The fond pageant – the highest point of tension (the climax) as well as the highest point of hilarity – begins after Puck announces that preposterous events are forthcoming. Helena enters the stage with Lysander (still under the influence of the magic love potion) in close pursuit (at line 122).
Helena thinks that Lysander is just mocking her or making fun of her, but Lysander declares that his tears are his “badge of faith” (127). He is implying that if he were just joking or teasing her, he would not be crying. Lysander is begging Helena to take him seriously, but she obviously cannot. Helena believes that Lysander’s tears are just his “cunning” way to fool her, for she knows that he truly loves Hermia. Yet, Lysander boldly declares that his words to Hermia were spoken rashly:
I had no judgement when to her I swore. (134)
Actually, Lysander is not entirely incorrect in his statement. His promises to Hermia were spoken because he felt love (an emotion) for her. Reason or judgment had nothing to do with it. On the other hand, Lysander has even less judgment now because of the effects of the love potion.
At this point Demetrius awakens, and the first person he sees is Helena. Because Oberon had put the love potion on his eyes, he no longer loves Hermia but is, instead, immediately in love with Helena. As traditional with renaissance lovers, Demetrius begins using nature similes or comparisons to describe the beauty of Helena: her eyes are more radiant than crystal, her lips are like red cherries, and her skin is whiter than the white snow on a high mountain and even makes that mountain snow look black (like a crow) by comparison (lines 139-44). Demetrius means what he says to her, but Helena does not believe him any more than she believes Lysander.
In fact, Helena even believes that Demetrius and Lysander have formed a conspiracy for the sole purpose of making fun of her:
O spite! O hell! I see you all are bent
To set against me for your merriment. (146-47)
Of course, Helena does not know about the effects of the love potion; and she does not know what to believe. What makes the scene even more humorous, though, is the hidden truth that underlies it. Even without the use of any love potions, most young people find it hard or difficult to know when someone is being sincere when he (or she) declares his feelings of love. And such false declarations could make anyone irrational.
Lysander and Demetrius are both in earnest, though, and the two of them start quarrelling. Each of them declares that the other is in love with Hermia, and each of them relinquishes his claim to her.
The confusion becomes even greater when Hermia enters. Although it is dark and difficult to see in the forest, Hermia has heard Lysander’s voice. But when she asks Lysander why he left her alone in the woods, he responds that his love for Helena drew him away. Lysander even adds that he now hates Hermia (line 191). Hermia cannot believe what she has just heard Lysander say:
You speak not as you think. It cannot be. (192)
When Helena hears Hermia say this, she thinks that Hermia too is playing a joke on her. Helena believes that Hermia has joined forces with both Lysander and Demetrius to play a cruel scornful prank against her:
Lo, she is one of the confederacy. (193)
Helena then asks Hermia directly how she could take part in such a joke, especially since up to this point Hermia and Helena have always been the closest of friends, closer than even most sisters.
Helena implores Hermia to think about their past, about the close times that they often shared together. Helena uses several similes to describe their closeness. In the first of these similes, Helena describes their relationship as being …
… like two artificial gods Having with our needles created both one flower. Both on one sampler, sitting on one cushion, Both warbling of one song, both in one key,
As if our hands, our sides, voices, and minds Had been incorporate. (204-09)
Here Shakespeare describes the best and closest of all relationships. Not only had Hermia and Helena acted so harmoniously together that they moved and sounded like one person, but they are also like two creation goddesses joining forces to create the best and most beautiful objects in nature. The act of creating something with somebody else requires a sympathetic understanding and likeness of thought in order to make the end product truly remarkable. And that is true whether the creators are nature goddesses or two painters or two girls knitting a flower image or two poets collaborating on a play. Simply said, Helena is declaring that she and Hermia once thought and acted in identical ways. Two friends could not be any closer. And this is why now Helena becomes even angrier and crazier than she was earlier.
Of course, Hermia is just as confused as Helena. She asks Lysander to stop scorning or making fun of Helena (line 248). But before Lysander can answer, Demetrius interrupts and threatens that he can make Lysander stop paying attention to Helena. Heated words are then exchanged between the two men, and both of them prepare to fight each other.
The bewildered Hermia pulls Lysander by the arm and tries to ask him what is going on. But Lysander pulls away from her and rudely replies, “Away, you Ethiope” (258). The word Ethiope (for Ethiopian) was used simply to mean a black African. Of course, Hermia is not black, but Lysander exaggeratingly criticizes her dark features to indicate that he no longer is in love with her. Hermia is both shocked and bewildered, but Lysander once again directly states that he hates her (line 282). Hermia finally realizes that Lysander is speaking in earnest. Hermia now believes that Lysander is in love with Helena.
To make the fond pageant even fonder (more foolish), Hermia begins to blame Helena for making this change in Lysander. Hermia accuses Helena of stealing Lysander away from her.
The two young women start to argue and yell while, perhaps, Lysander and Demetrius are at the back of the stage pushing and shoving each other.
Hermia and Helena also begin to call each other names. Hermia calls Helena a “canker blossom” (283). A canker is a worm that eats and destroys a flower. The expression is metaphorical. The flower here is the flower of love, and Helena is the destroyer of that flower.
Helena still thinks Hermia is making fun of her. Helena does not believe that Hermia is speaking sincerely. So, Helena calls Hermia a “puppet” (289). A puppet is not a real person, and thus Helena is suggesting that Hermia is not acting in a real or sincere way. However, when Hermia hears the word puppet, she thinks that Helena is making fun of her small size (Hermia is much smaller than Helena) since puppets are rather small. So, Hermia then criticizes Helena (who is tall and thin) by calling her a “maypole” (297). The maypole was a long pole with ribbons hanging from the top which young lovers danced around during May Day celebrations. The irony here is that the maypole traditionally is used to bring lovers together. But in this instance the maypole (meaning Helena) is tearing the lovers apart. And not only is Helena a maypole, but she is a “painted maypole.” In Hermia’s metaphor, paint symbolizes cosmetics. Hermia is thus declaring that Helena is not naturally beautiful. Rather, she has to use make-up to cover her plain or unattractive looks.
The arguing between Hermia and Helena continues as does the fighting between Lysander and Demetrius. None of them can think or act rationally. Eventually, Lysander and Demetrius leave the setting to find a suitable place to fight (line 339). Helena, in order to avoid a fight with the shorter but fiercer Hermia, runs off. And Hermia, not knowing what else to do, follows after her (line 345). The fond pageant is now over.