All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare (Book Analysis): Detailed Summary, Analysis and Reading Guide

By Bright Summaries

Unlock the more straightforward side of All’s Well That Ends Well with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!

This engaging summary presents an analysis of All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare, a ‘problem play’ that draws on elements of both comedy and tragedy. It tells the story of Helena, a spirited young woman who has fallen in love with the high-born but imprudent Bertram. Helena manages to secure his hand in marriage by winning favour with the king, but Bertram is disinterested in the match and absconds to fight in a war. Helena is forced to rely on her quick wits and resourcefulness to both track him down and persuade him to come back to her… All’s Well That Ends Well is a lesser-known play by William Shakespeare, who is widely considered to be one of the most influential writers in the history of the English language.

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This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:

• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection

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• Language: English
• Publisher: BrightSummaries.com
• Release date: Apr 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9782808017220

Book preview

ENGLISH PLAYWRIGHT AND POET

Born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564.

Died in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1616.

Notable works:

King Lear (1623), play

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1600), play

Richard III (1597), play

William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet, and is generally considered the most influential writer in the history of the English language. He worked in several modes including comedy, history, tragedy, the narrative poem and the sonnet, and was active during an extraordinary flowering of creativity during the Elizabethan Renaissance – not just as a playwright, but also as an actor and as the eventual co-owner of the Globe theatre in London. Shakespeare spent 20 years in London, where he wrote all of his famous works and staged them with his own acting company, The King’s Men, and others. Shakespeare’s plays are universal in their scope, as they explore all the complexities of the human experience, from politics to love and death. Performed constantly all around the world and revered for their complex characters and deft use of language, Shakespeare’s plays are now considered one of the crowning jewels of English and international literary heritage.

TRAGICOMIC DRAMA

Genre: play

Reference edition: Shakespeare, W. (2010) All’s Well That Ends Well. London: The Arden Shakespeare.

1stedition: 1623

Themes: gender roles, sexual politics, old age and youth, cynicism, ageing, marriage, lies and deception

Helena, a humble and humbly born young woman living as the ward of the elderly Countess of Roussillon, has fallen deeply in love with Bertram, the Countess’s son. Her response to Bertram’s indifference to her love and her subsequent independent pursuit of her desires is the engine which drives this lesser-known play by