All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare. It provides a thorough exploration of the play’s plot, characters and main themes, including old age, sexuality and gender roles. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 58-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of William Shakespeare
• Presentation of All’s Well That Ends Well
• Summary of All’s Well That Ends Well
• Character study
  • Helena
  • Bertram
  • Countess of Roussillon
  • King of France
  • Parolles
  • Lafew
  • Lavatch
• Analysis of All’s Well That Ends Well
  • Genre
  • Themes
  • Background

About All’s Well That Ends Well

All’s Well That Ends Well is one of Shakespeare’s lesser-known comedies. Based on a tale from Boccaccio’s Decameron, it centres on the character of Helena, an orphan whose late father was a doctor. Using medical knowledge she learned from her father, Helena manages to cure the king of a serious illness, and is rewarded with her choice of husband from among all the men at court. However, Bertram, her chosen spouse, is reluctant to commit to the match, and sets Helena a seemingly impossible challenge to complete before he will be faithful to her. However, with the help of her keen mind and a few new friends along the way, Helena proves more than up to the task.

About William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare is generally considered one of the greatest playwrights in history. He was born in 1564 in the English town of Stratford-upon-Avon, and produced more than 30 plays during his lifetime, in addition to many works of poetry. His works are still frequently performed around the world today, more than 400 years after his death in 1616, and have been translated into every major language. Although the scarcity of historical records about him means that very little is known about his personal life, the enduring popularity of his work has cemented his reputation as the greatest writer in the English language.