Oberon: [Advancing] Welcome, good Robin. Seest thou this sweet sight?
Her dotage now I do begin to pity;
For, meeting her of late behind the wood
Seeking sweet favours for this hateful fool,
I did upbraid her and fall out with her:
For she his hairy temples then had rounded
With coronet of fresh and fragrant flowers;
And that same dew, which sometime on the buds
Was wont to swell like round and orient pearls,
Stood now within the pretty flowerets’ eyes
Like tears, that did their own disgrace bewail.
When I had at my pleasure taunted her,
And she in mild terms had begg’d my patience,
And I then did ask of her her changeling child;
Which straight she gave me, and her fairy sent
To bear him to my bower in fairy land.
And now I have the boy, I
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And thy fair virtue’s force perforce doth move me
On the first view to say, to swear, I love thee.
(3, 1, 64-68)
This statement is highly irrational because at this point he has the head of a donkey and therefore her “eye enthrallèd to thy shape” as well as her proclaiming her love by the first words she speaks to him. This can be seen as irrational love.
Another form of irrational love is that of Helena to Demetrius. This can be used as an example of irrational love that is not spell bound. Helena, who was once engaged to Demetrius, is still madly in love with him even though he is betroved to marry Hermia. He says horrible things to Helena like in Act 2, Scene 1, lines 218-219 Demetrius tells Helena, "Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit/ For I am sick when I do look on thee." Which means he hates her and is disgusted by her. This example is not the first insult thrown at Helena by Demetrius however this does not skew her love towards him as she says:
Through Athens I am thought as fair as she.
But what of that? Demetrius thinks not so.
He will not know what all but he do know.
And as he errs, doting on Hermia’s eyes,
So I, admiring of his qualities.
Things base and vile, holding no