Helena's monologue in Act 3, Scene 2 of All's Well That Ends Well

"‘Till I have no wife, I have nothing in France.’

In Act 1, Scene 3 of All’s Well That Ends Well, Helena lays bare her heart, confessing her unrequited love for Bertram to the Countess, his mother. This deeply emotional soliloquy reveals Helena's inner conflict between her feelings and the societal barriers that make her love seem impossible.

Synopsis

Helena, the orphaned daughter of a celebrated physician, has been raised in the Countess of Rousillon’s household. Despite her low social standing, she has fallen deeply in love with Bertram, the Countess’s noble son. In this scene, Helena confesses her love to the Countess, acknowledging the impossibility of her desires while maintaining the purity and depth of her emotions. This pivotal moment sets the tone for her determination to pursue Bertram against all odds.

What’s Just Happened Before This Moment That’s Relevant to the Scene?

Bertram has left for the French court, leaving Helena heartbroken. Noticing her distress, the Countess grows concerned and sends a steward to investigate. The steward overhears Helena lamenting her unrequited love for Bertram. Now, the Countess directly addresses Helena, giving her the opportunity to express her feelings openly.

Original Text

Then, I confess,
Here on my knee, before high heaven and you,
That before you, and next unto high heaven,
I love your son.
My friends were poor, but honest; so's my love:
Be not offended; for it hurts not him
That he is loved of me: I follow him not
By any token of presumptuous suit;
Nor would I have him till I do deserve him;
Yet never know how that desert should be.
I know I love in vain, strive against hope;
Yet in this captious and intenible sieve
I still pour in the waters of my love
And lack not to lose still: thus, Indian-like,
Religious in mine error, I adore
The sun, that looks upon his worshipper,
But knows of him no more. My dearest madam,
Let not your hate encounter with my love
For loving where you do: but if yourself,
Whose aged honour cites a virtuous youth,
Did ever in so true a flame of liking
Wish chastely and love dearly, that your Dian
Was both herself and Love; O, then, give pity
To her, whose state is such that cannot choose
But lend and give where she is sure to lose;
That seeks not to find that her search implies,
But riddle-like lives sweetly where she dies.

Translation of Text into Contemporary Language

"Then, I confess:
Here, on my knees, before both heaven and you,
I admit that next to God, I love your son.
My family may have been poor, but they were honest—
Just like my love for him.
Please don’t be angry; my love doesn’t harm him.
I’m not pursuing him presumptuously or disrespectfully;
And I wouldn’t want him until I truly deserved him,
Though I doubt I could ever achieve that.
I know my love is hopeless and foolish,
But still, I pour my love into this
Impossible, leaking vessel. I lose everything,
Yet I can’t stop. Like a misguided devotee,
I worship the sun—Bertram—
Who shines on me without knowing my existence.
Dear madam, please don’t hate me for loving him.
If you have ever, in your youth, loved someone
With a true and chaste affection,
Even if your goddess-like purity was both love and virtue,
Then I beg for your compassion.
I am a woman who can’t help but give her heart,
Even when she knows it’s hopeless.
I don’t expect anything in return,
But live sweetly, as if solving a riddle,
Finding joy even in the certainty of heartbreak."

Meaning of Difficult or Unusual Words

  • Presumptuous suit: Overconfident or inappropriate pursuit.

  • Desert: Worthiness or merit.

  • Captious and intenible sieve: A metaphor for a vessel that cannot hold anything, representing futility.

  • Indian-like: Refers to indigenous peoples, often stereotyped in Shakespeare’s time as worshippers of the sun.

  • Dian: Diana, the Roman goddess of chastity and the moon.

Breakdown of Text into ‘New Thought’ Paragraphs

  1. Then, I confess,
    Here on my knee, before high heaven and you,
    That before you, and next unto high heaven,
    I love your son.

    • Helena begins with a bold confession, addressing the Countess and seeking divine witness.

  2. My friends were poor, but honest; so's my love:
    Be not offended; for it hurts not him
    That he is loved of me: I follow him not
    By any token of presumptuous suit;
    Nor would I have him till I do deserve him;
    Yet never know how that desert should be.

    • She explains the sincerity of her love and her unwillingness to act on it unless she proves herself worthy.

  3. I know I love in vain, strive against hope;
    Yet in this captious and intenible sieve
    I still pour in the waters of my love
    And lack not to lose still:

    • Helena acknowledges the hopelessness of her situation, comparing her efforts to pouring water into a broken vessel.

  4. Thus, Indian-like,
    Religious in mine error, I adore
    The sun, that looks upon his worshipper,
    But knows of him no more.

    • She likens herself to a devout but misguided worshipper, adoring Bertram from afar.

  5. My dearest madam,
    Let not your hate encounter with my love
    For loving where you do:

    • Helena pleads with the Countess not to judge her harshly for loving Bertram.

  6. But if yourself,
    Whose aged honour cites a virtuous youth,
    Did ever in so true a flame of liking
    Wish chastely and love dearly, that your Dian
    Was both herself and Love; O, then, give pity
    To her, whose state is such that cannot choose
    But lend and give where she is sure to lose;
    That seeks not to find that her search implies,
    But riddle-like lives sweetly where she dies.

    • She appeals to the Countess’s empathy, asking her to recall her own youthful experiences of love.

Journey Keypoints: Hook, Turning Point, Climax, and Resolution

  • Hook: Helena confesses her love for Bertram, addressing both the Countess and heaven.

  • Turning Point: She acknowledges her hopeless love and the futility of her devotion.

  • Climax: She pleads with the Countess for understanding, invoking shared human experiences of love.

  • Resolution: Helena accepts her fate, finding bittersweet joy in her unreciprocated love.

Conclusion

Helena’s monologue is a raw and heartfelt exploration of unrequited love, showcasing her determination, humility, and vulnerability. It resonates with anyone who has experienced longing against impossible odds.

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