# Scene II explained — All’s Well That Ends Well

> Chapter companion for All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

The Countess of Rousillon instructs the Clown, Lavache, to deliver a message to Helena and to commend her to her kinsmen and son. The Clown engages in witty banter about courtly manners and the versatility of his answers.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Class and Merit

The Clown's discussion of courtly manners and his ability to 'put off' breeding highlights the tension between social class and personal merit.

### Deception and Appearance

The Clown's claim to have an answer that 'fits all questions' suggests the performative and deceptive nature of courtly behavior.

## Character check-ins

### Countess of Rousillon

The Countess gives the Clown a message to deliver to Helena and sends her commendations to her kinsmen and son.

### Lavache

The Clown engages in wordplay with the Countess, boasting about his ability to answer any question at court, before receiving his errand.

## Key lines

> I will show myself highly fed and lowly taught: I know my business is but to the court.

I may be well-fed but poorly educated; I understand my task is simply to go to court.

_The Clown acknowledges his lowly upbringing while accepting his errand to the court._

> It is like a barber’s chair that fits all buttocks, the pin-buttock, the quatch-buttock, the brawn buttock, or any buttock.

My answer is like a barber's chair that accommodates any shape of backside.

_The Clown uses a crude metaphor to boast that his answer is universally applicable._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/all_s_well_that_ends_well_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-ii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/all_s_well_that_ends_well_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/all_s_well_that_ends_well_se/chapters