Female sexuality in All's Well That Ends Well, Measure for Measure and Troilus and Cressida Although strict chronology is a problematic proposition, the most scholars believe that the problem plays out: all is well Well That Ends Well, Measure for Measure and Troilus and Cressida - were composed in the period between Hamlet and Othello (Mabillard), a period in which Shakespeare concentrated his energies on his great tragedies. This fact, some say, may help explain the darker mood of these supposed comedies. Indeed, Boas, the critic who coined the term "problem play", originally included Hamlet in this group, as he found a similarity of theme and irresolution between that play and Troilus and Cressida (Thomas 2-3). Fortunately for modern students, critics have escaped that preconception and recognized Hamlet as a tragedy, pure and simple. Any generalization of these three plays – even a necessarily broad category like “problem plays” – is inherently… . . well, problematic. The three plays are very different in tone, plot and characterization. It is possible, however, to identify some points in common between the three works and, more generally, in the cycle of works that includes Hamlet and Othello. The sheer carnality of each of these comedies is hard to ignore. Taken together, whether one accepts the canonical chronology or not, these works represent the evolution of a coherent vision of female sexuality that contributes not only to the dramatic action of each work, but to a broader underlying thematic concern . Thus bookended by two great tragedies, with which they share a common ideology, the problematic works offer an unparalleled opportunity to explore the concept of female sexuality...... middle of paper ......speare Online. 1999-2001. .Neely, Carol Thomas. "Shakespeare's Women: Historical Facts and Dramatic Representations." In Holland, Norman N., Sidney Homan and Bernard J. Paris, eds. Shakespeare's personality. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989.Shakespeare, William. All's well that ends well. Bevington 362-403.---. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Bevington 1060-1116.---. Measure for measure. Bevington 404-443.---. Othello, the Moor of Venice. Bevington 1117-1166.---. Troilus and Cressida. Bevington 444-493.Thomas, Vivian. The moral universe of Shakespeare's problematic works. London: Croom Helm, 1987. Wilders, John. "The problematic comedies". In Wells, Stanley, ed. Shakespeare: select bibliographic guides. London: Oxford UP, 1973.