Parolles: The Braggart Who Survives His Own Exposure
First appears: Act 1, Scene 1
Parolles dresses like a soldier, talks like a hero, and is comprehensively exposed in Act 4 as a coward and a liar. Blindfolded during a fake interrogation conducted by his own companions, he betrays everyone he knows without hesitation.
His response to being exposed is oddly honest. He does not try to rebuild the pose. 'Simply the thing I am shall make me live,' he says. Then he finds a way forward as a dependent of Lafeu.
He is funnier than Bertram, more self-aware, and arguably more realistic about human nature. His name means 'words' in French (paroles), and the play uses him to ask how much words alone are worth.
Key Scenes
Famous Quotes
“As captain shall: simply the thing I am Shall make me live.”
Parolles — Act 4, Scene 3
“Are you meditating on virginity?”
Parolles — Act 1, Scene 1
Themes
Other Characters in All's Well That Ends Well
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