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The Merry Wives of Windsor
Play
The Merry Wives of Windsor begins with Parson
Evans receiving a complaint from Justice Shallow and
nephew Slender that Sir John Falstaff is again causing
trouble, chasing the fair Mistress Anne Page. Slender
falls in love with Anne but is too shy to tell her and
propose. Thus Evans decides to help his nephew by having
Slender's servant Simple send a letter to Anne's friend
Mistress Quickly so she might help Slender. Running
out of money, Sir John decides to seduce his way into
money by sleeping with the wives of both Page and Ford.
Disgusted, Sir John's friends Pistol and Nym inform
the wives in secret. Mistress Quickly tells Simple she
will help Slender woo Anne but this is overheard by
Doctor Caius, who also loving Anne, challenges Parson
Evans to a duel for interfering. Fenton also loves Anne...
Meanwhile Mrs Ford and Mrs Page discover Sir John Falstaff's
letters to be identical, plotting with expert prankster
Mistress Quickly to punish him. Likewise, Mr Ford and
Mr Page learn of Sir John's plans from Pistol and Nym.
Whilst Page trusts his wife, Ford is not so sure, taking
the disguise of Brooke to divine Falstaff's intentions.
Brooke offers Falstaff money to sleep with Mrs Ford
to stop Falstaff, Falstaff agreeing but also insulting
Brooke, unaware that he is Ford. Meanwhile, Caius waits
in a field for Parson Evans to show up which he does
not.Evans, though is also waiting for Caius to show
but is in another field. Eventually both learn that
the Host gave them different locations to stop the duel
both uniting to make the Host pay for this.
Falstaff arrives to seduce Ford's wife, Mrs Page arriving
to warn Falstaff of Mr Ford's arrival. Panicking, the
women convince Falstaff into hiding in a trunk full
of dirty laundry they then have thrown into a muddy
ditch. Ford arrives, not finding Falstaff. Meanwhile
Fenton declares his love for Anne. Anne loves Fenton
but Mr Page wants her to marry Slender, Mrs Page preferring
Caius. Brooke arrives, Falstaff recounting his wet ordeal
but also his next meeting... At Mrs Ford's house, Falstaff
again is warned of Mr Ford's imminent arrival but Ford
does turn up and they decide to hide Falstaff this time
as a woman to escape injury. Angry at Ford's distrust,
Mrs Page and Ford have the trunk once again taken out
but without Falstaff. Seeing what he thinks is the aunt
of Mistress Ford's maid, Ford beats up the Brainford
woman (Falstaff). Now the women reveal all to their
husbands, Ford apologizing for doubting his wife and
now the two women decide to promise to meet Falstaff
together at midnight where children disguised as fairies
can terrify Falstaff.
Meanwhile, Mr Page has chosen Slender to be Anne's
husband but Mrs Page wants her daughter to marry Caius.
Caius and Parson Evans play a prank on the Host. Anne
has chosen to marry Fenton but to fool her parent's
wishes she will not be wearing white as Mr Page told
Slender nor green as Mrs Page told Caius, both men making
away with children wearing these colours! Falstaff arrives
at the oak giddy with excitement, only to be tormented
by fairies and in his terror, laughed at by most of
Windsor. Anne's elopement with Fenton is accepted and
Mistress Quickly informs Falstaff of the pranks to which
he famously acknowledges, "I do begin to perceive
that I am made an ass."
Contents
Dramatis
Personæ
Act I
Scene I, Scene
II, Scene III, Scene
IV
Act II
Scene I, Scene
II, Scene III
Act III
Scene I, Scene
II, Scene III, Scene
IV, Scene V
Act IV
Scene I, Scene
II, Scene III, Scene
IV, Scene V, Scene
VI
Act V
Scene I, Scene
II, Scene III, Scene
IV, Scene V
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