The Struggle Is Real

Puru Verma

The Struggle is Real

Since the dawn of the human race, people have faced one major dilemma; the existential struggle. Countless ways of portraying this inner conflict have surfaced over the years, one being a comedy of Shakespeare's. This play, As You Like It by Shakespeare, features a monologue from one of the main characters, Duke Senior. He expresses his content with being stuck in the harsh winter, as it allows him to form real human relationships compared to the false ones he made as part of the royal court. His monologue effectively conveys his point to the reader, by providing strong imagery, devices, and a clear structure.

The monologue makes effective use of imagery to convey the meaning and overall theme. The most prominent imagery used throughout the piece involves natural elements. “Even till I shrink with cold, I smile and say ‘this is no flattery: these are counsellors.” Clearly the Duke feels that even though he and his party are stranded in the cold woods, there is a certain comfort and happiness which stems from this. The imagery of a person shrinking with cold conveys a feeling that is almost definitely relatable to the reader, making it easy to understand. This is immediately contrasted by Duke Senior going so far as to say that the cold and natural elements are counsellors to him. This contrast and imagery does an efficient job of explaining to the reader the conflicting feelings of the Duke.

The monologue also makes effective use of personification throughout. Duke Senior constantly gives natural elements human features. “And churlish chiding of the winter's wind, Which when it bites and blows upon my body,”. The wind hitting Duke Senior is personified as being capable of biting and blowing, of course the wind is literally incapable of doing so. Yet, this comparison allows the reader to easily understand what Duke Senior is