“Love all, trust few, do wrong to none.”

The Countess in All’s Well That Ends Well, Act 1, Scene 1

“The soul of this man is his clothes.  Trust him not in matter of heavy consequence.”

Lord Lafeu to Count Bertram (speaking about Parolles) in Act 2, Scene 5

The group will read aloud All’s Well That Ends Well, Shakepeare’s play that is based on the tale of Giletta di Narbona of Baccaccio’s The Decameron.  In the play Helen, a doctor’s daughter, falls for Bertram, a count.  After Helen cures the king of France of an illness, the king offers her the hand of any man; she chooses Bertram.  Bertram, however, rejects her and flees to Italy to escape.  After a complicated series of events, Helen gets her man.

This play contrasts the waywardness of youth against the stability of older people and idealism against cynicism.  All’s Well That Ends Well is rarely acted but has many delightful scenes.  The characterization is clever and the persons are alive even if unattractive.  Shakespeare seems to ask the question:  If this story had really happened, what sort of people would these characters have been?  Was the young woman too eager?  Was the young man too spiteful?  Join us as we read to discover how such a series of improbable adventures could end in general reconciliation and affection.

The group reads orally in round robin manner, stopping for informal discussion as the group desires.  Mispronunciations welcome! You must have your own unabridged version of the play to read.  Various editions pose no problems.  The ZOOM format works well for this class.