The Merry Wives of Windsor
by
William Shakespeare
The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedic play that revolves around the character Sir John Falstaff, a wealthy and overweight knight who attempts to seduce two married women in order to gain access to their husbands' wealth. However, the two women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, are wise to his intentions and decide to teach him a lesson.
As the play progresses, Falstaff's attempts at seduction become more and more ridiculous, leading to a series of humorous misunderstandings and mistaken identities. Meanwhile, other characters in the play, including the jealous husband Master Ford and the French physician Doctor Caius, become involved in the plot, adding to the chaos.
In the end, Falstaff is thoroughly embarrassed and humiliated, but he takes it all in good stride and even manages to win back some of the respect of the other characters. The play ends on a happy note, with all of the characters coming together to celebrate and enjoy the pleasures of life.
Act I
Act 1 of The Merry Wives of Windsor begins with a conversation between Justice Shallow and his nephew Slender. Shallow is concerned about his estate and hopes to have his nephew marry Anne Page, a wealthy young woman. However, Slender is not interested in Anne and is more interested in pursuing a relationship with a woman named Mistress Anne Page.
The action then shifts to the home of Sir John Falstaff, a wealthy and boisterous knight. Falstaff is in financial trouble and decides to seduce two wealthy married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, in order to access their wealth. He sends them both identical love letters, but the women compare notes and decide to teach Falstaff a lesson. They devise a plan to humiliate him and carry out their scheme in Act 1.
Meanwhile, Anne Page is also being pursued by two suitors: Slender and a young man named Fenton. Anne's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Page, favor Slender as a potential husband, but Anne is more interested in Fenton. Fenton and Anne plan to elope, but their plans are complicated by the interference of Anne's parents and the other characters.
The act ends with Falstaff being humiliated by Mistress Ford and Mistress Page's plot. The women trick him into hiding in a laundry basket, which is then thrown into a river. Falstaff is soaked and embarrassed, but he is determined to continue his pursuit of the women's wealth.
SCENE I. Windsor. Before PAGE's house.
Scene 1 of Act 1 is set in a street in Windsor. Justice Shallow and his nephew, Slender, meet Sir John Falstaff, a fat and wealthy knight who has come to Windsor to seek financial gain. Falstaff asks Shallow about a young woman named Anne Page, whom he intends to court for her money. Shallow advises Falstaff that he will face competition for Anne's affections from two other men, Dr. Caius and Master Fenton. Falstaff devises a plan to seduce Anne by sending her love letters, but he decides to also pursue the married women of Windsor, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, in case Anne proves difficult to win over. Falstaff reveals his plan to his companions, Bardolph, Pistol, and Nym, who are skeptical of its success. Mistress Ford and Mistress Page each receive identical love letters from Falstaff, and they quickly realize that he is attempting to woo them both. They decide to teach him a lesson and devise a plan to humiliate him. They agree to invite Falstaff separately to their homes and then expose his infidelity to each other. This scene sets up the main conflict of the play, which is Falstaff's attempts to seduce the married women of Windsor. It also introduces the other suitors for Anne Page's hand and sets the stage for the comedic misunderstandings and mistaken identities that will occur throughout the play.
Enter SHALLOW, SLENDER, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Enter PAGE
Enter FALSTAFF, BARDOLPH, NYM, and PISTOL
Enter ANNE PAGE, with wine; MISTRESS FORD and MISTRESS PAGE, following
Exit ANNE PAGE
Kisses her
Exeunt all except SHALLOW, SLENDER, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Exeunt SHALLOW and SIR HUGH EVANS
Re-enter PAGE
Exeunt
SCENE II. The same.
Scene 2 of Act 1 involves a conversation between two characters, Justice Shallow and his young cousin, Slender. They are discussing Slender's desire to marry a woman named Anne Page, who is the daughter of Mistress Page. Justice Shallow suggests that Slender should first ask for permission from Anne's mother, but Slender is hesitant because he does not want to offend her father, who is a wealthy man. The conversation then turns to a man named Sir John Falstaff, who is a friend of Justice Shallow. Falstaff has recently arrived in town and has been spending time with Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, two married women who are good friends. Justice Shallow warns Slender that Falstaff is a notorious womanizer and advises him to stay away from him. However, Slender is more interested in Anne Page than in Falstaff's misdeeds. He asks Justice Shallow for his help in wooing Anne, but Justice Shallow is preoccupied with his own problems. He has been having financial difficulties and is worried about losing his estate. The scene ends with the two men parting ways, with Slender still unsure of how to win Anne's heart.
