What is it that makes Shakespeare's "problem plays" problematic? Many critics have sought for the underlying vision or message of these puzzling dramas. The key to Vivian Thomas' synthesis of the plays is the idea of fracture and dissolution in the universe. From the collapse of "degree" in "Troilus and Cressida" to the corruption at the heart of innocence in "Measure for Measure", or the puzzling status of virtue and valour in "All's Well", the most obvious feature of these plays is their capacity to prompt new questions. In a detailed discussion of each play in turn, the author traces the dominant themes that both distinguish and unite them, and provides numerous insights into the sources, background, texture and morality of the plays. This book should be of interest to students and teachers of Shakespeare and Renaissance drama.