alls well

In order to understand the moral implications of the bed-trick in Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well, one must examine who is involved in the scheme and to what end. Once this is clear, it becomes obvious that the bed-trick has no moral message in and of itself; rather, the bed-trick is, according to William Bowman, "a morally neutral device" used by Shakespeare in a "moral context." The bed-trick is an off-stage event that contributes …

…bed-trick to manipulate a situation that would otherwise be against her. At no time does she even consider Bertram's feelings, she simply wants to control his sexual actions and lose her virginity within the institution of marriage, thus appearing virtuous. The audience agrees with the portrayal of a good Helena because the other characters' constant reference to her virtue and the fact that her bed-trick straightens out Bertram's folly and helps Diana preserve her chastity.