All's Two Faced that Ends Two Faced: Is this play a Comedy or a Tragedy?

Perhaps the most interesting component of the “comedy or tragedy” debate between critics in All’s Well that Ends Well is its placement within the Shakespeare literary cannon.  In this era of Shakespeare’s writing, he was still developing the way he wrote plays.  Styles, genres, dialogue, and characters were experimented with in a way that did not occur later in his career.  In fact, this experimental phase of Shakespeare’s career included a play we have already read: Titus Andronicus.  Unlike Titus Andronicus however, All’s Well that Ends Well does not limit itself to flirting the line with gender roles (or at least, an argument for gender subversion) but includes bending the line between comedy and tragedy as well.

From one perspective, labeling the play as a comedy would make perfect sense.  Several elements one would normally see in a Shakespearian comedy are present in All’s Well that Ends Well.  Helen is in deep unrequited love with Bertram, and must implement a complex scheme to win the others heart.  Little real violence is present in the play, although a war is hinted at in the by the king of France.  There are supporting characters that aid the comedic elements of the play, such as Diana, whose only real motivation other than money appears to be the joy of messing with Bertram.  The play even contains a clown!

However, All’s Well that Ends Well also contains a few very dark elements that contrast its identity as a comedy.  A clown may seem harmless, but he uses coarse sexual humor throughout the play.  Helen is not simply in love with Bertram, but obsessed.  Bertram repeatedly refuses her advances, but she keeps attempting to court him in a way that feels strange and creepy.  Diana, whose presence in a modern romantic comedy might have been the supporting sidekick, is oddly completely fine allowing her new friend to pretend to be her and trick Bertram into sleeping with Helen.  These elements appear much darker when examined more closely.

            I would be interested to see this play in film form, if only as a lesson in directing.  With different filmmakers, I could see this play being presented in two entirely different ways!