ACT FOURTH. Scene I. 21, 22. choughs' language, etc. :-The sense of this passage appears to be: "We must each fancy a jargon for himself, without aiming to be understood by each other; for, provided we appear to understand, that will be sufficient." The chough is a bird of the jackdaw kind. Scene II. 14. my vows:-His vows never to treat Helena as his wife. 21-29. 'Tis not the many oaths, etc. :-Few passages in Shakespeare have been more belaboured than this. To understand it, we must bear in mind what Bertram has been doing and trying to do. He has been swearing love to Diana, and in the strength of that oath wants her to do that which would ruin her. This is what she justly calls loving her ill, because it is a love that would injure her. She therefore retorts upon him, that oaths in such a suit are but an adding of perjury to lust. As to the latter part of the passage, the lines have not been understood on account of the inversion. The first him refers to Jove, and whom, not to this, but to the second him; or rather whom and the latter him are correlative. The meaning, then, at once appears, if we render the sentence thus: "This has no holding, this will not hold, to swear by Heaven that I will work against him, or seek his hurt, whom I protest to love." What, therefore, does she conclude? why, that his oaths are no oaths, but mere words and poor, unseal'd, unratified conditions. Scene III. 34-37. I would gladly, etc.:-This is a very just and moral reason. Bertram, by finding how ill he has judged, will be less confident and more open to admonition. 239. Half won, etc. :-That is, a match well made is half won; make your match therefore, but make it well. Scene IV. 21-25. But, O strange men, etc.:-Clarke explains: "When, by permitting the beguiled imagination to rove forbiddenly, the dark ness of night is made blacker "; and comments: "This wandering away of Helena's thoughts into reverie (for the whole of this sentence is spoken to herself, rather than to her hearers) even while she is commenting upon excursive fancies, is, to our thinking, intensely fine and true to human nature, particularly under these special circumstances." 35. the fine's the crown:-A translation of the common Latin proverb, Finis coronat opus. Of course fine is used in its primitive sense, for end. Scene V. 2-4. whose villanous saffron, etc. :-In The Winter's Tale, IV. iii. 47, the Clown says, I must have saffron to colour the warden pies." From which it appears that in Shakespeare's time saffron was used for colouring pastry. The phrase “unbaked and doughy youth" shows that the same custom is alluded to here. Reference is also had to the coxcombical finery, "the scarfs and the bannerets," which this strutting vacuum cuts his dashes in. Yellow was then the prevailing colour in the dress of such as Parolles, whose soul was in their clothes. Various passages might be cited in proof of this. Thus, Sir Philip Sidney has saffron-coloured coat," and Ben Jonson in one of his songs speaks of "ribands, bells, and saffrond lynnen." The concluding part of Lafeu's description seems to identify red as the colour of a fantastical coxcomb's hose, or the allusion may be to his scarfs. ACT FIFTH. Scene I. 66 25. All's well that ends well:-Herford says: "Helena has been described as a kind of antithesis to Hamlet, in her clear purpose and resolute will; her quiet intensity and absence of humour associate her with Isabel, the device which restores her wedded rights, with Mariana. The marks of early date thus attach themselves to scenes which form the very framework of the plot." Scene II. 56. though you are a fool, etc.:-" This is just one of Shakespeare's own touches," says Clarke. "It is not only true to his large spirit of toleration for human frailties, that the old nobleman should save the wretch from starving, notwithstanding his strong disgust for his character; but it is an ingenuity of dramatic art thus to provide that Parolles shall be at hand, when the final scene of the story takes place at Rousillon, to appear among the other personages of the play." Scene III. 17. richest eyes:-So in As You Like It, IV. i. 23-25: “To have seen mh, and to have nothing, is to have rich eyes and poor hands." Those who, having seen the greatest number of fair women, might be said to be the richest in ideas of beauty." 