31:38 Alls Well that Ends Well

Day 31 of 38:38
Alls Well that Ends Well

Helena is such an interesting character, so it bothers me whenever I see the play and she is boring, or weak seeming. Not only is she passionate, smart, and willful, but she is capable of holding her own against the sexual references of Parolles. Her only mistake is loving a stupid boy, of whom it is hard to gather much sympathy. I think the play works best when Bertram is played as extremely young. This is the only thing that helps make his behavior understandable.

I really enjoyed the NT Live production of this that I saw. I loved the fairy tale motif, I loved the fact that Bertram was portrayed as quite young, the Parolles was delightful, and I loved the big celebratory ending, with the "Oh Shit, what now" look from both Helena and Bertram.

I'm not sure if a lot of people pick up on this, but I've always felt that Parolles is key to the plot because the revealing of his true character parallels the revealing of Bertram's true character. Just as Parolles is caught in cowardice and lies before a crowd of soldiers and friends, Bertram is caught before the crowd of court. I think the play is best when both characters have moments of self-recognition, though I'm not convinced that even with that things end "happily ever after" and I don't think Shakespeare meant us to be. To me, the title is ironically trite.

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Favorite Female Character:
Helena
Favorite Male Character:
Lafeu

Laugh out loud:
Countess Well, sir.
Clown No, madam, ’tis not so well that I am poor, though many of the rich are damned.

"That's what she said!":
Helena Unfold to us some war-like resistance.
Parolles There is none: man, sitting down before you, will undermine you and blow you up.

How insulting:
Countess Wilt thou ever be a foul-mouthed and calumnious knave?

Shakey loves his meta:
Lafeu A showing of a heavenly effect in an earthly actor.

Oh, misogyny:


Boys are silly:
Lafeu These boys are boys of ice, they’ll none have her: sure, they are bastards to the English; the French ne’er got ’em.

Favorite Moment/Line: