Lafeu: The Old Lord Who Sees Clearly
First appears: Act 1, Scene 1
Lafeu has seen enough of the world to see through Parolles instantly. While Bertram is dazzled by his companion's show of military style, Lafeu recognises him as a fraud from the first act.
He is sharp-tongued and funny, but not malicious. He takes Parolles in after the exposure rather than abandoning him entirely.
His role in the play is partly structural (he explains the background, moves scenes forward) but also thematic. He says what the play wants said about rank, merit and the gap between appearance and reality.
Key Scenes
Famous Quotes
“They say miracles are past; and we have our philosophical persons, to make modern and familiar, things supernatural and causeless.”
Lafeu — Act 2, Scene 3
Themes
Other Characters in All's Well That Ends Well
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