All's Well That Ends Well Lesson Plan

What is the role of the Fool in the play so far?

The Fool participates minimally in the main action of the play—he seems in the main to be an obstacle to that action, distracting such characters as the Countess with conversation about his own ideas and whims (and more important things, like his possible marriage) when asked to do a task. However, the role of a Fool in Elizabethan theater was also to comment on the action of the main characters. Students should read the Fool's lines carefully and see what relationship exists between them and the movements of Helen, Bertram, the Countess, and Parolles.

What agreement do the King and Helen come to for the King to try Helen's...