Enter SIR HUGH EVANS and SIMPLE
Exeunt
SCENE III. A room in the Garter Inn.
Scene 3 of Act 1 takes place in the house of Mistress Page. Mistress Page and Mistress Ford are discussing a love letter that they both received from Sir John Falstaff, a wealthy and obese knight. They realize that he has sent the same letter to both of them, and they are amused by his audacity. They decide to play a trick on him. They summon Falstaff to Mistress Ford's house and pretend to be flattered by his advances. They invite him to come back later that evening when her husband will be away. Falstaff eagerly agrees. Mistress Page then arrives with her husband and they discuss the letter they received from Falstaff. They realize that he has also sent the same letter to other women in the town. They decide to expose him and teach him a lesson. Meanwhile, Falstaff arrives at Mistress Ford's house and is greeted by Mistress Ford's servant, who tells him that her husband has returned unexpectedly. Falstaff is forced to hide in a laundry basket and is carried out of the house by the servants. When the Pages and Fords meet, they realize that they have all been tricked by Falstaff and they laugh at his expense. They vow to continue to play tricks on him and make him pay for his foolishness.
Enter FALSTAFF, Host, BARDOLPH, NYM, PISTOL, and ROBIN
Exit
Exit BARDOLPH
Exeunt FALSTAFF and ROBIN
Exeunt
SCENE IV. A room in DOCTOR CAIUS' house.
Scene 4 of Act 1 takes place in a room in the Garter Inn, where Sir John Falstaff is staying. He is alone, and he begins to brag about his plan to seduce two married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, who are wealthy and live nearby. He believes that they will be easy targets, as they are both unhappy in their marriages. As he is talking, his servants, Bardolph and Nym, enter the room. They are hesitant to help Falstaff with his plan, but he convinces them to assist him by delivering letters to the women that profess Falstaff's love for them. Shortly after, Mistress Quickly, a servant of the women, enters the room. Falstaff asks her to deliver a letter to Mistress Ford, but she is suspicious of his motives. She tells him that Mistress Ford is a virtuous woman and will not be interested in his advances. Undeterred, Falstaff gives Mistress Quickly the letter and sends her on her way. He then continues to boast about his plan, believing that he will be successful in seducing both women. The scene ends with Falstaff declaring his love for Mistress Ford, and Bardolph and Nym expressing their doubts about the success of his plan.
Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY, SIMPLE, and RUGBY
Re-enter RUGBY
Enter DOCTOR CAIUS
Writes
Exit SIMPLE
Exeunt DOCTOR CAIUS and RUGBY
Enter FENTON
Exit
Act II
Act 2 of The Merry Wives of Windsor is a comedic and entertaining continuation of the play's plot. The main character, Sir John Falstaff, a wealthy and overweight knight, has set his sights on wooing two married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. Falstaff sends a letter to each of the women professing his love and desire for them. However, the two women are friends and they compare notes, realizing that Falstaff has sent the same letter to both of them.
The women decide to play a prank on Falstaff and invite him to Mistress Ford's house while her husband is out of town. They plan to humiliate him by making him think he is in danger of being caught by Ford, who has supposedly returned home unexpectedly. Falstaff arrives and is greeted warmly by Mistress Ford, who leads him on with false promises of love. However, their plans are interrupted by the arrival of Mistress Page, who warns them that Ford is on his way home.
Falstaff is forced to hide in a laundry basket, which is then carried out of the house by two of Mistress Ford's servants. The basket is dumped in the river, and Falstaff is left soaking wet and embarrassed. Meanwhile, Ford arrives at the house and is suspicious of his wife's behavior. He searches the house but finds nothing, and is left feeling foolish. The act ends with both Falstaff and Ford humiliated, and the two women amused by their successful prank.
SCENE I. Before PAGE'S house.
Scene 1 of Act 2 of The Merry Wives of Windsor begins with Justice Shallow and his nephew Slender discussing Slender's attempts to woo Anne Page, the daughter of Mistress Page and Mistress Ford. Shallow encourages Slender to continue his pursuit, but warns him about the competition from other suitors, including Doctor Caius and Master Fenton. Meanwhile, Sir John Falstaff has sent Mistress Ford a love letter, declaring his passion for her and asking her to meet him privately. Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, who have received identical letters, compare them and come up with a scheme to teach Falstaff a lesson. They decide to lead him on, pretending to be interested in him and then humiliating him in front of their husbands and the rest of the town. As part of their plan, Mistress Page invites Falstaff to come to her house, while Mistress Ford's husband is out of town. She also arranges for a servant to warn her husband if he returns unexpectedly. Falstaff eagerly accepts the invitation and plans to go to Mistress Page's house disguised as an old woman, so as not to be recognized. As the scene ends, Slender and Shallow exit, and the two mistresses continue to plot their revenge against Falstaff.
