Click on any scene below for a side-by-side translation from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Act 1, Scene 1
Wait, is it Lafeu or Lafew? Paroles or Parolles? Different spellings for different tellings. Some editions spell names a bit differently, and we've stuck to the Folger version in this section, but...
Act 1, Scene 2
In Paris, we drop in on the old and sickly king of France at his royal court.The king is facing a dilemma: Florence and Siena (two towns in Italy) are at war and Florence wants France's help.The ki...
Act 1, Scene 3
Back at the Countess's house in Roussillon, Bertram's mom hangs out with Lavatch, the Fool, and Reynaldo, her steward.The Countess and Reynaldo have been gossiping about Helen, but the Fool keeps i...
Act 2, Scene 1
At the King of France's swanky palace, a bunch of young noblemen are getting ready to run off to Italy to fight in that foreign war we mentioned earlier.The King of France is so old and sickly that...
Act 2, Scene 2
Back in Roussillon, the Countess lets the Fool clown around for a while before she sends him to deliver a message to Helen in Paris.Before heading off to Paris, the Fool manages to crack a ton of j...
Act 2, Scene 3
Back at the royal palace, Lafew and Parolles talk about the king's miraculous recovery. Ever since Helen cured the King, he's been downright frisky (if you know what we mean).Just then, Helen and t...
Act 2, Scene 4
Meanwhile, Helen has no idea that her new husband is planning on ditching her.She's chilling at the King's palace when the Fool shows up with a message from Helen's mother-in-law, the Countess.Hele...
Act 2, Scene 5
Elsewhere in the royal palace, Lafew and Bertram talk about Bertram's BFF, Parolles.Bertram tries to convince Lafew that Parolles is a great guy and an awesome soldier, but Lafew doesn't buy it. In...
Act 3, Scene 1
In Italy, the Duke of Florence is leading the Florentine army against Siena, and he's a little miffed that the king of France has refused to join his war efforts.Two French lords chime in, saying t...
Act 3, Scene 2
In France, the Countess is happy with her matchmaking. Everything is going according to plan...except that Bertram sent Helen to Roussillon alone, that is.The Fool says Bertram is depressed and han...
Act 3, Scene 3
Back in Florence, Italy, Bertram has become a war hero. (Huh, we didn't know he had it in him.)The Duke of Florence gives him props and names him general of his cavalry.Bertram does an "aw shucks"...
Act 3, Scene 4
In Roussillon France, the Countess reads a letter from Helen.It turns out that Helen has decided to run away, too. She's on a holy pilgrimage to the Shrine of Saint Jaques (a.k.a., St. James' shrin...
Act 3, Scene 5
In Italy, a Widow and her daughter, Diana, are watching the guys return from battle.Bertram has become a famous war hero and everyone wants a piece of him before his fifteen minutes of fame are up....
Act 3, Scene 6
Over at the soldiers' camp, Bertram tries to defend Parolles against some French lords who are bagging on him. Everyone but Bertram seems to know that Parolles is a phony, a coward, and a liar...
Act 3, Scene 7
Over at Diana's place, Helen has been busy trying to convince the Widow that she's not just some random pilgrim—she's actually Bertram's estranged wife.She has a plan to get her husband back and...
Act 4, Scene 1
Outside the soldiers’ camp in Florence, the First Lord and several soldiers hide in the bushes.They're waiting to ambush Parolles, who is supposed to be trying to retrieve the drum he lost on the...
Act 4, Scene 2
Bertram is at Diana's window and is trying to get all Romeo and Juliet on us. He compares Diana to her to her namesake, the goddess of chastity, and insists she is way too hot t...
Act 4, Scene 3
Over at the soldiers’ camp, two Lords talk trash about Bertram for seducing Diana and giving her his family ring.They think Bertram has trashed his reputation and brought dishonor to his whole fa...
Act 4, Scene 4
Helen is most definitely NOT dead. But you probably guessed that.She's in full celebration mode with the widow and Diana. The bed trick has gone off without a hitch, the Italian war has ended, and...
Act 4, Scene 5
Lafew, the Countess, and the Fool have heard the rumor that Helen has died of a broken heart.They're devastated.Lafew blames everything on Parolles, who is pure evil and has been a bad influence on...
Act 5, Scene 1
Helen, the widow, and Diana have arrived in Marseilles, France, in search of the King.As we know, the King isn't there. (Oops.)They bump into an astringer (a guy who works with hawks) and find out...
Act 5, Scene 2
Parolles is now living in shame as a beggar.He shows up in Roussillon and tries to get the Fool to pass a note to Lafew.
Act 5, Scene 3
The King of France and the Countess of Roussillon talk about everything that has happened.Everyone is sad that Helen is dead but, hey, life goes on.The King and Countess agree that Bertram should b...
Epilogue
The actor who has been playing the role of the King delivers a snappy little epilogue about how the audience should go ahead and applaud the actors for all their hard work since "all is well ended....