How Things Can Go from Bad to Worse.
The Duke decides
The Duke looked at Hermia. 'Come here, Hermia, my dear,' he said.
Hermia walked towards the Duke. She felt frightened and angry, both at the same time.
'Hermia, you should obey your father, you know,' said the Duke. 'Look, now; Demetrius really is a fine young man.'
'So is Lysander!' said Hermia.
'But your father likes Demetrius,' said the Duke. 'So you should like Demetrius more than Lysander.'
'I wish my father could see Lysander through my eyes,' said Hermia.
'You should look at Demetrius through your father's eyes,' replied the Duke, sharply.
Hermia was sad.
'Please, sir,' she said. 'If I do not marry Demetrius, what will happen to me?'
The Duke looked stern.
'The law in our city says if you do not obey your father and marry the man he chooses for you, you must die. Or you must become a nun,' he said.
'A nun?'
'You must go far away from here,' the Duke explained. 'You must go to a place where only women live. You will spend all your time praying to God. You will never look at a young man ever again. You will never marry anyone.'
'I will not marry someone I do not like,' said Hermia. 'If I cannot marry Lysander, then I will become a nun.'
Demetrius and Lysander
Demetrius had been looking more and more unhappy as he listened to the words of the Duke and Hermia. He could not stop himself from speaking.
'Please, dearest Hermia,' he said, 'please think again.'
Hermia looked at him angrily, and said nothing.
Demetrius turned to Lysander. 'Lysander,' he said, 'you should stop all this, here and now. Hermia's father likes me. He does not want you to marry her.'
'But Hermia loves me,' said Lysander. You have her father's love, Demetrius. Let me have Hermia's. You should marry her father!'
Sometimes Lysander's sense of humour made things worse.
'You are right about one thing, Lysander,' said Egeus. 'Demetrius does have my love. And because I love him I will give him anything I have. Hermia, my daughter, is mine; so I give her to Demetrius.'
Hermia looked very displeased at this.
Lysander turned to the Duke. 'Sir,' he said, 'this is very unfair. I am as good as Demetrius. My family is just as important as his family. I am as rich as he is. I love Hermia more than he does. And most important of all, Hermia loves me. She does not love Demetrius at all. I do not see why I cannot marry Hermia.'
The Duke looked thoughtful. Then he stood up. Someone --a lady-- had just walked into the room, and was coming towards him. She smiled at the Duke, and he at her.
Lysander continued. 'In fact, sir,' he said, 'Demetrius has another lady's love. Her name is Helena. She is devoted to Demetrius. She loves him more than anyone or anything else in the world, poor thing.'
The Duke will get married
'Yes,' said the Duke. 'I heard about that just the other day. I was going to talk to Demetrius about it, but I have been too busy. You see,' he said, taking the hand of the smiling lady. 'I, too, am in love with someone, and am going to be married soon. I am going to marry this lovely lady.'
And the Duke and the lady, whose name was Hyppolita, both smiled happily at everyone.
'In fact,' said the Duke, 'we have to start getting ready for our wedding day, which will be in four day's time. There is a great deal to do.
He looked at the four in front of him.
'Egeus and Demetrius, you two come with me. I want to have a serious talk with both of you. Hermia, I give you four days to think about your future. Four days from now I shall marry Hyppolita. On that day I hope you will agree to marry Demetrius. If not, then you must become a nun, or you will die.'
The Duke appeared to have forgotten all that Lysander had told him. He walked out of the room with Hyppolita, Egeus and Demetrius, and the other men and women. Hermia and Lysander were left standing there, alone.