Enter MISTRESS PAGE, with a letter
Enter MISTRESS FORD
They retire
Enter FORD with PISTOL, and PAGE with NYM
Exit
Exit
MISTRESS PAGE and MISTRESS FORD come forward
Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY
Exeunt MISTRESS PAGE, MISTRESS FORD, and MISTRESS QUICKLY
Enter SHALLOW
Drawing him aside
They converse apart
Exeunt Host, SHALLOW, and PAGE
Exit
SCENE II. A room in the Garter Inn.
Scene 2 of Act 2 begins with Falstaff, a wealthy knight, trying to seduce two married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, at the same time. He sends a letter to each of them, professing his love and asking to meet in secret. However, the two women realize that they received identical letters and decide to play a trick on Falstaff. Mistress Page invites Falstaff to her house while Mistress Ford's husband is away. Meanwhile, Mistress Ford tells her husband about Falstaff's advances and they come up with a plan to humiliate him. Mistress Ford disguises herself as a servant and goes to Falstaff's house. She tells him that her mistress is in love with him and invites him to meet her in the laundry basket, which will be placed outside the house for the laundry to collect. Falstaff eagerly agrees and gets into the basket. However, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page have arranged for the servants to dump the basket into the river. Falstaff is soaked and humiliated, but he still believes that Mistress Ford is in love with him. After the prank, the two women meet and laugh about their success. They plan to play another trick on Falstaff, this time involving disguises and a meeting in the forest. Overall, Scene 2 of Act 2 is a humorous and lighthearted scene that highlights the cleverness and wit of the two women. It also sets up the plot for further pranks and deception, which will continue throughout the play.
Enter FALSTAFF and PISTOL
Enter ROBIN
Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY
Exit
Enter BARDOLPH
Re-enter BARDOLPH, with FORD disguised
Exit BARDOLPH
Exit
Exit
SCENE III. A field near Windsor.
Scene 3 of Act 2 of The Merry Wives of Windsor takes place in a room in the Garter Inn. Falstaff, a fat and lustful knight, has sent a letter to Mistress Ford, a married woman, expressing his love for her and asking her to meet him in the same room. Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, another married woman, have received the letter and decided to play a prank on Falstaff. They send Mistress Quickly, a servant, to tell Falstaff that Mistress Ford is interested in him and that her jealous husband is coming to the inn to catch them. Falstaff hides in a large laundry basket and is carried out of the inn by two of Mistress Ford's servants. However, instead of taking the basket to a private location, they dump it in the River Thames. Falstaff is eventually rescued by some boys who are playing nearby and he curses the women for tricking him. Meanwhile, Mistress Page has also received a love letter from Falstaff and decides to join forces with Mistress Ford to teach him a lesson. The scene is full of humor and mischief as the women outsmart the foolish and arrogant Falstaff. It also highlights the power dynamics between men and women in the play, as the women take control of the situation and manipulate Falstaff for their own amusement.
Enter DOCTOR CAIUS and RUGBY
Enter Host, SHALLOW, SLENDER, and PAGE
Aside to them
Exeunt PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER
Exeunt
Act III
Act 3 of "The Merry Wives of Windsor" sees the plot thicken as Sir John Falstaff's attempts to woo both Mistress Page and Mistress Ford are revealed to their husbands. The two women had received identical love letters from Falstaff, and they decide to play a prank on him by arranging to meet him separately at Mistress Ford's house while her husband is away.
Falstaff falls for the trap and ends up getting dumped into the river in a laundry basket. Meanwhile, Mistress Page's husband, jealous of the attention Falstaff is paying to his wife, disguises himself as a German doctor and visits Falstaff to diagnose him with a sexually transmitted disease.
At the same time, Anne Page, Mistress Page's daughter, is being courted by three different men, but her parents favor one in particular, Slender. However, Anne is in love with Fenton, a young man her parents disapprove of because of his lack of wealth and status.
In Act 3, Slender tries to win Anne's heart by serenading her with a song, but he is interrupted by Dr. Caius, one of Anne's other suitors. The two men end up fighting, and Anne's parents, along with the other characters, come to break up the fight.
The act ends with Falstaff plotting his revenge against the two women who tricked him and Anne trying to find a way to be with Fenton despite her parents' objections.
SCENE I. A field near Frogmore.
