Teaching All's Well That Ends Well

All's Well That Ends Well, written between 1603 and 1606, is based on a popular medieval story from Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron (c. 1350-1353)—a collection of 100 tales, mostly love stories with boatloads of dirty jokes.

Ah, Shakespeare…you dirty-joke-loving, idea-borrower, you.

Dirty jokes aside, because of its dark tone and unsettling themes, All's Well is often called a problem play or a problem comedy. It also has the distinction of providing the least realistic happy ending in Shakespearean literature, which partially explains why the play isn't as popular as some of Shakespeare's other works. That said, we think All's Well has plenty to offer, even if it is one of the most bizarre plays we've ever read. Keep reading our guide to find out why...

In this guide, you'll find

• a scaffolded breakdown of how to analyze even the headiest of the play's couplets.
• a high-interest visualization imagining the play as a box office smash.
• an examination of how the play treats the concept of virginity—collar tug.

We mean…who wouldn't want to hold hands with Shmoop as they go on Shakespeare's raunchiest romp?

What's Inside Shmoop's Literature Teaching Guides

Shmoop is a labor of love from folks who love to teach. Our teaching guides will help you supplement in-classroom learning with fun, engaging, and relatable learning materials that bring literature to life.

Inside each guide you'll find quizzes, activity ideas, discussion questions, and more—all written by experts and designed to save you time. Here are the deets on what you get with your teaching guide:

• 13 – 18 Common Core-aligned activities to complete in class with your students, including detailed instructions for you and your students
• Discussion and essay questions for all levels of students
• Reading quizzes for every chapter, act, or part of the text
• Resources to help make the book feel more relevant to your 21st-century students
• A note from Shmoop's teachers to you, telling you what to expect from teaching the text and how you can overcome the hurdles

Want more help teaching Teaching All's Well That Ends Well?

Check out all the different parts of our corresponding learning guide.