After finishing Winter's Tale and being quite disenchanted, I thought a rip roaring comedy would do me well. Thus, All's Well That Ends Well, which proved a very good time. It's fun to see the woman as the pursuer in a tale such as this. Helena performs a wide range of herculean acts to nab Bertram (ranging from saving the King's life to rape-by-fraud), who is really not worth her attention to begin with. Once again, the Bard's ladies far outclass his gentlemen.
Speaking of class, however, Parolles, is a good time; though he be a coward and a knave. In his first appearance he puts up some pretty convincing arguments for the undesirability of maintaining one's chastity (young lads, take note!):
Virginity being blown down, man will quicklier be
blown up: marry, in blowing him down again, with
the breach yourselves made, you lose your city. It
is not politic in the commonwealth of nature to
preserve virginity. Loss of virginity is rational
increase and there was never virgin got till
virginity was first lost.
But more importantly, the dude learns. He is exposed and disreputed; forced to change, and he himself knows immediately that he will be a better man for't. Parolles knows better than anybody that this is the only way he'll ever be a decent person.
Captain I'll be no more;
But I will eat and drink, and sleep as soft
As captain shall: simply the thing I am
Shall make me live. Who knows himself a braggart,
Let him fear this, for it will come to pass
That every braggart shall be found an ass.
Rust, sword? cool, blushes! and, Parolles, live
Safest in shame!
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