In Scene 1 of Act 3, a group of men are discussing their plans to woo a married woman named Mistress Ford. One man, Falstaff, believes he has a chance with her and has sent her a love letter. The men decide to warn Mistress Ford of Falstaff's intentions. Meanwhile, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page have received the letter and are amused by Falstaff's audacity. They decide to play a trick on him and set up a meeting with him at Mistress Ford's house. They also plan to tell Mistress Ford's jealous husband, Mr. Ford, about the meeting so that he can catch Falstaff in the act. When Falstaff arrives at Mistress Ford's house, she tells him that her husband is coming and he must hide in a basket of dirty laundry. Mr. Ford arrives and, with the help of some servants, searches the house for Falstaff. Eventually, they find the basket and dump its contents into the river. Falstaff is humiliated but still determined to pursue Mistress Ford. The women continue to play tricks on him throughout the play, ultimately leading to his downfall.
Enter SIR HUGH EVANS and SIMPLE
Exit
Re-enter SIMPLE
Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER
Enter Host, DOCTOR CAIUS, and RUGBY
Exeunt SHALLOW, SLENDER, PAGE, and Host
Exeunt
SCENE II. A street.
Scene 2 of Act 3 takes place in the Garter Inn where Falstaff is plotting to seduce the wives of two wealthy men in Windsor. However, these women, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, have caught wind of his plan and have decided to teach him a lesson. In this scene, Mistress Quickly, a servant of the wives, delivers a letter to Falstaff from Mistress Ford inviting him to come to her house while her husband is out of town. Falstaff is overjoyed and believes his plan is working. However, Mistress Quickly warns him that he must be careful because Mistress Ford's husband is known to be jealous and violent. Despite the warning, Falstaff decides to go to Mistress Ford's house and is dressed as a woman to avoid detection. When he arrives, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page play a prank on him by having him hide in a laundry basket when her husband unexpectedly returns home. The women then have the basket carried out of the house and thrown into a nearby river. Falstaff is humiliated but still believes he has a chance with Mistress Page. He writes her a letter expressing his love and asking for another chance. However, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford have already compared notes and decide to play another prank on him. They invite him to come to a nearby park dressed in women's clothing where he will be met by Mistress Ford. Falstaff agrees to the plan and eagerly awaits his meeting with Mistress Ford. However, when he arrives he is met not by her but by a group of children dressed as fairies who proceed to torment him. The scene ends with Falstaff running off in terror while the women laugh at their successful pranks.
Enter MISTRESS PAGE and ROBIN
Enter FORD
Exeunt MISTRESS PAGE and ROBIN
Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, SLENDER, Host, SIR HUGH EVANS, DOCTOR CAIUS, and RUGBY
Exeunt SHALLOW, and SLENDER
Exit RUGBY
Exit
Exeunt
SCENE III. A room in FORD'S house.
In Scene 3 of Act 3, two of the wives, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, are planning to teach a lesson to a man named Falstaff who has been trying to seduce them. They come up with a plan to trick Falstaff into thinking he is meeting with Mistress Ford alone, while in fact, they will both be there to humiliate him. Falstaff arrives and Mistress Ford pretends to be interested in him, but then they hear someone coming and she tells him to hide in a laundry basket. The person who arrives is Mistress Page’s husband, who is suspicious of his wife’s behavior and is looking for Falstaff. The wives manage to convince him that he is mistaken and he leaves. Falstaff emerges from the basket and is overjoyed that he has managed to escape. However, Mistress Page’s husband returns with a group of men, and they search the house for Falstaff. The wives manage to hide him in various places, including a buck basket and a ditch, and they make fun of him as he hides. In the end, Falstaff manages to escape, but the wives have successfully taught him a lesson and he is left humiliated and ashamed.
Enter MISTRESS FORD and MISTRESS PAGE
Enter Servants with a basket
Exeunt Servants
Enter ROBIN
Exit
Enter FALSTAFF
Gets into the basket; they cover him with foul linen
Enter FORD, PAGE, DOCTOR CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Exit
Exeunt PAGE, DOCTOR CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Re-enter FORD, PAGE, DOCTOR CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Exeunt
SCENE IV. A room in PAGE'S house.
