alls well
In order to understand the moral implications of the bed-trick in Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well, one must examine who is involved in the scheme and to what end. Once this is clear, it becomes obvious that the bed-trick has no moral message in and of itself; rather, the bed-trick is, according to William Bowman, "a morally neutral device" used by Shakespeare in a "moral context." The bed-trick is an off-stage event that contributes to the play's characterization as a "problem comedy," not only because of the not-so-happy ending, but because it deceives the audience into thinking the trickster's intentions are fully justified.It is generally accepted that comedy should be responsive to the desires of the audience, that it have a moral function, and that it supply a happy ending. All's Well That Ends Well in a sense does respond to the needs of the audience by bringing two potential lovers together. The main character, Helena, obtains the one person she has yearned for all her life, Count Bertram. The one thing that the play is lacking is the typical comedic happy ending due to the fact that Helena and Bertram are united solely because of Helena's manipulation of certain situations.
That were enwombed mine. 'Tis often seen Shakespeare shapes our perception of Helena through the opinions of the Countess, Parolles, and the King. They repeatedly refer to Helena as being desirable, virtuous and moral, thus convincing the audience that she is so. It is also true that these characters have something to gain from Helena. The Countess wants a daughter: And put you in the catalogue of those
Some common words found in the essay are:
Bertram Helena, Finally King, Cohen Helena, Countess Nay, I'll Tuscan, Helena Court, William Bowman, William Bowden, Helena Ay, David Kaston, marriage bertram, count bertram, consummate marriage bertram, institution marriage, lose virginity, heal king, situation helena, deceives audience, audience thinking, deceives audience thinking, bertram goes, play helena,
Approximate Word count = 1945
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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