. This trait seemed to disappear for a little while, but now it is here again, showing how unpredictable love can make choices, especially when magic is in the equation.
Ramble On - Led Zeppelin
Track Seven: Ramble On - Led Zeppelin
In this song, a man has lost his girl to someone else. He deems his life worthless and purposeless. In one verse, he dabbles into Middle Earth legend and talks of sorcery and magic that led to the losing of his love. This relates to Hermia just as much as Helena. For Helena, she now has two boys who like her and now she doesn't know what to do. She has lost her love for Demetrius because she thinks that he is just faking the whole thing about him loving her. However for Hermia, she truly lost her love to magic and others. In this way she can even better relate to this song. This is because when magic elixir was put into Lysander's eyes, he woke up to Helena and she lost him to a silly spell. The same thing is illustrated in Ramble On by Led Zeppelin. This scene also makes Helena and Hermia seem gentle and innocent because their love was taken by magic and now all they can do is "Ramble On". If Helena was to listen to this song, to would make the most sense to have her hear it when Hermia finds out about her loss, as she could feel more empathy for her friend and maybe try to be more kind to her. This could also possibly help with their relationship as they would possible understand each other a bit more.
Michael jackson - Billy Jean
Track Eight: Billy Jean - Michael Jackson
After the whole discussion between all of the lovers, Demetrius and Lysander continue arguing in front of Helena. They fight over her just like in the song Billy Jean by Michael Jackson. This song and the play both illustrate a situation where there are two men who are in love with a girl. There is also a similar problem in them too. Michael Jackson is black, and in the video, there are police tying to arrest him for that because at that time there were specific rules and segregation laws in place. In the play there is also a slight problem too. If Lysander really wants too win over Helena, he will have to overcome Demetrius who Helena actually loves. So this will make the argument very inconvenient. As this section of the play rolls out, both of the men are made out to be very insistent and self-centered which really shows how much the love potion influenced their decisions. Note: This would not be a very good trait to have when you are trying to win over a girl...
John Lennon - Imagine (official video)
Track Nine: Imagine - John Lennon
At this point in the play, the lovers try to repent for what they have said. Helena especially tries to make things better for all of them by telling Hermia that she is sorry for all of this, because by now she believes that this wasn't a game and tries to amend things. As she does this, the other characters attempt to do this as well, but once again it ends up just reverting back to the insults and arguing. In Imagine by John Lennon, he talks about a peaceful world and how everyone gets along with each other. This song was produced at a time where there was lots of peace movements and anti-war and hippie vibes. In my opinion, the play sort of allows a small glimpse of that kind of theme for a minute. The song is also related to the play because they both talk about friendship and love, and those topics are very evident throughout the play, especially now, as they are arguing about love and friendship. I Helena was to listen to this song right as they are talking about how they are sorry, I think that it would be the most prevalent time to listen to this song. This is so because during that scene, she could connect and relate to the song the most. This song also shows how in that scene, the characters came across as a little more nice and aware of each other.
Don't Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John & Kiki Dee
Track Ten: Don't Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John
After a dreadful/stressful sleep, Helena wakes up to a wonderful surprise. Robin has fixed his mistake, and now Lysander and Hermia are once again in love. The even better surprise is that Demetrius now truly loves Helena. But this time, Helena knows that this is real love, not some illusion of make fun of her. The song, Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John illustrates the same sort of theme, but not exactly. The lyrics outline a woman and a man telling each other, in a figurative way, that they will never leave each other. I think that when Helena discovered that Demetrius actually likes her, I think she reassured him of her love, and him the same. This is exactly the same dialogue that happens in the song as well. The other thing is that Helena could still feel uncertain about his love, so she takes the role of Elton and asks Demetrius if he truly loves her. I think that this song would be perfect if it was listened to when Demetrius woke up and Helena realized that he actually loved her because at that time she could have felt a little doubt. As that is what the song partially references, that would make Helena feel re-assured about Demetrius' love for her. This is really a point in the play where love brings together the audience and the characters to show how powerful and amazing love is. It really makes Helena look affectionate and kind. This would be a theme lasting for the rest of the play...
Foreplay/Long Time - Boston
Track Eleven: Foreplay Long Time - Boston
After all of the magic and voodoo magic is settled, the lovers meet the elders and they are going to be married. Lysander with Hermia, Demetrius and Helena. This song, by Boston, talks about a person who someone has been trying to get a girl, and eventually he does and everything turns out all right. In essence this is exactly what happened with Helena and Demetrius, there was rejection and then everything turned out great. If I were Helena, I would listen to this after Egeus had allowed for Demetrius to marry her. This brings out the best in Helena and Demetrius alike, as they (Robin) were able to finally come to their differences and be lovers.
I Bet You They Won't Play This Song On The Radio
Track Twelve: I bet you they won't play this song on the radio - monty python
This is sort-of a blooper that I decided to add to Helena's mix tape. It is a really pointless song that has a bunch of humor and mistakes in it. While listening, I thought that this song would go really well with the play put on by Bottom, as it was one of the worst plays ever. So that is when I would not only have Helena, but the whole audience listen to this and get a kick out of it! It also relates to Bottom's play because he talks out of character and the lead singer does the same thing by directly talking to the listener. NOTE: There is some reference to some language, but no direct inappropriate stuff.