Shakespeare Paper #1: Helena & Hermia Hermia and Helena are essentially the same, but conflicting love that gets in the way of their friendship causes the audience to question the personalities of the two women, who were often referred to as one. In A Midsummer Night’s Dream the introduction of Puck’s love potion alters the balance of love between the four romantics, and turns Hermia and Helena against each other, but ultimately shows that Hermia and Helena essentially are the same. Hermia and Helena’s relationship and personalities change in light of the love potion, but throughout most of their lives they have kept a sister-like friendship. When Helena comes upon Demetrius, Hermia, and Lysander in the woods, and in assuming Hermia has plotted against her, she refers to their friendship that has grown over many years. She refers to “the sisters’ vows, the hours we have spent,” and “all the school-days’ friendship, childhood innocence”(3.2.?). Here it is evident that they are and have been such good friends that they vowed into a sisterhood together. Helena goes on to say that they did everything together and are so much alike that they are practically one person. She says, “As if our hands, our sides, voices and minds,/Had been incorporate. So we grew together,”(3.2?). Helena implies they nearly share the same soul when she says, “with two seeming bodies, but one heart”(3.2.?). There is much evidence to support that Helena and Hermia have been not only friends, but like sisters since their childhood adolescence. Furthermore, that this sisterhood has grown into a bond so strong that Helena refers to them as one. Similarly, it could be argued that together, Helena and Hermia are perfect for one another not only in terms of friendship but also in appearance. Physically, they complemented each other like yin and yang. Helena has “tall personage,”(3.2.292)