“All’s Well that Ends Well,” by William Shakespeare
“All’s Well that Ends Well,” by William Shakespeare is a play about a young woman who finds a way to marry a rich lord, but is not loved by him.
A Complete Plot Summary
“All’s Well that Ends Well” begins by introducing the main character Helena, a young gentlewoman who is not of noble birth, but has fallen in love with Bertram, a Lord. Helena is living in Bertram’s household under the protection and employ of Bertram’s mother. Needless to say Helena’s romantic attachment seems doomed, but Helena finds a unique way to attain the hand of Bertram.
At the time the King of France is deathly ill, suffering from a fistula. Helena possesses a secret prescription given to her by her father prior to his death. As Helena tells the King:
“Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring
Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring…
…What is infirm from your sound parts shall fly,
Health shall live free, and sickness freely die.”
In other words, Helena, promises the King that her remedy can restore him to full health in just two days. Helena asks only one favor in return for performing this wondrous cure:
“Then shalt thou give me, with thy kingly hand,
What husband in thy power I will command:
Exempted be from me the arrogance
To choose from forth the royal blood of France,
My low and humble name to propagate
With and branch or image of thy state:
But such a one, the vassal, whom I know
Is free for me to ask, thee to bestow.”
The King promises that if Helena is able to cure him, he will give her the hand of any man she chooses, be he rich or of noble lineage. Sure enough Helena’s cure restores the King to full health, and out of gratitude he fulfills his part of the deal. As might be expected Helena chooses the hand of Bertram, but is surprised at his response. Bertram marries her to please the King but he is highly irritated with Helena and feels that it is a dishonor for him to marry her. He takes her back to his mother’s home but immediately departs to fight in the Tuscan wars leaving a parting note:
“When thou canst get the ring upon me finger, which never shall come off, and show me a child begotten of thy body that I am father to, then call me husband; but in such a then I write a never.”
Not only will Bertram never give Helena the ring, but he has also sworn that while he has wed her he will never bed her. While Helena has achieved her goal of marriage to Bertram it is an empty victory, essentially widowhood with a living husband. Bertram incurs the censure of all who know him. From the King to his own mother. All see Helena as a virtuous bride that Bertram should be happy to accept. But Bertram refuses to change his position.
Meanwhile Helena leaves her new mother-in-law’s home and travels in disguise to the Florentine region where Bertram is fighting. There she meets up with an old Widow and her daughter Diana. From them she learns that her husband has been amorously soliciting Diana, intent upon corrupting “the tender honor of a maid.” Helena reveals to Diana and her mother that she is, in fact, the husband of Diana’s adulterous suitor. Together Helena and Diana concoct a plan that will work to both their advantages.
When Bertram tries to woo Diana she arranges a nighttime rendezvous on the condition that he give his ring to her. At first Bertram is hesitant, but led of by his lust he gives his ring to Diana, and then proceeds to his encounter. Little does he realize, but his own wife is taking the place of Diana, and he sleeps with her and leaves without ever catching on. Now Helena has both the ring and has conceived a child, fulfilling the conditions that Bertram required before he would call Helena his wife. In addition Helena gave Bertram a ring of her own, one that she knew that others would recognize as her own.
Bertram leaves Diana behind, and returns to court. Immediately the King notices Helena’s ring on his hand. First Bertram denies receiving the ring from Helena, earning the King’s disfavor, but he is completely disgraced when Diana enters the court and tells them Bertram had an affair with her. At the last moment Helena enters the court and reveals the trick that she used to gain both Bertram’s ring and his child. Bertram responds, “I’ll love her dearly, ever, ever dearly.”
Final Analysis
“All’s Well that Ends Well” is a reasonably interesting play. The plot is, however, rather unrealistic. Although Helena’s tricks to gain Bertram as her husband are entertaining, the ending of the play seems rushed and hardly satisfying. For one thing, “All’s Well that Ends Well” portrays Bertram as a very dishonorable man, eager enough to sleep with another woman. After seeing this first hand, I doubt that Helena would be quite as satisfied in him. Secondly, if Helena’s first attempt to gain Bertram only enraged him, then why the sudden change of attitude? At the end of the play Bertram suddenly loves Helena and everything works out perfectly. “All’s Well that Ends Well” may have a happy ending, but it seems a little stretched, simply for the purpose of making it “end well” in accord with the play’s title.
“All’s Well that Ends Well” by William Shakespeare is a play that has a great introduction and climax, but the ending of the play seems weak in comparison. Nevertheless, this a piece of literature that you should experience.
