A Midsummer Night's Dream - Helena's Soliloquy Vocabulary

A set of 25 vocabulary flashcards analyzing key terms, archaic words, and figures of speech from Helena's soliloquy.

Athens

The city throughout which the speaker states she is thought to be just as fair as Hermia.

Fair

Beautiful or pleasing in appearance; the quality by which the speaker is considered equal to Hermia throughout Athens.

Demetrius

The man who dotes on Hermia's eyes, does not think the speaker is as fair as Hermia, and dissolved his hail of oaths.

Hermia

The woman upon whose eyes Demetrius dotes, whose heat melted his oaths, and whose upcoming flight the speaker plans to disclose.

Holding no quantity

Lacking proportion, measure, or inherent value; used to describe base and vile things that Love is able to transform.

Transpose

To transform, convert, or change base and vile things into form and dignity.

Form and dignity

Qualities of shape, beauty, and noble worth into which Love is able to convert base and vile things.

Love

The force described as looking with the mind rather than the eyes, lacking judgment taste, and repeatedly beguiled in choice.

Winged Cupid

The mythological personification of Love painted blind because Love perceives through the mind rather than the eyes.

Blind

The state in which winged Cupid is painted, signifying that Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind.

Judgment taste

Any trace, sense, or capacity of sound judgment or discernment, which Love's mind completely lacks.

Figure

To symbolize or represent, as wings paired with an absence of eyes symbolize unheedy haste.

Unheedy haste

Careless, reckless, and thoughtless speed, represented symbolically by wings and no eyes.

Child

What Love is said to be because he is so frequently deceived and misled in his choices.

Beguiled

Deceived, tricked, or led astray, explaining why Love is characterized as a child.

Waggish boys

Playful or mischievous boys who break their solemn oaths while engaging in games.

Forswear

To break an oath or swear falsely, as done by waggish boys in game.

Perjured

Guilty of swearing falsely or breaking vows; a condition said to characterize the boy Love everywhere.

Eyne

An archaic poetic term for eyes, referring to Hermia's eyes before which Demetrius hailed down oaths to the speaker.

Hailed down oaths

Copiously and intensely showered promises and vows, as Demetrius did to swear he was exclusively the speaker's.

Dissolved

Melted away or vanished like hail under heat, describing Demetrius's showers of oaths after feeling heat from Hermia.

Hermia’s flight

Hermia's secret escape or departure, which the speaker intends to reveal to Demetrius.

The wood

The forest where Demetrius will pursue Hermia tomorrow night after learning of her escape.

Intelligence

Information or news, specifically referring to the report of Hermia's flight given to Demetrius.

Dear expense

A costly or painful sacrifice, characterizing the high emotional price of receiving Demetrius's thanks for revealing Hermia's flight.