What does Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste by shakespeare mean?

Answer 1

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Answer 2

Helena says this in Midsummer Night's Dream, in her first appearance when she is bemoaning the fact that Demetrius, for some reason, prefers Hermia to her.

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;

And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:

Nor hath Love's mind of any judgement taste;

Wings and no eyes figure unheedy haste:

And therefore is Love said to be a child,

Because in choice he is so oft beguiled."

She is talking about Cupid, the near-naked chubby little boy with wings on his back and a bow and arrow that we used to see on Valentine Cards when they were actually sent between adults. She says that he is "painted blind", that he is shown in paintings as being blindfolded so he cannot see--compare the old saying "love is blind." Then in one line there are two difficult words.

One is "figure". As a noun, we know this word. It means shape: "she's got a great figure". But here Shakespeare is using it as a verb, meaning to draw, to make a picture of, to show the shape of. You can see how it's related to the woman with the great figure.

The other is "unheedy" which comes from the verb "to heed" meaning to pay attention to. Being "heedy" would be someone who pays attention, so clearly someone is "unheedy" when they do not.

Helena is drawing a comparison between "no eyes", meaning you cannot see, and "unheedy" or not paying attention. If you are not paying attention, you may as well be blind. She is also drawing a comparison between having wings and "haste", going fast. So if you wanted a picture which summed up the idea of going fast without paying attention, then someone like Cupid with wings and no eyes makes a good image. This is what she is saying.