All's Well That Ends Well

by William Shakespeare

  50 honour object of distinction

  52 obloquy disgrace

  54 honour's virginity's

  54 ring with vaginal connotations

  58 proper personal

  63 bid commanded

  65 order take make arrangements

  66 band bond

  67 yet maiden still virgin

  72 proceeds comes to pass

  73 token betoken, signify

  75 wife i.e. by having sex

  75 hope i.e. of marrying Bertram

  75 be done ends

  81 like same

  83 braid i.e. twisted, deceitful

  84 Marry let those marry

  85 disguise deceptive role

  86 cozen trick

  Act 4 Scene 3

  4.3 Location: battlefield

  2 since ago

  5 worthy deserved

  8 his bounty (the instrument of) his generosity

  10 darkly secretly

  13 perverted seduced/corrupted

  14 fleshes rewards with meat (as hounds were given a piece of the kill; sexual connotations) 15 will sexual desire/penis

  15 spoil plundered loot/despoiling/meat given to hounds 16 monumental i.e. serving as a reminder of his ancestry 16 made successful

  17 composition bargain (plays on the sense of "something made") 18 delay subdue

  18 rebellion rebellious, lustful appetites

  18 ourselves i.e. human

  20 Merely entirely

  21 still always

  21 themselves i.e. their true, treacherous natures 22 attain to reach

  22 ends objectives/deaths

  22 he i.e. Bertram

  23 contrives conspires

  23 proper stream own current of desire

  25 Is ... meant does it not show (as)

  28 dieted ... hour restricted to his appointed time 29 apace quickly

  30 company companion

  30 anatomized dissected, revealed

  31 curiously ... counterfeit elaborately he has displayed this false jewel (Parolles) 33 him i.e. Parolles

  33 he ... his i.e. Bertram

  34 the other i.e. Parolles

  36 overture opening, move toward

  39 higher further

  40 demand question

  40 of his council in his confidence

  42 deal ... act partaker in his affairs

  45 pretence purpose

  46 sanctimony holiness

  50 justified proved

  53 office role

  54 rector priest/ruler

  57 arming establishment, strengthening

  57 verity truth

  59 make ... of take comfort in

  63 encountered met

  68 cherished comforted, pitied

  71 solemn formal

  71 for leave for

  72 offered given

  74 needful necessary

  74 if even if

  75 more ... commend stronger commendations than Bertram deserves 79 dispatched settled

  80 by ... success quickly and successfully/here follows a summary of my success 81 congied with taken ceremonious leave of

  81 nearest closest company

  83 entertained my convoy hired my means of transport 84 parcels of dispatch major items of business 84 nicer more delicate/lascivious

  89 hear of it i.e. because Diana may be pregnant and/or may claim him as her husband 92 module model (of a soldier)

  92 double-meaning prophesier ambiguous, equivocal oracle 94 stocks instrument of public punishment in which the arms, head, or legs were confined 94 gallant showy, ostentatious

  95 usurping laying false claim to

  96 spurs symbols of knightly valor

  96 carry bear, conduct (the Second Lord puns on the sense of "transport") 99 shed spilled

  101 time ... remembrance beginning of his memory 101 instant disaster current misfortune

  103 a he

  109 Hoodman term for the blindfolded player in the game Blind Man's Bluff 112 constraint force

  113 pasty meat pie with pinched crusts

  117 note memorandum/list

  119 horse cavalry

  120 is strong i.e. has

  126 take the sacrament i.e. swear most religiously 126 how and which however and whichever

  128 All's one it's all the same

  128 past-saving beyond redemption

  131 theoric theory

  132 chape metal plate covering the point of the sheath 134 clean free from blood/polished

  140 con i.e. give

  140 in the nature considering the way in which 145 marvellous extremely

  147 a-foot in terms of foot soldiers

  148 live i.e. live only for

  150 so as

  153 muster-file official list of soldiers

  153 rotten and sound (of those both) sick and healthy 154 poll heads, i.e. soldiers

  155 cassocks soldier's cloaks/coats

  159 condition (military) character

  164 well-weighing heavy/persuasive

  167 particular individual points

  168 inter'gatories questions

  170 botcher mender (of clothes and shoes)

