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All's Well That Ends Well by Olivia (Characters (Act 3: Duke, First…

- - - - Act 2: The King says goodbye to the lords heading for the war in Florence. The King has told Bertram that he is not allowed to go with them. Parolles tells Bertram that he should try and sneak away to Florence anyway. Lafew while talking to the King tells him of Helen, and how she claims to have a cure for the King. Helen is brought before the King. There she tells him of a powerful medicine her father gave her before he passed. The King says he does not wish to try the medicine since no others have worked. Helen insists he at least tries and that if the it does not work withing two days she may be killed, if it does work she will be able to choose any man as a husband. The King agrees. The medicine ends up working and the King keeps is promise by bringing five possible men for her to marry to to his court. She passes all of them and instead asks for Bertram's hand. He refuses the match because of her low class. The court threatens to get rid of his royal ranking so he agrees. They are immediately married. Later, he tells Parolles that he plans to leave Helen and run away to the war.
      - Act 3: Helen arrives back to Rousillion after being married. The Countess receives a letter from her son saying that he has run away to the war, and he will not go back to Florence as long as Helen is there. Helen hearing this runs away and goes on the pilgrimage to St. Jaques. There she meets a widow and her daughter Diana. Bertrum happens to be in the same town and is trying to bed Diana. Helen over hearing this devises a plan and makes a deal with the widow. Helen will get everything she needs to make Bertram lover her. Meanwhile Bertram is advised not trust Parolles as he is an untrustworthy coward.
        
        Act 4: The First and Second Lords with a group of soldiers pretend to abduct Parolles. He believes that he has been taken by the enemy. Meanwhile Bertram confesses his love for Diana. He gives his family ring to prove it. She agrees to meet him in her bedroom that night and says the she will give his ring back then. Instead, of Diana being there that night thought, it will be Helen. She will give him the ring the King gave to her. News spreads that Helen has died at the monastery. Bertram returns from Diana's bedroom and is led to where they have Parolles tied up. After the threat of torture, Parolles gives an insulting description of Bertram. They find a letter in Parolles' bag that instructs Diana to sleep with Bertram for money. He has lost his position as a Bertram's friend. The war has ended and Bertram returns home. Helen invites the widow and Diana to come with her to the King's court. Bertram becomes engaged to Lafew's daughter.
        
        Act 5: Parolles comes to the Countess' house as a begger. Lafew feels bad a gives him a meal. The King notices a ring on Bertram's finger that is very familiar. The ring belonged to Helen. Bertram has no idea how he got it. The King thinks that he stole it from Helen and threatens to arrest him. Diana shows up just then and tells the story of how Bertram seduced her. Parolles confirms this. Diana says that she gave the ring to him but will not say where she got it. The King becomes angry at her silence, Just then Helen comes and everyone is taken aback. Helen explains how the ring ended up on Bertram's finger. Then she tells him that she has everything he asked for. Helen is pregnant with his child and she has his ring. Bertram agrees to love her and all's well that ends well.
- - - - The play could be taken as a satyr on gender roles and on romantic comedies. Helen as more power then a women would have at that time. She is also the one who arranges the marriage between herself and Bertram. It would always be the man doing this. Helen also has sex with Bertram that he did not consent too. If the gender roles were reversed, no one would take this as a light comedy. Another satyr that the play could be interpenetrated as would be on romantic comedies. People think that this play is romantic but no one in the whole play is in love. Then all of the sudden at the end they are. The play is kin of just a joke in this way.
- - - - Lafew: He is an old nobleman who gives advice to the King and the Countess. He is wise and a good judge of character, He sees Helen's worth and sees right through Parolles act.
        
        The Fool: Her is a messenger for the Countess and bring humor to the story.
    - - The King: Is extremely ill in the beginning of the play but is cured by Helen. Helen and the King become close and he very angry with Bertram for dismissing her. The King is one of the biggest supporters of Helen and Bertram's marriage.
        
        Parolles: He is a companion of Bertram's . Parolles is known for being a coward and a liar. Eventually everyone sees what a weak and unkind person he is.
    - - Diana: Bertram tries to seduce her. Diana helps Helen with her plan to make Helen loyal to her.
- - - - Act 5: Helen, Parolles, Fool, Lafew, the King, Countess, Bertram, Diana,