In Scene 4 of Act 3, two men, Ford and Page, are discussing their suspicions that their wives are having affairs with a man named Falstaff. They decide to visit Falstaff's house to see if they can catch him in the act. Meanwhile, Falstaff has received a letter from Mistress Ford, inviting him to come to her house for some alone time. He eagerly accepts the invitation and tells his servant to deliver a gift of wine to Mistress Ford as a thank you. When Ford and Page arrive at Falstaff's house, Falstaff hides in a laundry basket to avoid being caught. The two men search the house but are unable to find any evidence of their wives' infidelity. After they leave, Falstaff emerges from the basket and boasts to his servant about his plans to seduce Mistress Ford. However, when Mistress Ford's husband returns unexpectedly, Falstaff is once again forced to hide in the basket. Mistress Ford and Mistress Page arrive at the house and tell Ford that Falstaff has been hiding in the laundry basket. They decide to get revenge on Falstaff and have their husbands and some other men dress up as fairies and scare him the next time he comes to their house. The scene ends with Falstaff still hiding in the basket, unaware of the plan that is about to befall him.
Enter FENTON and ANNE PAGE
They converse apart
Enter SHALLOW, SLENDER, and MISTRESS QUICKLY
Enter PAGE and MISTRESS PAGE
Exeunt PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER
Exeunt MISTRESS PAGE and ANNE PAGE
Exit
SCENE V. A room in the Garter Inn.
Scene 5 of Act 3 takes place at the Garter Inn where Falstaff is waiting for Mistress Ford to arrive. When she arrives, Falstaff tries to flatter and woo her, but she quickly tells him that she is not interested in him and that he should leave. Just as Falstaff is about to leave, Mistress Page arrives and tells Mistress Ford that her husband is coming. Quickly, the two women come up with a plan to hide Falstaff in a laundry basket and to have him carried out to avoid being caught by Mistress Ford's husband. As Falstaff is being carried out, he is thrown into the river by the men carrying the basket. Mistress Ford and Mistress Page then tell their husbands about Falstaff's attempts to seduce them and show them the love letters that he had written to them. The husbands decide to get revenge on Falstaff by inviting him to a meeting in the forest, but they plan to dress up as fairies and scare him. Overall, Scene 5 of Act 3 is a comedic and farcical scene that involves mistaken identities, hiding in laundry baskets, and plans for revenge.
Enter FALSTAFF and BARDOLPH
Re-enter BARDOLPH with sack
Enter MISTRESS QUICKLY
Exit
Enter FORD
Exit
Exit
Act IV
In Act 4 of The Merry Wives of Windsor, the plot thickens as Sir John Falstaff's plans to seduce two wealthy women, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, are foiled. The two women, who are close friends, hatch a plan to trick Falstaff into revealing his intentions and humiliate him.
They invite Falstaff to meet them separately, but their messages are identical and they compare notes, realizing that Falstaff is playing them both. They decide to get their revenge by inviting Falstaff to Mistress Ford's house, where they will hide him in a laundry basket and carry him out to the river, pretending to be dumping him in the water.
Meanwhile, other characters are also entangled in their own subplots. Mistress Quickly, a servant, is trying to help Dr. Caius, a French physician, win the affections of Anne Page, Mistress Page's daughter. However, Anne is in love with Fenton, a young gentleman who her parents disapprove of.
As the play continues, the various plots begin to converge. Falstaff is humiliated when he is dumped in the river, and Dr. Caius is tricked into marrying a boy in disguise instead of Anne. In the end, all the characters come together for a final scene of reconciliation and forgiveness.
SCENE I. A street.
In Scene 1 of Act 4, a group of characters are scheming to get revenge on a man who has wronged them. They plan to humiliate him by tricking him into believing that he will have a sexual encounter with a woman, when in reality he will only be with a man dressed as a woman. The man they are targeting is arrogant and overconfident, so they believe that their plan will work perfectly. As they are discussing their plan, one of the characters reveals that he has just received a letter from the man they are targeting, in which he brags about his conquests and insults the women of the town. This only strengthens their resolve to get revenge, and they continue to plot and scheme. Their plan involves several different characters, each with a specific role to play. They discuss the details of the plan and make sure that everyone is clear on what they need to do. They are confident that they can pull it off, and they are excited to see the man get what he deserves. Overall, Scene 1 of Act 4 is a scene full of scheming and revenge. The characters are determined to get back at the man who has wronged them, and they are willing to go to great lengths to do so. Their plan is elaborate and involves many different characters, but they are confident that they can pull it off and get the revenge that they seek.
Enter MISTRESS PAGE, MISTRESS QUICKLY, and WILLIAM PAGE
Exeunt
SCENE II. A room in FORD'S house.
