All's Well That Ends Well

All's Well That Ends Well is a play written by William Shakespeare no earlier than 1606 set in France and Italy about a young woman who wins the hand of a Count that does not return her affections.

History

Preparing to depart from Avalon after their first encounter with Oberon and Titania, Goliath quotes the title of the play. ("Ill Met By Moonlight")

Real World Background

The play is based off Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron (specifically the ninth tale from Day Three), with Shakespeare likely reading Antoine le Maçon's 1569 French translation. [1] Like some of Shakespeare's plays, it may have been written in collaboration with another writer, with Thomas Middleton considered a likely candidate. [2]

Ironic to its name, the play is considered by some to be unlucky like Macbeth, with tales of misfortune for those that perform it, including Peg Woffington who fainted on stage and died days later in 1742. [3][4]

See Also

• All's Well That Ends Well at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia