All s well that ends well
The Review of All’s Well That Ends Well
周申晴 20124238
All’s Well that Ends Well is one of the representing pieces of William Shakespeare in his second period of literature, which is usually called “problem play” among his literature works.
In the former half of this semester, we have had a systematic study of the excerpts of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, two universally acknowledged tragedies, which represent the peak of his literature. Among his collection of 38 plays, four great Shakespearean tragedies (Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and King Lear) and the four great Shakespearean comedies (The Taming of the Shrewd, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night and The Tempest), Shakespeare also wrote the so-called “problem plays”——Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida and All’s Well That Ends Well, which are very likely to be neglected by most people. Here I choose All’s Well That Ends Well (hereinafter refers to “the play”)as an object of study to discover why it is called “problem play”? Also created by the master of English literature William Shakespeare, why does it remain to be an unpopular and little-performed play? And why does it remain controversial of its classification as a comedy or tragedy?
All's Well That Ends Well tells the story of love between different social classes. Helena, the main character, is the orphaned daughter of the physician Gerard de Narbon, who served the family of the Countess of Rousillon. After the death of her father, Helena is adopted by the Countess of Rousillon. She falls in love with Bertram, the Countess' son, but keeps her feelings to herself. But by the opportunity of curing the King with the prescription of her father, Helena got the privilege of choosing her husband at her own will. Unquestionably, she chooses her beloved Bertram, but is rejected mercilessly due to her menial identity. Helena spares no effort to pursue her love. With the sympathy and assistance of the widow and the widow’s daughter Diana, whom Bertram
周申晴 20124238
All’s Well that Ends Well is one of the representing pieces of William Shakespeare in his second period of literature, which is usually called “problem play” among his literature works.
In the former half of this semester, we have had a systematic study of the excerpts of Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, two universally acknowledged tragedies, which represent the peak of his literature. Among his collection of 38 plays, four great Shakespearean tragedies (Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and King Lear) and the four great Shakespearean comedies (The Taming of the Shrewd, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night and The Tempest), Shakespeare also wrote the so-called “problem plays”——Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida and All’s Well That Ends Well, which are very likely to be neglected by most people. Here I choose All’s Well That Ends Well (hereinafter refers to “the play”)as an object of study to discover why it is called “problem play”? Also created by the master of English literature William Shakespeare, why does it remain to be an unpopular and little-performed play? And why does it remain controversial of its classification as a comedy or tragedy?
All's Well That Ends Well tells the story of love between different social classes. Helena, the main character, is the orphaned daughter of the physician Gerard de Narbon, who served the family of the Countess of Rousillon. After the death of her father, Helena is adopted by the Countess of Rousillon. She falls in love with Bertram, the Countess' son, but keeps her feelings to herself. But by the opportunity of curing the King with the prescription of her father, Helena got the privilege of choosing her husband at her own will. Unquestionably, she chooses her beloved Bertram, but is rejected mercilessly due to her menial identity. Helena spares no effort to pursue her love. With the sympathy and assistance of the widow and the widow’s daughter Diana, whom Bertram