In Scene 2 of Act 4, two characters discuss their plan to teach a lesson to a man who has been trying to seduce them. They decide to dress up as mythical creatures and invite the man to meet them in the woods at midnight. Meanwhile, a group of townspeople also plan to dress up and play a prank on the man. As the night falls, the two women put on their costumes and wait for the man to arrive. He shows up and tries to seduce them, but they lead him on and eventually reveal their true identities. The man is embarrassed and runs off into the woods. The townspeople then appear in their own costumes and play their prank on the man. He is chased around the woods, and eventually falls into a ditch. The townspeople laugh and leave him there. Overall, Scene 2 of Act 4 is a comedic and lighthearted scene that shows the power of wit and trickery in overcoming unwanted advances.
Enter FALSTAFF and MISTRESS FORD
Exit FALSTAFF
Enter MISTRESS PAGE
Re-enter FALSTAFF
Exit FALSTAFF
Exit
Exit
Re-enter MISTRESS FORD with two Servants
Exit
Enter FORD, PAGE, SHALLOW, DOCTOR CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Pulling clothes out of the basket
Re-enter FALSTAFF in woman's clothes, and MISTRESS PAGE
Exit FALSTAFF
Exeunt FORD, PAGE, SHALLOW, DOCTOR CAIUS, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Exeunt
SCENE III. A room in the Garter Inn.
Scene 3 of Act 4 begins with Falstaff, who has been tricked by the wives, hiding in a laundry basket in order to avoid being caught by Ford, who is searching for him. The wives tell their husbands that they have sent Falstaff away, but Ford is suspicious and continues to search the house. Meanwhile, Mistress Quickly arrives to deliver a message from Falstaff to the wives, but they refuse to see her. Instead, they send her to Falstaff in the laundry basket, where he is surprised to see her. Mistress Quickly tells Falstaff that the wives have sent him a message, which he eagerly receives. However, the message is a trap. Mistress Quickly tells Falstaff that the wives want him to meet them in the park at midnight, dressed as Herne the Hunter. Falstaff eagerly agrees, but the wives have other plans. They have arranged for a group of children to dress up as fairies and scare Falstaff in the park. As midnight approaches, the wives and their friends gather in the park to watch the spectacle. Falstaff arrives, dressed as Herne the Hunter, and is quickly surrounded by the children in their fairy costumes. They taunt and scare Falstaff, who is terrified and begs for mercy. The wives reveal themselves and mock Falstaff for his foolishness. Ford apologizes for his jealousy and everyone reconciles. Falstaff is left alone, humiliated and defeated.
Enter Host and BARDOLPH
Exeunt
SCENE IV. A room in FORD'S house.
Scene 4 of Act 4 begins with Falstaff, who is hiding in a laundry basket, being carried by two men to the river. He thinks he is going to meet Mistress Ford, but instead, the men throw him into the water. Meanwhile, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford are discussing the letter they received from Falstaff, which he mistakenly sent to both of them. They decide to come up with a plan to publicly humiliate him. Fenton, who is in love with Mistress Anne Page, meets her in the garden, and they confess their love for each other. However, they are interrupted by Mistress Quickly, who tells them that Mistress Page and Mistress Ford have a plan to marry Anne to Slender, a man she does not love. Fenton and Anne decide to elope that night. Back at Mistress Ford's house, Falstaff arrives and is greeted by her husband, who pretends to be a servant. He tells Falstaff that Mistress Ford is not interested in him anymore and that he should leave. Falstaff is confused but agrees to go. However, as he is leaving, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page enter with a group of townspeople, who all mock and humiliate Falstaff for his lecherous behavior. The scene ends with Falstaff fleeing in embarrassment, and Mistress Page and Mistress Ford reconciling their friendship. Fenton and Anne also elope, and the play ends with a final song celebrating the joy of love.
Enter PAGE, FORD, MISTRESS PAGE, MISTRESS FORD, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Exeunt PAGE, FORD, and SIR HUGH EVANS
Exit
SCENE V. A room in the Garter Inn.
In Scene 5 of Act 4, two characters, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, discuss their plan to humiliate a man who has been attempting to seduce them both. They have arranged to meet him separately and encourage his advances, but they are actually working together to expose him as a fraud. Mistress Ford expresses her excitement for the plan, saying that she will lead the man on and then reveal his true intentions. Mistress Page agrees, but expresses some concern that their husbands may find out about the scheme. Mistress Ford is confident that they will not be caught. As they continue to discuss their plan, the man in question arrives at Mistress Ford's house. Mistress Ford hides him in a laundry basket when her husband comes home unexpectedly. Her husband becomes suspicious and insists on searching the house. Meanwhile, Mistress Page arrives and warns Mistress Ford that her own husband is also on the lookout for the man. Despite the close calls, the women are able to execute their plan and reveal the man's true intentions to their husbands. The men are angry at the man's behavior and apologize to their wives for not believing them initially.
