Unrequited Love
Helena's Fire MIxtape
Theme: Love is not always returned AKA Life in the Friendzone
The theme here means that at the beginning of A MIdsummer Night's Dream, Helena was completely infatuated with Demetrius but this affection was not reciprocated. Shakespeare wants to craft the desires of Helena while having the reader realize how much Demetrius doesn't like Helena. Then this evolved into stronger lust, but when everyone was chasing after her, she rejected all of them.
Track One: Can't Fight This Feeling by REO Speedwagon
Helena would listen to this track at the beginning because she loves Demetrius but he won't take the next step and is now on Helena even though he was really nice to her before. She would direct the song to Demetrius and it would express her feelings and how she wants to be with him.
REO Speedwagon - Can't Fight This Feeling
Track Two: When I was Your Man by Bruno Mars
Helena would listen to this song second. She was previously with Demetrius but now that he's moved onto Hermia she is probably feeling messed up right now and wondering why he did that. So with all these conflicting feelings inside of her, this would be the song she definitely listened to during this time of the play.
Bruno Mars - When I Was Your Man [Official Video]
Track Three: Backstabbers by The O'Jays
This song is one that Helena would listen to because it describes her feelings towards being "backstabbed" by Hermia. She mentions that they grew up together and were close friends, but since Demetrius now likes her, she feels mad at her.
The O'Jays - Back Stabbers
Track Four: Forget You by Cee Lo Green
This is about how Helena is trying to get over what Hermia "did" to her. It is probably most likely what she was listening to when she first had the thought to try and betray her because she had to "forget" her first to backstab her.
Cee Lo Green "Forget You" (LIve at the 2011 NBA Sprite Dunk Contest 2-19-2011)
Track Five: Happy by Pharrell Williams
Helena would probably listen to this song because after figuring out where Hermia and Demetrius are going to go she can tell Demetrius. This means they can have some bonding time in the woods, Hermia is going to get whats coming, and Helena feels good about that. So after realizing the opportunities that she could have, she got really excited.
Pharrell Williams - Happy (Official Music Video)
Track Six: Into the Woods by Into the Woods Cast
This describes Helena and Demetrius's descent into the woods and the content of the song doesn't have much to do with the actual thing happening. But the upbeat tone and the fact that it is still about going into the woods gives Helena hope about the outcome of the situation.
P.S. (actual song from 1:30-3:00)
INTO THE WOODS 1988 Tony Awards
Track Seven: Grenade by Bruno Mars
This is about Helena pleading in the woods to Demetrius to love her. Even though he is being really mean to her right now, she is describing how she would do anything for him. It kind of captures the pleading desperate, "it wasn't supposed to happen like this" tone also.
Bruno Mars - Grenade [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
Track Eight: (I've Had) The Time Of My Life
This song describes the conflicting feelings that Helena is having because she is still reacting to how Demetrius was treating her. But then all of the sudden everybody likes her and she has no idea how to react to it.
Bill Medley, Jennifer Warnes - (I've Had) The Time Of My Life
Track Nine: Love Confusion
This song describes Helena's confusion because all of the sudden everybody likes her. She's still tripping off of Demetrius like she has been the whole play, but him suddenly liking her is weird. It now seems like she thinks that everybody is out to get her and she is just completely and utterly confused.
love confusion-kat deluna
Track Ten: Turn Down For What
This is about the resolution where Demetrius does end up loving Helena. The book doesn't explicitly say anything about Helena's reaction. But you can make a safe inference that she was ridiculously happy about that. So I thought this song was a good representation of how she probably felt at the end. She was in fact definitely getting hyped up and there is no better song than this one.