Diary entries for Midsummer Night's Dream, Act 1 Scene 1

You are Lysander.  In your personal diary, outline your plan to elope with Hermia.  Why is she so wonderful?

           Tomorrow night is the time. I will leave Athens without turning back to meet my lovely Hermia in the woods so we can escape this wretched town. Our love is not accepted here; Egeus is a terrible and stubborn man and the law is harsh. Luckily I have a plan so we can be happy together. My aunt who lives far away from here where the Athenian law does not stretch, has a place where we can go to be married. She is wealthy and has no children but considers me her dearest son. No own will know until morning and by that time we will be so far gone they’ll never find us. I wish to be wit Hermia for the rest of my life and Theseus, Demetrius and Egeus will not stop me. Our love is too strong to be broken by the law. Hermia is my one true lover, my heart, and soul. She is beautiful, caring and perfect in every way that matters. I don’t see how this plan will not work; I cannot withhold my excitement to meet her so that we may start our own journey together.

You are Helena.  In your personal diary, describe your decision at the end of this scene.  Comment on how it feels to be in love with Demetrius, keeping in mind that he is in love with your best friend, Hermia.  Given this situation, what conflicting emotions are you experiencing?

           This is it. The perfect opportunity to show Demetrius that I am deserving of his affection and that there is no future for him with Hermia. Before, he promised that he was mine and that I was lovely. People in Athens think I’m just as pretty as Hermia but that doesn’t matter to him. He has his eyes set on that girl. I will tell him right away of Hermia and Lysander’s plan, he will be grateful to me and I will spend time with him going through the woods to find them. This is my only shot, he may not change his feelings toward me but at least I can mess up his relationship with Hermia then he may realize that his only true lover is standing right beside him.
But oh, is this a good idea? Hermia who I have known since my childhood, a good kind friend with whom I spent so much time? Oh who am I kidding; she’s beautiful and perfect in every way, she doesn’t deserve to have everything go her way all the time. I deserve Demetrius’s love, not her. She has two men flaunting over her and doesn’t care at all; that would never happen to me. She is a selfish girl who only cares for herself. I will ruin this little plan of hers, she is so stupid as well; why did she tell me? It doesn’t matter now, I have all the control over this and Demetrius will come back to me in the end.