Enter Host and SIMPLE
Enter FALSTAFF
Exit
Enter BARDOLPH
Enter SIR HUGH EVANS
Exit
Enter DOCTOR CAIUS
Exit
Exeunt Host and BARDOLPH
Exeunt
SCENE VI. Another room in the Garter Inn.
Scene 6 of Act 4 opens with Sir Hugh Evans and Doctor Caius discussing their duel that is scheduled to take place the following day. They both express their desire to win and insult each other's fighting abilities. Quickly, their conversation is interrupted by Mistress Quickly who informs them that the two women they were both pursuing, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, have a plan to humiliate Falstaff. The plan involves inviting Falstaff to Mistress Ford's house and then having her husband, Master Ford, come home unexpectedly. When Falstaff is caught, they plan to publicly shame him. Sir Hugh and Doctor Caius are amused by the plan and decide to join in on the fun. They agree to disguise themselves as a German musician and a French doctor, respectively, to add to the confusion. Mistress Quickly agrees to help as well. As they are discussing the details of the plan, Falstaff enters the scene and is immediately confronted by Mistress Quickly. She tells him that Mistress Ford is in love with him and wants to see him at her house that evening. Falstaff, believing that he is irresistible to women, eagerly agrees to go. After Falstaff leaves, Sir Hugh, Doctor Caius, and Mistress Quickly continue to plan their scheme. They decide that the best way to catch Falstaff is to have Mistress Ford dress up as the Fairy Queen and scare him off. The scene ends with the characters all agreeing to meet at Mistress Ford's house that evening to carry out their plan.
Enter FENTON and Host
Exeunt
Act V
In Act 5 of The Merry Wives of Windsor, the main character, Falstaff, is tricked by the women of the town into believing that he will be meeting with one of them for a romantic encounter. Instead, he is met with a group of children dressed as fairies who torment him. Meanwhile, other characters in the play are dealing with their own romantic entanglements and misunderstandings.
Mistress Page's daughter, Anne, is set to marry Fenton, a young man whom her parents disapprove of. However, the young couple is determined to be together and conspires with the Host of the Garter Inn to trick Mistress Page and her husband into giving their blessing for the marriage.
At the same time, Mistress Ford's husband becomes suspicious of her and Falstaff's relationship and hires a group of men to catch them in the act. However, the women are one step ahead and trick the men into believing that Falstaff is in a basket that they throw into a river.
Eventually, all of the misunderstandings are cleared up and everyone is able to live happily ever after. The play ends with a song praising the town of Windsor and the happy marriages that have been made.
SCENE I. A room in the Garter Inn.
Scene 1 of Act 5 begins with Sir Hugh Evans, Dr. Caius, and Justice Shallow discussing the upcoming duel between Dr. Caius and Sir Hugh's servant, John Rugby. Sir Hugh tries to intervene and prevent the duel, but Dr. Caius insists on fighting. Meanwhile, Mistress Quickly enters and informs them that Falstaff has been tricked by the Merry Wives and is currently dressed as Herne the Hunter in Windsor Forest. The group decides to go to the forest and see Falstaff's humiliation. As they enter the forest, they hear strange noises and believe them to be supernatural. Mistress Quickly convinces them that they are witnessing a ritual to summon the ghost of Herne the Hunter. Falstaff, still dressed as Herne, enters and attempts to scare them, but the group sees through his disguise and begins to mock him. Just then, a group of children dressed as fairies enter the scene and continue to torment Falstaff. The group eventually realizes that they have been tricked by the Merry Wives and leaves the forest, leaving Falstaff alone and humiliated.
Enter FALSTAFF and MISTRESS QUICKLY
Exeunt
SCENE II. Windsor Park.
Scene 2 of Act 5 begins with Falstaff and his accomplices, Bardolph, Pistol, and Mrs. Quickly, hiding in a ditch in Windsor Park. They are dressed in ridiculous disguises and are waiting for Mistress Ford to arrive for their planned rendezvous. When Mistress Ford and Mistress Page arrive, they inform Falstaff that they cannot proceed with their plan as they have been warned of his intentions by their husbands. Falstaff is disappointed and angry at their betrayal and decides to leave. As Falstaff is leaving, he is stopped by Dr. Caius who challenges him to a sword fight. Falstaff, not wanting to fight, tries to avoid the confrontation but is eventually forced to draw his sword. However, he quickly surrenders and begs for mercy, claiming that he is too old and weak to fight. Dr. Caius and his companions mock Falstaff and leave him in disgrace. As Falstaff is left alone in the park, he reflects on his misfortunes and his foolishness for pursuing the two married women. He realizes that he was a fool to try and deceive them and that he deserved to be punished for his actions. He also acknowledges that he has lost the respect of his friends and the townspeople and that he must leave Windsor and start anew. Scene 2 of Act 5 is a pivotal moment in the play as it marks the downfall of Falstaff and his schemes. It also highlights the theme of consequences for one's actions and the importance of honesty and loyalty in relationships.