21, 22. kill all repetition:-That is, the first interview shall put an end to all recollection of the past. 93-101. In Florence, etc. :-"Here," says Clarke, "is one of Count Bertram's ready falsehoods, which he, with the fluency of an expert liar, pours forth, with self-condemnatory ease. Though he did not know that the ring belonged to Helena, he knew that it was not given to him under the circumstances he describes with so much affected precision of detail; and that very throwing from a window, wrapping in paper, and nobleness of the thrower, by which he seeks to give an appearance of verisimilitude to his tale, serves to prove its untruth, and to convict himself of being altogether untrue." Johnson remarks that Bertram still has too little virtue to deserve Helena. He did not know it was Helena's ring, but he knew that he had it not from a window. 313, 314. If she, my liege, etc. :-Herford thus dismisses Helena: "The triumph of her love is merely external. She has satisfied the conditions and her husband consents to take her home; but of the sequel we are left to form what ominous conjecture we may from the perfunctory declaration: 'If she, my liege, can make me know this clearly, Questions on All's Well that Ends Well. 1. Was this play probably performed during the Poet's lifetime? When do we find the first theatrical notices pushed? 2. Comment on the divergencies of style and show hat they indicate as to date of composition. 3. Indicate the differences between the story of Boccaccio, on which the play is founded, and the play itself. What characters are of Shakespeare's creation? ACT FIRST. 4. In how many places in the play are there references to the father of Bertram? What influence upon the dispositions of people does his memory exert? 5. What relation does Bertram bear to the King? 6. How does the first view of Helena compare with that of Hamlet? Compare the words of Lafeu (i. 60, 61) with those of the King to Hamlet. How do the Countess and Lafeu mistake the sorrow of Helena? 7. Compare the Countess's blessing on Bertram (line 66 et seq.) with Polonius's on Laertes. 8. Characterize the poetic qualities of Helena's soliloquy in Sc. i. 9. How does Helena describe Parolles as to character and reputation? 10. In what spirit does Helena enter upon the discussion of virginity with Parolles? What is the dramatic purpose of this somewhat prolonged dialogue? II. What qualities does Parolles demonstrate in himself as the discussion turns upon war? 12. What is the dominant quality of Helena's nature, and where in the first Scene does she exploit it? 13. Show how the enveloping action of the drama is indicated in Sc. ii. 14. What is Shakespeare's comment on the character of the courtier? Comment on Shakespeare's independence of character, considering the fact that he was a playwright favoured at court. 15. Show the mixture of sweetness and cynicism in the King's speeches. How is the edge taken from the latter quality? 16. Compare the Clown with Touchstone in As You Like It. What impression does his wit make? 17. How is the Countess informed of Helena's love for Bertram? What impediment does Helena chiefly fear to her union with Bertram? 18. What does the Countess find in herself to quicken her sympathy with Helena? How does she wring the confession from Helena? 19. When did Helena determine to go to Paris? How far did her thoughts for the King bear a part in her motives? 20. Review the first Act and state the causes for the action that are here set forth. ACT SECOND. 21. Does the King seem English or French in temper? 22. In what position is Bertram placed in regard to the wars? 23. How account for the bantering tone that Lafeu takes with the King? 24. Explain the Biblical allusions in Helena's speech, i. 137 et seq. 25. Compare lines 154, 155 of this Scene with Act I. Sc. i. 226, 227, and comment on the nature of the religious feeling evinced by Helena. 26. How is Helena willing to stake the chances of the success of her remedy with the King? 27. Is the sententious quality of the King's speech (line 178 et seq.) assisted by the rhyming couplets? 28. Explain the purpose of the Clown's frequent repetition (Sc. ii.) of the phrase, “O Lord, sir!" 29. What is Lafeu's reflection at the opening of Sc. iii.? Wherein resides the humour of Parolles in this dialogue? 30 How does Shakespeare manage the scene of Helena's choosing a husband so as to acquit her of immodesty? What was her motive for asking the First Lord? |