Introduction
Demetrius is an Athenian young nobleman and inconsistent lover. He was initially in love with Hermia and finally fell in love with Helena. He appears to be the perfect gentleman to the extent that Hermia’s father, Egeus, favors him, and the duke of Athens, Theseus, decree that he must marry Hermia. The audience learns about the character due to his unrelenting and persistent pursuit of Hermia, which throws love out of balance among the three Athenian youths and precludes a symmetrical two-couple arrangement. Demetrius switched his attention from Helena to Hermia after laying his eyes on her breaking the promises he had to Helena. The audience does not admire his persistence in pursuing Hermia, Helena’s friend, and she does not encourage him. As the play progresses, the audience learns that he was not a good person and can be cruel at times since he treats Helena horribly and even at one point threatens to leave her at the mercy of the wild beasts. His love for her quickly turns into hate telling her that “I am sick when I do look upon thee," and there no signs that he would ever return Helena’s love without love portion.
At the start, Demetrius is not a likable character since he is stubborn and arrogant. Nonetheless, in the end, his character type is one of the major romantic characters in the play. Through his actions, the audience can learn about the play's attitude toward love by reflecting on his behavior and actions. Ultimately he can realize his true love changing his mind to marry Hermia through a love spell. He is a man who seems to fall out of love as fast as he falls in love. It is due to his fickle nature that the story exists. He treated Helena horribly and scorned her, and for unknown reasons, he decides it would be better to marry Hermia and began to pursue her. He ran after a woman who was in love with another man developing a complex love circle that created the whole story. He scorns a woman who he once purportedly loved, and once rejected by Hermia. He finds his way to win her back by winning his father's affection. As such, Demetrius is arrogant since he is keen to marry Hermia, although he knows that she does not love her back. Helena is in love with him, but uses her for information about Hermia and scolds her.
Demetrius' personality is embodied as selfish and is used to get what he wants by any means. For instance, he was to marry Hermia even if she does not love by earning her father's favor and trust. He also plays very fast with other people’s feelings. Nonetheless, he does not forget his spiritual anguish. While he is a romantic person with a volatile and inconsistent personality, his persistence is excellent. Demetrius displays emotions of love to both Hermia and Helena, hate and anger toward Helena pursuing him.
Furthermore, he feels and jealous of Lysander and even follows him to the forest with a motive to slay him. Demetrius is not concerned about other people as long as he gets what he wants. In the play, Demetrius motivation Hermia. At least he loves her or the idea of marrying her. And he is determined to marry her no matter what.
Conclusion
The main challenge that Demetrius encounters Hermia is not returning his feelings. Both Demetrius and Lysander are in love with Hermia. Hermia does not love Demetrius; instead, she loves bystanders to the point of going against his father's wishes and the order of the duke of Athens. As such, Lysander stops him from attaining his desire to marry Hermia by eloping with her. The lover spell also prevents him from acquiring his desires. Demetrius' character grows from an inconsistent lover, insensitive, stubborn, and arrogant to lover. He realizes that Helena is his true love after the love spell and commits to her. As such, he is instrumental in resolving the play conflict since his going back to Helena breaks the love circle whereby Hermia ends with her love Lysander. In contrast, Helena ends with her love Demetrius.