  170 'prentice apprentice

  171 shrieve's fool idiot girl in the sheriff's care 172 innocent fool

  173 him nay no to him

  175 his ... falls i.e. he is in danger of a sudden death 178 lousy lice-infested/contemptible

  184 o'th'band of the military company

  186 good sadness all seriousness

  194 advertisement advice, warning

  194 proper respectable

  196 ruttish lustful

  196 up back

  198 favour permission

  202 fry young fish

  203 both-sides two-faced

  204 drop offer, pay with

  205 scores incurs a bill

  206 Half ... it one is halfway there if the bargain is well-made, so set out your terms clearly (or "be even") and succeed 207 after-debts outstanding bills

  207 it i.e. payment

  209 mell mingle/have sex

  210 For count on account/so be sure

  211 before in advance

  214 in's on his

  215 manifold linguist speaker of many languages 216 armipotent powerful in arms

  220 fain obliged

  223 nature my natural life

  229 egg ... cloister i.e. trifling thing, even from a holy place 230 Nessus centaur who tried to rape Hercules' wife 230 professes not does not make a practice of 232 Hercules Greek hero famed for feats of strength 234 swine-drunk drunk as a pig (i.e. excessively drunk--and thus likely to wet his bed-clothes) 235 they i.e. the servants who put him to bed 235 conditions habits

  243 led ... tragedians drums announced a performance by actors 244 belie tell lies about

  246 Mile-end field outside the city of London where citizen militia were trained 247 doubling of files simple military marching maneuver 254 cardecue quart d'ecu, small French silver coin 254 fee-simple absolute possession (legal term used of land or property) 255 cut ... perpetually prevent inheritance to all subsequent heirs forever 262 for as

  263 lackey errand-running servant

  264 coming on advancing

  267 captain ... horse cavalry commander

  270 no more have nothing more to do with

  271 beguile the supposition deceive the opinion 276 discovered revealed

  277 pestiferous malicious, pestilent

  278 held regarded

  286 you you send

  287 for bound for

  289 in on

  290 a very an absolute

  292 undone ruined/undressed

  295 but only

  297 impudent shameless, immodest

  299 great big/noble

  303 Who he who

  307 fooled made a fool of/tricked

  Act 4 Scene 4

  4.4 Location: Florence

  2 One ... world i.e. the French king

  3 surety guarantor

&n
bsp; 6 which gratitude gratitude for which

  7 Through even through

  7 Tartar inhabitant of Central Asia, considered pitiless and savage 10 convenient convoy suitable means of transport 11 breaking disbanding

  12 hies him hastens

  14 our welcome i.e. we are expected

  21 be i.e. provide

  21 dower dowry

  22 motive agent/means

  25 saucy trusting lecherous acceptance

  25 cozened deluded

  26 Defiles blackens/pollutes

  26 pitchy dark (pitch is a tar-like substance) 27 loathes i.e. Helen

  27 for ... away i.e. in place of Diana 29 yet further

  31 death and honesty i.e. a chaste death 32 Go with i.e. result from

  32 impositions commands

  33 Upon at

  34 Yet for a while

  35 But ... word through the power of word alone: either a metaphysical reference to the "word of God" or a meta-theatrical reference to the power of theater 38 revives will reinvigorate

  39 fine's end's

  40 renown i.e. important thing

  Act 4 Scene 5

  4.5 Location: Rossillion

  1 with by

  1 snipt-taffeta in slashed silk, indicative of showiness 2 saffron orange-red dye used to color ruffs and food 3 unbaked uncooked/immature/impressionable

  3 doughy dough-like/malleable

  4 Your i.e. had it not been for Parolles, your 6 humble-bee bumble-bee

  10 dearest direst/most precious

  10 groans ... mother i.e. in labor

  11 rooted established/planted (Lafew develops this sense) 13 light on come across

  14 sweet marjoram type of herb

  15 herb of grace rue, herb associated with repentance (suggests Helen's spiritual grace) 16 herbs edible salad plants

  16 nose-herbs scented plants for smelling

  17 Nebuchadnezzar Babylonian king, forced from his kingdom and made to eat grass 18 grace puns on "grass"

  19 Whether which of the two

  20 fool supposedly fools had big penises

  20 service employment/sexual service

  23 cozen cheat

  23 service duty, i.e. sex

  25 bauble fool's baton with a carved head on one end/penis 25 do with sexual connotations