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“The Castle Corona,” by Sharon Creech
“The Castle Corona,” by Sharon Creech is a pleasant fantasy fairy tale in classic form.
In the Castle Corona lives a royal family who enjoys all the traditional comforts: jewels, gold, and finery that most people would envy. But the King dreams of taking a nap even as he sits in his throne, squirming in his uncomfortable gold robe, and the Queen longs for some peace away from the constant visitors and responsibilities of court life. From the castle comes these quiet wishes:
“If only I could be a poor, anonymous peasant… If only I didn’t have to wear these heavy golden clothes… If only I didn’t have to always smile and make decisions… If only I could choose my own friends and do what I liked… If only, if only.”
In the small village below the glittering castle lives two young peasants who dream about living as royalty. While working for their cruel master they wish:
“If only I could be a princess or a prince… If only I could wear clothes spun with gold… If only I could ride white ponies with golden bangles… If only, if only-then my life would be perfect and beautiful and easy…”
But then the two peasants find a stolen pouch at the side of the road, a pouch that contains hidden secrets that can transform lives forever.
“The Castle Corona” is an entertaining book that features full color illustrations throughout by the Caldecott Medal winner David Diaz. The book’s plot is fairly interesting, though not at all new. However, the characters are all fresh and well defined. Sharon Creech’s tale is written in good taste and flows very smoothly. Young readers are sure to enjoy “The Castle Corona.”
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“Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger,” by Louis Sachar
“Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger,” by Louis Sachar is the last book in the Wayside School series.
The students of Wayside School returned to their thirty story school building, glad that the cows were gone and the building opened again. (You’ll have to read “Wayside School is Falling Down” if you want to understand.) But for the students in Mrs. Jewls class, the joy is shortlived.
Mrs. Jewls is going to have a baby, and while she is gone, the class will be having a substitute teacher. After the children’s bad experiences in the past, they will forever be suspicious of any new teacher they get. Indeed, their suspicions are well founded for their substitute teachers are rather weird, even by Wayside School standards: Mr. Gorf, a man with three nostrils; Mrs Drazil, the teacher who never forgets anything, not even homework missed twenty years ago; and Miss Nogard, the young woman with three ears.
For those who read “Wayside School Get a Little Stranger,” Louis Sachar provides another humorous grade school adventure with plenty of double meanings and hidden messages. I would definitely recommend this story for elementary school age children.
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“Hugo Pepper,” by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell
“Hugo Pepper,” by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell is a marvelous story that is part of the Far-flung Adventure series.
The story begins with two reindeer herders in the far away Frozen North. One night they discover a small boy at their doorstep, brought to them by the snow giants. On the boy’s cardigan is a name: Hugo Pepper. Hugo grows up with his foster parents until one day his parents tell him of how he came to them. Hugo sets out on a marvelous journey that will take him to meet distant relatives and friends that he didn’t even know he had.
The storyline in “Hugo Pepper” is marvelously complicated, involving a group of richly designed interconnected characters that all have an effect on each other. The story is told from different viewpoints, not only through Hugo Pepper’s experiences, but also using the stories of his parents and family friends.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading “Hugo Pepper.” Paul Stewart’s writing style is simply wonderful to read and it gives the story a feel and tone that is truly unique. Chris Riddell’s beautiful pictures compliment the story and breath even more life into the unique characters and enigmatic plot. I highly recommend “Hugo Pepper” to anyone who wants to read a good fantasy story.
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“The Time Thief,” by Linda Buckley-Archer
“The Time Thief,” by Linda Buckley-Archer is book two in the Gideon trilogy. Like its predecessor “The Time Travelers,” the story features an intense time traveling plot.
At the end of “The Time Travelers” Kate and Peter managed to recover their time machine but that didn’t solve all their problems. An unfortunate series of events resulted in Peter being left behind in the eighteenth century. Even more unfortunately, a desperate criminal known as the Tar Man took Peter’s place.
“The Time Thief” traces two parallel tracks. On the one hand it shows the modern day escapades of the Tar Man. Chased by police and confused by new technology the Tar Man isn’t sure at first whether he likes the future. But soon he discovers how the ultimate scheme to steal and take advantage of his status as a time traveler. With the Tar Man wreaking havoc in modern day London, there is danger everywhere.
