Hilarion seems misunderstood to me, and idk why. He was in love, engaged, a peasant to peasant pairing, then Mr. Stately comes along and plays a game with the low life peasant girl. A game, that’s it for Albrecht. Maybe he has some feelings along the way, but there was never any question of following through his love with marriage. He was engaged to someone who belonged to his social status, his only real option. I never see Hilarion as a fool. He would have been genuinely in love, for life. Then he is betrayed by Giselle, rejected for someone with whom he could never compete. And then she dies! All of this leaves him an absolute mess. the betrayal and rejection, for Hilarion as is so often the case, don’t immediately negate his love. Now he has grief on top of everything else! I’ve never seen him as a fool. His love is true. I know I sound like a big sop with this post, but I love Hilarion. The man deserves respect.