There is an enigmatic quality about Airs Well That Ends Well and it has been categorised as being 'crude enough to be early, yet mature enough to be late'. It is a classic Renaissance tale, taken largely from Boccaccio's Decameron, and is a delightful play of unrequited love, love renounced and love triumphant. The play is remarkable for its fully developed sub-plot, concerning the worthless braggart Parolles. in which Shakespeare's comic inventiveness can be seen at its best. The text of this edition is taken from the Cambridge University Press New Shakespeare, edited by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch and John Dover Wilson.

All"s Well that Ends Well (circa 1602) eludes definitive classification as a Comedy, History or Tragedy. It also has a close affinity with Measure for Measure, both plays forming part of Shakespeare"s later work and they have been variously described as tragi-comedies,problem comedies or dark comedies. There is an enigmatic quality to All"s Well that Ends Well and it has been categorised as being "crude enough to be early, yet mature enough to be late." Indeed, it is only in recent years that scholars have agreed on the position of All"s Well that Ends Well as being a work of Shakespeare"s maturity.The inspiration for the play was almost certainly Boccaceio"s Decameron. The story concerns Bertram, the young Count of Rousillon, who on his father"s death is summoned to the court of the King of France, leaving behind him his mother and the heroine Helena, daughter of the famous physician Gerard de Narbon.

The King of France is suffering from a disease widely thought of as being incurable. However, Helena who loves the courtier Bertram, travels to Paris and effects a cure for the king by means of a prescription left by her father. As a reward, she is permitted to choose her husband and she selects Bertram who unwillingly obeys the king"s order to marry her. Under the malign influence of the worthless braggart Parolles, Bertram enters the service of the Duke of Florence and informs Helena that until she can remove the ring from his finger and bear his child he will not return to her and neither may she call herself his wife. Helena disguises herself as a pilgrim and travels to Florence where she finds Bertram courting Diana, the daughter of her hostess in Florence. Helena discloses her true identity to the host family and takes Diana"s place at a secret assignation with Bertram having put about the story that she (Helena) is dead. Helena exchanges rings with Bertram, giving him the king"s ring, and conceives a child by Bertram. The King of France, on a visit to the house of Bertram"s mother, recognises his ring and accuses Bertram of killing Helena, of whom he is very fond, and demands an explanation on pain of death. Helena then appears and reveals the truth of her masquerade as Diana and explains that Bertram"s conditions have now been met. The stage is then set for the classic Shakespearean finale in which the remorseful Bertram accepts Helena as his loving wife. Ali"s Well that Ends Well is a problem play at many levels; there is the difficulty in feeling sympathy for Bertram, and in taking real pleasure in Helena"s success,as her character is not as developed as many of the leadingwomen in.Shakespeare"s plays. There are many similarities with Mariana and Angelo in Measure for Measure. Helena"s mother, on the other hand, is one of Shakespeare"s great creations. The subplot concerning Parolles is regarded by many as being one of the most successful and dominant aspects of the play both on the page and on the stage.