While the characters all end up in a relatively similar state to the one they began in, the journey they undertake is one of strange exchanges and differentiations in sexual desire. You could even say they had a learning experience, although the lesson seems to be a blur as everyone pairs off at the end of the show. More specifically, although Helena seems dismayed that Demetrius has fallen in love with Hermia, there are still homoerotic comments from one woman to another. In fact, Hermia spends far more time trying to find and control Helena's fate than she does attempting to woo Demetrius. This, again, is a way of bending gender roles in Shakespeare's works. In this time period, generally the woman was subordinate to the man in a relationship, her fate and well-being being solely under her husband's control. Helena tries to control Hermia, which she does by telling Demetrius of Hermia and Lysander's plan to run away together, exerting control over Hermia's lower nature. She explains: “I will go and tell him about the escape of the beautiful Hermia. Tomorrow night he will chase her into the woods" (1.1 246-247). If it weren't for Helena, there wouldn't be all this confusion and the story would have no basis. Essentially, she is the puppet master of the story and has full control of Hermia's fate. Shakespeare is bending the