Enter PAGE, SHALLOW, and SLENDER
Exeunt
SCENE III. A street leading to the Park.
Scene 3 of Act 5 takes place in Windsor Park where Sir John Falstaff is waiting to meet Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. He believes that they have arranged to meet him for a romantic tryst. However, the women have other plans and have set him up for a humiliating prank. As Falstaff waits, he hears strange noises and is then attacked by a group of disguised men who are actually Mistress Ford and Mistress Page's husbands and their friends. They beat him up and leave him lying on the ground. After the men leave, Falstaff is visited by Mistress Ford and Mistress Page who reveal their plan to him. They tell him that they have been working together to expose his lies and deceitful behavior. They also reveal that they have sent a letter to his love interest, Mistress Quickly, telling her about his actions. Falstaff is humiliated and ashamed by the women's actions and begs for their forgiveness. They agree to forgive him, but only if he promises to never again try to seduce married women or use them for his own gain. The scene ends with Falstaff reflecting on his actions and promising to turn over a new leaf. He is left alone on the stage to contemplate his future and the consequences of his actions.
Enter MISTRESS PAGE, MISTRESS FORD, and DOCTOR CAIUS
Exeunt
SCENE IV. Windsor Park.
Scene 4 of Act 5 in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" begins with a conversation between Sir Hugh Evans and Doctor Caius, two characters who are vying for the affections of a woman named Anne Page. They both believe that the other is trying to sabotage their chances with Anne, and they argue about it. Meanwhile, Anne's father, Mr. Page, arrives with a group of men to search for his daughter, who has run away with her true love, Fenton. They are all wearing disguises, and they plan to catch Fenton and Anne in the act of eloping. As they search for the young couple, they come across Falstaff, who is also wearing a disguise and pretending to be the fairy queen, in order to trick the wives of Windsor into giving him money. The men mistake him for Fenton and beat him up. Eventually, Fenton and Anne appear, having been married in secret. They reveal themselves to the group, and Mr. Page is initially angry, but he eventually forgives them and gives his blessing to their marriage. The scene ends with the characters all reconciled and singing a song together.
Enter SIR HUGH EVANS, disguised, with others as Fairies
Exeunt
SCENE V. Another part of the Park.
Scene 5 of Act 5 of The Merry Wives of Windsor takes place in a forest at night. Sir John Falstaff, a wealthy and overweight knight, is dressed as Herne the Hunter, a legendary figure. He plans to meet Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, two married women whom he has been trying to seduce. However, he is unaware that the women and their husbands have planned to play a prank on him. As Falstaff waits for the women, he hears strange noises and becomes frightened. Suddenly, a group of local men dressed as fairies appear and dance around him. Falstaff is terrified and begs for mercy. The men continue to torment him until they finally reveal themselves as the husbands of Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. They mock Falstaff for his attempts to seduce their wives and force him to admit his wrongdoing. The scene ends with Falstaff humiliated and the husbands and wives reconciled. The women forgive their husbands for suspecting them of infidelity and the men forgive their wives for their playful revenge. The play concludes with a celebration of marriage and community.
Enter FALSTAFF disguised as Herne
Enter MISTRESS FORD and MISTRESS PAGE
Noise within
They run off
Enter SIR HUGH EVANS, disguised as before; PISTOL, as Hobgoblin; MISTRESS QUICKLY, ANNE PAGE, and others, as Fairies, with tapers
Lies down upon his face
They burn him with their tapers
During this song they pinch FALSTAFF. DOCTOR CAIUS comes one way, and steals away a boy in green; SLENDER another way, and takes off a boy in white; and FENTON comes and steals away ANN PAGE. A noise of hunting is heard within. All the Fairies run away. FALSTAFF pulls off his buck's head, and rises
Enter PAGE, FORD, MISTRESS PAGE, and MISTRESS FORD
Enter SLENDER
Enter DOCTOR CAIUS
Exit
Exeunt