Quote 4
HERMIA
By all the vows that ever men have broke
(In number more than ever women spoke),
In that same place thou hast appointed me,
To-morrow truly will I meet with thee. (1.1.178-181)
Shakespeare pokes a bit of fun here at love—men break vows faster than women can make them. Not only does Hermia know this, she chooses to swear on it. For Shakespeare, one thing that you can depend on in love is the foolishness it brings.
Quote 5
HERMIA
"Puppet!" why so? Ay, that way goes the game.
Now I perceive that she hath made compare
Between our statures; she hath urg'd her height,
And with her personage, her tall personage,
Her height, forsooth, she hath prevail'd with him.
And are you grown so high in his esteem
Because I am so dwarfish and so low?
How low am I, thou painted maypole? Speak!
How low am I? I am not yet so low
But that my nails can reach unto thine eyes. (3.2.304-313)
Hermia believes Lysander has fallen out of love with her simply because she is short. Here we see the folly of the female characters' behavior—without the excuse of enchantment that the males can claim.