All's Well That Ends Well is a
comedy play by William Shakespeare. It is more viewed as satirical rather than a romantic
comedy.
Bertram assumes the title of Count of
Rossillion when his father died. Over the years, Helena has harbored a secret love for Bertram although he is not aware of this. Helena is the orphaned daughter of a great doctor, and for years, lives in the Rossillion household under the care of the Countess, Bertram's mother. The Countess is aware of Helena's feelings and in a way approves of it.
Meanwhile, the King of France has been taken grievously ill. Bertram leaves to attend the King's court. Helena follows him to Paris, bearing a prescription of her father's that she thinks might cure the ailing king. The cure earns her the gratitude of the King, who keeps a bargain between them that she can have her pick of the bachelors at his court. No doubt, Helena chooses Bertram, who is not happy about it. To Bertram, Helena is not his equal in status. Since the King keeps his word, Bertram is ordered to marry Helena. Bertram was unhappy about the marriage. He slips off and joins a war in Tuscany, accompanied by Parolles, his weakling companion.
Helena returns to Rossillion. Bertram sends a message that she doesn't want Helena to call him husband until she gets his ring from him and bears him a child – an almost impossible task to do since he is away in Italy and he always wears the ring. Once again, Helena sets out to follow Bertram. She arrives in Florence in disguise of a pilgrim and lodges with a widow whose daughter, Diana, is coincidentally Bertram's object of affections.
Helena ensnares Bertram with the help of Diana. She manages Diana to accept Bertram's amorous advances, and he must agree to give Diana his ring before she can share a bed with him. Helena then takes Diana's place in the dark, at the same time, Diana (now, actually Helena) exchanges the ring that the King had given her for the challenge of Bertram. Helena them accomplishes Bertram's two challenges upon her.
Bertram now believes that his is all clear of any responsibility for a wife he never wanted in the first place; he returns to France. Unfortunately, the King recognizes the ring he bears as Helena's. Bertram resorted to lies to save face before the king, and the King has him arrested on suspicion of "murdering" Helena. Adding to more lies from Bertram, Diana and her mother show up demanding justice for them. Clearing up things, the real Helena appears. She shows Bertram's ring and the child she "carries" – revealing the truth. Bertram has no way out, but to repent his wrongdoings and to vow his love for Helena, after all.
All's Well That Ends Well, perhaps similar to Measure for Measure is one of those plays of Shakespeare with implied challenge to ideas of romantic love alone as a basis for marriage.