All’s Well That Ends Well · Chapter
Scene II explained
Parolles, now fallen from favor, tries to deliver a letter to Lafeu via the Clown, who mocks his misfortunes.
What happens
Parolles, now fallen from favor, tries to deliver a letter to Lafeu via the Clown, who mocks his misfortunes. Lafeu rebukes Parolles for his past deceptions but ultimately offers him a small coin and a chance to follow, as the king's arrival is announced.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Falling action.
- Setup
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This scene marks the dramatic climax because Bertram, who has fled his forced marriage to Helena, achieves his…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Deception and Appearance
Parolles's fallen state contrasts with his former pretensions, and Lafeu's mockery highlights the gap between appearance and reality.
- Honor and Reputation
Parolles's loss of honor is evident in the Clown's insults and Lafeu's scorn, emphasizing the importance of reputation in courtly society.
Characters to notice
- Parolles
Parolles, now in disgrace, seeks Lafeu's favor and delivers a letter, but is mocked by the Clown and rebuked by Lafeu.
- Lavache
The Clown taunts Parolles about his fallen state and delivers the letter to Lafeu with scornful commentary.
- Lafeu
Lafeu dismisses Parolles's pleas but eventually gives him a coin and agrees to let him follow, noting the king's approach.
Key passages
“I am now, sir, muddied in fortune’s mood, and smell somewhat strong of her strong displeasure.”
I am now stained by bad luck and reek of Fortune's anger.
Parolles uses a metaphor of mud and smell to describe his fallen state.
“Truly, fortune’s displeasure is but sluttish, if it smell so strongly as thou speakest of: I will henceforth eat no fish of fortune’s buttering.”
If Fortune's anger smells as bad as you say, it's filthy; I'll have nothing to do with her favors.
The Clown mocks Parolles by comparing Fortune's displeasure to a foul smell, using crude humor.
“Here is a purr of fortune’s, sir, or of fortune’s cat—but not a musk-cat—that has fallen into the unclean fishpond of her displeasure.”
Here is a sorry creature of Fortune, like a cat that has fallen into a dirty pond of her anger.
The Clown likens Parolles to a bedraggled cat, emphasizing his lowly state.
