Answer:
In the Act 1, Scene 1 of literary work A Midsummer Night's Dream, the Duke of Athens, Theseus is looking forward to his marriage to Hippolyta which is barely four days away.
Egeus enters the court to ask for the Duke's advice concerning his daughter Hermia and her marriage. He (Egeus) has already agreed for Demetrius to get married to Hermia but unfortunately his daughter is in love with Lysander who is also interested in getting married to her.
The Duke reminds him that by law, his daughter should marry whoever her father chooses for her otherwise he can have her killed.
Hermia pleads with the Duke for clemency and he gives her until the day of his wedding to make up her mind or face death.
Lysander, the one Hermia loves tries to broker peace by saying it is Demetrius that Hermia loves.
After they leave court, Lysander and Hermia plan to elope to his aunt's place and get married because they would be outside the reach of Athenian law.
Helena is a maiden that is in love with Demetrius but is frustrated because he is not interested in her. Hermia takes Helena into her confidence and tells her that they plan to elope the next day and then she would be free to get married to Demetrius. She begs her to keep the secret to herself but Helena in her naivety decides to tell Demetrius about their plans so that he could somehow fall in love with her because of what she revealed to him.
CHARACTERIZATION
1. Hermia: Daughter of Egeus, she refuses to get married to Demetrius because she is in love with Lysander. She fiercely believe in her love that she's ready to run away, leaving everything behind for love.
2. Lysander: He's in love with Hermia but she is already betrothed to someone else. He tried to salvage the situation at the Duke's place by claiming that it was Demetrius that Hermia loves.
3. Helena: She is in love with Demetrius although he doesn't love her. She believes that by revealing the escape plans of Hermia and Lysander, Demetrius would somehow love her.
4. Theseus: Duke of Athens, firm up holder of Athenian laws.