  27 subscribe vouch/answer

  34 maine mane, like that of a royal English lion/meinie, family, retinue 34 fisnomy physiognomy, facial features

  35 hotter in France choleric, angry, warlike (to the French)/susceptible to the "French disease" (syphilis) 37 black prince Edward the Black Prince of England, son of Edward III 39 Hold thee be quiet

  40 suggest tempt

  42 woodland rustic, i.e. simple

  43 fire also "hellfire"

  44 prince ... world another title for the devil 45 narrow gate according to the Bible, the route to salvation (Matthew 7:13) 46 pomp proud, showy people

  47 many majority

  47 chill faint-hearted/sensitive to cold (thus preferring the warmth of hellfire) 47 tender fond of comfort

  50 Go thy ways be off

  51 before now, before I grow truly fed up with you 52 tricks i.e. tampering with the horses' feed to save hay 53 jades' tricks mischief caused by badly behaved horses 55 shrewd cunning, mischievous

  55 unhappy unlucky/discontented/mischievous

  56 gone dead (i.e. her husband the count)

  59 pace restraint, obedient movement (horse-training term) 61 lady's i.e. Helen's

  62 moved urged, persuaded

  64 minority youth, when they were minors

  64 self-gracious remembrance his own thoughtfulness, without prompting 65 propose i.e. for marriage to Bertram 71 post rapidly

  72 numbered was aged

  73 him i.e. a messenger

  73 intelligence information

  78 with ... admitted how I might with propriety be allowed to be present (at the meeting of Bertram and the king) 80 but only

  80 your honourable privilege the privilege due your honored self 81 charter claim

  83 patch of velvet used to cover either battle scars or those resulting from syphilis treatment 85 knows plays on no

  86 two ... half i.e. covered with thick velvet 86 worn bare without a velvet patch/hairless (from syphilis) 88 liv'ry badge

  89 belike probably

  90 carbonadoed slashed (like meat for cooking)/cut in the manner of incisions made for syphilis treatment Act 5 Scene 1

  5.1 Location: Marseilles

  1 exceeding posting exceptional haste

  2 wear wear out

  5 bold confident

  5 my requital the reward I shall give you

  6 In happy time fortunately met

  6 Gentle Astringer gentleman keeper of hawks 8 spend exert

  12 fall'n less than/altered

  14 sharp urgent

  14 occasions needs

  15 nice overscrupulous

  15 put urge/compel

  20 petition request

  26 hence removed departed from here

  27 use custom

  28 pains efforts

  35 like likely

  36 commend commit

  37 presume assure (you)

  40 means ... means resources will enable us

  43 falls more else happens

  44 provide prepare

  Act 5 Scene 2

  5.2 Location: Rossillion

  1 Lavache Parolles clarifies the name's probable derivation (vache is French for "cow") 4 mood anger/temper (puns on "mud")

  6 sluttish a whore/dirty

  8 butt'ring preparation/cooking

  8 allow the wind i.e. stand downwind of me, so I don't have to smell you 9 stop block

  14 me for me

  15 paper i.e. soiled with excrement

  16 close-stool toilet/chamber-pot enclosed in a stool 18 purr knave, jack in a card game/cat noise/animal dung 19 musk-cat i.e. perfume, the musky substance obtained from the anal glands of the civet cat 20 withal with it

  21 carp fish bred in ponds/chatterer

  22 ingenious wily/un-genious, i.e. stupid 23 smiles of comfort gloating (ironic usage)

  27 pare trim

  30 cardecue small silver coin

  30 justices magistrates, responsible for dealing with beggars under Elizabethan law 36 "word" a single word, as Parolles' name means "words"

  36 Cox cock's (i.e. God's)

  36 Cox my passion! By God's passion! (i.e. Christ's suffering) 38 me me out

  39 sooth truth

  39 lost parted with/abandoned

  40 in into

  40 grace favor

  41 out of favor

  42 Out upon thee expression of frustration and condemnation 45 inquire ... me ask for me later

  Act 5 Scene 3

  1 of in

  1 our esteem my worth

  4 home fully, truly

  6 make consider

  7 Natural i.e. of the passions

  7 i'th'blade in the greenness, immaturity (sometimes emended to "blaze" for consistency with subsequent fire imagery) 12 high bent pulled fully taut for action (like a bow) 13 watched awaited

