Love is presented in many different forms in the play. One of the ways is "young love" as seen between Hermia, Lynsander, Helena and Demetrius. The quote 'The course of true love never did run smooth' is a comment from Lynsander and sums up the play as the characters in the play will face hurdles and barriers to find love and they will act irrationally. The relationship between Hermia and Lysander present this; Hermia is given an ultimatum by her father to either marry Demetrius or be put to death. Another option is for her to become a nun. Hermia indicates she would chose to become a nun when she says 'I will tield my virgin patent up Unto his lordship'. .
Hermia and Lynsander decide to elope which means she has clearly ignored her father's 'threat' and wants to be with Lysander, instead of Demetrius whom Egues gives consent for her to marry. This presents love as being passionate. Also, it conveys that people are willing to cross boundaries to be with somebody they love and desire to be with. Linking to the topic of 'crossing boundaries' Helena is told about Hermia and Lynsander's plan to elope together and even though her and Hermia have been best friends since they were young, due to her love for Demetrius she cannot help herself from telling him. She believes that he will change his mind about whom he loves but this is not the case. Helena's shameless pursuit of Demetrius is exemplified when she says 'We should be wooed, and were not made to woo.' In the long term the lovers are correctly paired together: Lynsander to Hermia and Demetrius to Helena. .
Demetrius says to Helena 'Oh Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!' This is said in Act III, Scene 2 when he is under the spell. This reinforces the point that love can be distorted easily as in the beginning of the play Helena is 'neglected' and treated like an 'animal' by Demetrius. Hermia is seen as a strong feminist character during the play and believes she has too much self-respect to marry a man chosen for her by her father.
