In “All’s Well That Ends Well”, Shakespeare describes a confrontation between Helena and the countess in which she confesses her love for the countess’ son. Shakespeare uses passionate diction, metaphors, and a Roman allusion to convey the idea that Helena’s attitude toward her love for Bertram is one of sincere devotion but lacks confidence.

Shakespeare uses impassioned diction to emphasize Helena’s admiration for Bertram. The phrase “On my knee,” connotes a sign of intense devotion, as she throws herself onto the ground to admit her love for Bertram. The repetition of the words “high heaven” and “you” serve to demonstrate Helena’s respect as she proclaims her love for Bertram in front of a noblewoman and God. By claiming her love in front of those with grand stature, she is attempting to prove the greatness and validity of her love. The speaker then states that her “friends were poor, but honest; so’s my love.” The word honest connotes faithfulness and sincerity. By comparing her love to honesty, the speaker suggests that her love is genuine and not a facade. The speaker continues to claim her love as she states, “the waters of my love And lack not to lose still.” Shakespeare compares Helena’s love to water, an endless stream that pours unceasingly. It creates a peaceful image of water that is powerful, representing Helena’s feelings for the Countess’ son. In this way, Shakespeare uses this type of diction to suggest that her love is enduring and steady under all circumstances. Just like how water purifies and cleanses just by washing over anything, Shakespeare emphasizes that Helena’s love is clean and pure. Towards the end of the speech, the speaker mentions the Roman goddess Diana. She claims that in her virtuous youth, Diana was “both herself and love”. Shakespeare alludes to the virgin Roman goddess of childbirth and women to make a connection between the Roman goddess and Helena, making another display of how her love is pure and genuine. Even though she is under the influence of love, she will remain true to her chastity. Thus, Shakespeare suggests that Helena’s love for Bertram is one of deep devotion and wholeheartedness. 

Shakespeare also uses dejected diction and metaphors to highlight that Helena does not entirely believe her own assessment of the situation. The speaker states she will not have him till she “deserves” him which connotes that she feels she is not worthy of his love but also that she has plans to make herself worthy. Yet she doesn’t know “how that desert should be.” The word desert connotes feelings of loneliness and emptiness. This is how Helena feels, that her love is unrequited, one sided and neglected. The speaker then claims that she adores Bertram like the “sun that looks upon his worshipper But knows of him no more”. Shakespeare includes this metaphor to emphasize that Helena knows she loves him in vain.  She is comparable to someone who worships the sun but goes completely unnoticed. She is in love with someone who does not reciprocate her love, but like the sun, he sustains her and keeps her alive. At the end, she states that her love “lives sweetly” where she “dies”. Helena emphasizes that her love will stay true until death. Like something as irreversible as death, her love for Bertram will never fade and is irrevocable.

Shakespeare uses passionate diction, metaphors, and a Roman allusion to convey the idea that Helena’s attitude toward her love for Bertram is one of sincere devotion but lacks confidence.