Meanwhile Kate has stolen a time machine and made her way back to the eighteenth century. She is determined to rescue Peter and bring him back to the present. But time travel is having disastrous effects on Kate, and possibly on Time itself…
“The Time Thief” is a great continuation of the Gideon series. It is every bit as satisfying and thrilling as the first book in the series. I would highly recommend it to fans of time travel books.
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“The Time Travelers,” by Linda Buckley-Archer
“The Time Travelers,” by Linda Buckley-Archer is the first book in a series of time traveling adventures. This book was formerly known as “Gideon the Cutpurse.”
When an antigravity experiment goes bad and Peter Schock and Kate Dyer are mysteriously thrown into eighteenth-century London, it is the start of an journey that will take the two young people into dangerous situations that their modern day lives have not prepared them for.
No sooner do the children arrive in the past, then their time travel machine is stolen by an infamous eighteenth century villain called the Tar Man. This villain has a grudge against the world ever since he was hung for a crime that he didn’t commit. Fortunately the hanging didn’t kill him, but unfortunately ever since he has been a master criminal and thief. With the help of Gideon, a former cutpurse turned gentleman Kate and Peter must try to recover their time travel machine and return to the present.
Meanwhile in the modern day world investigators are searching for Kate and Peter. With the children’s parents under suspicion and a determined investigator on the case hiding the truth is becoming more and more difficult. Will Kate and Peter return in time to clear the suspicion, or will they even return at all?
Linda Buckley-Archer’s story has a very well researched feel. The characters are interesting and unique. Also the depictions of eighteenth century life are very thorough. But the thrilling plot and action in “The Time Travelers” is the best point of all. The action, intrigue, and treachery make this book a very interesting read. The second book in the series is “The Time Thief.”
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“The Wanderer,” by Sharon Creech
“The Wanderer,” by Sharon Creech is a Newberry Honor Medal winning novel about a sailboating journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
Sophie is a thirteen-year-old girl, who loves the sea and begged her way onto “The Wanderer,” her uncle’s 45 foot long sailboat. With her cousins Cody and Brian and three uncles, Sophie will be able to experience the ocean first hand on a cross Atlantic trip to visit her grandfather.
The story is told through the travel logs of Sophie and her cousin Cody. Little do they know but both of them will be changed forever by this trip. Cody is a fun loving boy who loves to goof off, but he wants to prove himself to his demanding father. Sophie loves the sea, but she fears it as well, and facing the sea personally will help her to uncover a piece of her forgotten past.
The first time that I read “The Wanderer,” I was highly impressed by Sharon Creech’s voice and character development. The plot is very rich and the interrelationships between the six characters who must live in close quarters on the small sailboat make the story interesting. “The Wanderer” is about an epic journey, but the most sublime and important things, I think, happen on the small scale, in the Wanderer’s confines.
Sharon Creech’s “The Wanderer” is an admirable Newberry Honor book that I would definitely recommend to you.
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“Wayside School is Falling Down,” by Louis Sachar
“Wayside School is Falling Down,” by Louis Sachar is a nearly classic children’s book about a very strange school.
Those who have read the first book in the Wayside School series will remember that Wayside School is highly unusual institution. To begin with, the building has thirty stories, one for each class. And although there are thirty stories, there is no nineteen story, as Louis Sachar consistently reminds his readers.
The Wayside School series focuses on the experience of the children in Mrs. Jewls class, the class at the very top of Wayside School, on the thirtieth story. The book is chock full of humor that is obvious satire. For example, when Mrs. Jewls’ class receives a brand new computer with “a full-color monitor and two disk drives” Mrs Jewls uses it to teach the class about gravity – by dropping the computer out of the window. “Thank you…” says Mrs. Jewels, “I’ve been trying to teach them about gravity all morning. We had been using pencils and pieces of paper, but the computer was a lot quicker.”
Throughout “Wayside School is Falling Down” the students will experience strange adventures and even stranger characters. Back in elementary school I enjoyed reading “Wayside School is Falling Down” because it humorous, but now, reading it again from a point of view over a decade later, I see more meaning in Louis Sachar’s writing. Beneath the seemingly shallow storyline is a much deeper philosophical message about the the institutions and traditions that we tend to take for granted.
I would definitely recommend “Wayside School is Falling Down” to any young reader.
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Book Review Carnival #3
Inkweaver Review is proud to be a supporter of the third Book Review Blog Carnival.
This time the carnival is being hosted by Books, Books, and more Books!. Visit the carnival today for links to an impressive collection of book reviews of all genres and for all ages.
