All’s Well That Ends Well – Act Four – “The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”

All’s Well That Ends Well – Act Four – “The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”

Act Four of 'All's Well That Ends Well' starts outside the Florentine army camp where a number of lords discuss how they will capture and enact their plan involving Parolles. They have brought along a soldier that Parolles does not know to help them and they decide that they will use him as a mock ‘interpreter’ and that they will disguise their own voices. Enter Parolles talking with himself about how he can recover the drum but not put himself in any danger. He says he could rip his own clothes and give himself a little wound and get a drum from the enemy so that he could fool others into thinking he was brave. Parolles is then set upon and blindfolded and believes he has been taken by Austrian soldiers.

Meanwhile at the Old Widow's house, Bertram is trying to get Diana to have sex with him. He even declares that he loves her by “love’s own sweet constraint” and eventually Diana agrees to let Bertram come to her bedroom later that night. Diana does ask that Bertram gives her his ring as a token of his undying love. He gives Diana the ring and she gives him a ring of hers in return (this ring is in fact Helena’s that the King of France gave her). Bertram departs, thinking he has won a “heaven on earth” in his wooing. Diana reveals to the audience that she has been well schooled by her mother in matters of wooing and love:

“For which live long to thank both heaven and me!

You may so in the end.

My mother told me just how he would woo,

As if she sat in 's heart; she says all men

Have the like oaths: he had sworn to marry me

When his wife's dead; therefore I'll lie with him

When I am buried. Since Frenchmen are so braid,

Marry that will, I live and die a maid:

Only in this disguise I think't no sin

To cozen him that would unjustly win.”

At the Florentine army camp, two lords talk about Bertram’s exploits sleeping with Diana. They also have a letter from Bertram’s mother, the Countess condemning his behaviour. News has also arrived that Helena has died in a monastery (we assume that Helena herself has spread this rumour). Bertram enters and the Lords take him to where Parolles is blindfolded and bound and under threat reveals all about the Florentine army Parolles gives away secrets and even gives unfavourable descriptions of Bertram and other lords. A letter is found in Parolles’ bags which is addressed to Diana, and tells her to sleep with Bertram for money. They threaten to kill Parolles and he breaks down and cries before Parolles’ blindfold is removed and he realizes that he has told all to them and even insulted Bertram. The others leave and Parolles shows that he still has hope that he can still survive:

“Yet am I thankful: if my heart were great,

'Twould burst at this. 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! being fool'd, by foolery thrive!

There's place and means for every man alive.

I'll after them.”

Over at the Old Widow’s house in Florence, Helena reveals that her plan seems to have succeeded and thanks the Old Widow and Diana for their help as it seems that with the war ended that Bertram will return to France.

“That you may well perceive I have not wrong'd you,

One of the greatest in the Christian world

Shall be my surety; 'fore whose throne 'tis needful,

Ere I can perfect mine intents, to kneel:

Time was, I did him a desired office,

Dear almost as his life; which gratitude

Through flinty Tartar's bosom would peep forth,

And answer, thanks: I duly am inform'd

His grace is at Marseilles; to which place

We have convenient convoy. You must know

I am supposed dead: the army breaking,

My husband hies him home; where, heaven aiding,

And by the leave of my good lord the king,

We'll be before our welcome.”

Back at the Countess’ house in Rousillon in France, the Countess mourns for Helena, her daughter-in-law’s. Lafeu suggests that Bertram should marry his daughter and the Countess agrees to this. The Clown then enters and says that her son Bertram has finally arrived back in Rousillin.