  15 my pardon i.e. you to pardon me

  19 astonish stun/dazzle

  19 survey sight, gaze

  20 richest most noble/most experienced

  25 view sight (of him)

  25 kill All repetition put an end to going over past wrongs 27 dead forgotten (also a reminder that Helen is supposed dead) 29 incensing relics anger-rousing memories

  30 stranger i.e. person whose story is unknown 32 GENTLEMAN i.e. an attendant

  35 hath reference to is at the disposal of

  39 day of season i.e. inclined to one unchanging disposition 39 season time of year/weather

  42 Distracted breaking/agitated

  44 high-repented blames bitterly regretted faults 45 to in

  46 whole mended/well

  47 consumed used up/passed

  48 take ... top tug occasion by the forelo
ck (hair at the front of the head) 49 quick'st most lively/urgent

  54 stuck fixed

  55 Durst dared

  55 herald messenger

  56 Where i.e. in my heart

  56 impression image (of Lafew's daughter)

  56 infixing was implanted/fastened onto

  57 perspective optical glass that produced a distorted image 58 favour (woman's) face

  59 fair colour beautiful appearance/pale complexion (considered attractive) 59 expressed deemed (it to be)

  59 stol'n i.e. falsely created with cosmetics 60 Extended or contracted (the perspective) distorted by elongating or shortening 61 object spectacle/sight

  62 she i.e. Helen

  66 scores debts

  67 great count large account/judgment day

  68 remorseful compassionate

  68 pardon reprieve from death

  68 slowly carried i.e. delivered too late 69 turns becomes

  71 Make trivial price undervalue

  72 knowing acknowledging

  72 know their grave i.e. lose them

  73 displeasures wrongs

  74 weep weep over, mourn

  74 dust remains

  76 out through

  77 knell funeral bell

  78 Maudlin Magdalen, Lafew's daughter; means "sorrowful" (may recall Mary Magdalene) 79 main consents i.e. agreements of the most important parties 82 they meet Bertram and Maudlin marry/the first and second marriages become similar 82 cesse variant form of "cease" (some editors assign the closing couplet to the countess, though with no warrant from the Folio) 84 digested incorporated

  84 favour love token

  86 come yield/come forth

  90 last last time

  90 took her leave said farewell to her

  96 bade told

  97 Necessitied to in dire need of

  98 reave deprive/rob

  99 stead help, support

  104 reckoned valued

  105 At as highly as

  105 rate worth

  108 casement window

  111 engaged pledged (to her)

  111 subscribed To acknowledged

  113 answer ... overture respond honorably to her advances 115 heavy satisfaction sad resignation

  117 Plutus Greek god of wealth

  118 tinct tincture, elixir

  118 multiplying med'cine alchemical formula for turning base metals into gold 119 science knowledge

  124 to surety as witness

  128 upon ... disaster in the event of some terrible misfortune befalling her 131 conjectural speculative

  132 fain willingly

  138 fore-past former

  138 fall turn out

  139 Shall ... vanity will not reprove my fears for being foolish; rather my fears have foolishly not been apprehensive enough 140 vainly stupidly/wrongly

  141 sift examine carefully

  141 Gentleman [the Astringer] though no mention is made here of his status as a hawk-keeper 150 for on account of

  150 removes stages in a royal progress (Helen kept missing the king) 150 short i.e. too late

  151 tender offer

  152 vanquished won

  153 this this time

  154 looks manifests itself

  155 importing visage countenance full of urgency 156 brief summary

  161 honour's paid i.e. virginity's surrendered 161 taking no leave without saying goodbye 165 in at

  165 fair i.e. where stolen or poor-quality goods were for sale; Lafew reasons that even there he would receive a better deal than in accepting Bertram for his daughter 165 toll for this sell Bertram at a market (where vendors paid a fee and entered their goods in the toll-book) 168 suitors petitioners