Read full text and annotations on the merry wives of windsor act v act v, scene 5 at owl eyes. This comic romp, featuring the beloved character john falstaff, takes you on a journey of courtship and the jealous havoc it wreaks. The merry wives of windsor folger shakespeare library. The wives find he sent them identical letters and take revenge by playing tricks on falstaff when he comes calling. Merry wives of windsor wikisource, the free online library. Merry wives, jealous husbands, and predatory knights were. Since there is a war mentioned in the script the war where falstaff becomes a knight. Act 1, scene 3 read the full text of the merry wives of windsor act 1 scene 3 with a sidebyside translation here. The two play practical jokes on mistress fords jealous husband and a visiting knight, sir john falstaff. Read the complete script on the lazy bee scripts web site.
The merry wives of windsor shakespeare theatre of new jersey. Falstaff decides to woo the wives of two of windsors leading merchants, page, and ford, to get money out of them. The windsor of the plays title is a reference to the town of windsor, also the location of. A 40minute abridgement of shakespeares merry wives of windsor, using the original language, characters and plot, but with a reduced length, aiming to provide an introduction to shakespeare for primary schools. When merry wives was published in the first folio 1623 edition of shakespeares works, it was the only play in which the female characters didnt share the title with their male counterparts. A short summary of william shakespeares the merry wives of windsor. Read a plot overview of the entire play or a scene by scene summary and analysis. The cast of folger theatres 1970sinfused the merry wives of windsor. Unpacking merry wives of windsor shakespeare oxford fellowship. The merry wives of windsor annotated kindle edition by. Sir john falstaff fenton, a young gentleman shallow, a country justice slender, cousin to shallow ford, a gentleman dwelling at windsor page, a gentleman dwelling at windsor william page, a boy, son to page sir hugh evans, a welsh parson doctor caius, a french physician host of the garter inn.
The encyclopedia americana corporation 1920 see also. The merry wives of windsor act 1, scene 1 translation. Watching the merry wives of windsor is like channel surfing between backtoback episodes of punkd. In the merry wives of windsor, shakespeares merry wives are mistress ford and mistress page of the town of windsor. Please click the merry wives of windsor script to access further acts. One that is wellnigh worn to pieces with age to show. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The merry wives of windsor goes for high jinks and low comedy in the shakespeare theater of new jerseys production of the merry wives of windsor, matt sullivan, left, with. Additional support provided by the nicholas and mary babson fund to support chicago artists.
See a complete list of the characters in the merry wives of windsor. Visit this william shakespeare site including the full online text and script of his famous play the merry wives of windsor. Some scholars have felt that the falstaff of the merry wives of windsor is infinitely inferior to the character we know from the henry iv plays. Yet there has been knights, and lords, and gentlemen, with their coaches. Ford lucia popp mistress ann mildred miller mistress page.
The merry wives of windsor by william shakespeare free ebook. The merry wives of windsor goes for high jinks and. The merry wives of windsor internet shakespeare editions. The best courtier of them all, when the 855 court lay at windsor, could never have brought her to such a canary. Master brook, falstaffs a knave, a cuckoldly knave. Support of the acting company of the merry wives of windsor is provided by merle reskin. Followers of falstaff robin, page to falstaff simple, servant to slender rugby, servant to doctor caius. The merry wives of windsor goes for high jinks and low comedy in the shakespeare theater of new jerseys production of the merry wives of windsor. The merry wives of windsor, comedy in five acts by william shakespeare, written sometime between 1597 and 1601 probably near the earlier of these dates, that centres on the comic romantic misadventures of falstaff.
The merry wives of windsor was published in a quarto edition in 1602 from a. In such plays, courtiers, gentlemen, or knights use social superiority to seduce citizens wives. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the merry wives of windsor annotated. The merry wives of windsor translation shakescleare, by litcharts.
Merry wives, jealous husbands, and predatory knights were common in a kind of play called citizen comedy or city comedy. The merry wives of windsor o powerful love, that in some respects makes a beast a man, in some other a man a beast. The merry wives of windsor shakespeare homepage merry wives of windsor act 2, scene 1 previous scene next scene. Adapter alison carey and director christopher liam moore talk about the script of the very merry wives of windsor, iowa the registerguard the very merry wives of windsor, iowa is careys take on not only shakespeares wellloved comedy but also on the contemporary politics of exclusion and the rights of gay couples to marry. Jan 22, 2020 the merry wives of windsor plays through march 1, 2020, at the folger theatre, 201 e. I am using this script to produce the merry wives of windsor at the high school where i teach. The two play practical jokes on mistress ford s jealous husband and a visiting knight, sir john falstaff. Hearing that robin used to be falstaffs servant, ford is horrified. The merry wives of windsor is shakespeares only english comedy though it has arguably italianate roots, following the trend for comedies of humours that. But the merry wives of windsor is an extraordinary play because it makes us reconsider the importance of what we deem trivial. The merry wives of windsor gives the folger theatre a. With an overdrive account, you can save your favorite libraries for ataglance information about availability. The merry wives of windsor doublemeanings, disguises and dirty laundry abound as sir john falstaff sets about improving his financial situation by.
Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Merry wives of windsor by william shakespeare overdrive. The merry wives of windsor is a play by william shakespeare that was first performed in 1602. The merry wives of windsor was first published as a quarto in 1602 q1 and then reprinted in a 1619 quarto edition q2. Sir john falstaff vastly underestimates the merry wives in the town of windsor as he hatches a frothy scheme to drain their bank accounts and drive their husbands insane with jealousy. I was surprised to rediscover just how wonderful a script merry wives. Full text script of the play the merry wives of windsor by william. The merry wives of windsor was presented in the jentes family auditorium. In the merry wives of windsor, fat, disreputable sir john falstaff pursues two housewives, mistress ford and mistress page, who outwit and humiliate him. Continue your study of the merry wives of windsor with these useful links. Jul 29, 2018 shakespeares the merry wives of windsor is contemporary for our time because it shows now more than ever which sex really is in control. The merry wives of windsor stands out among shakespeares plays as the only one centered on middle class people, as opposed to royalty and the ruling classes. For other versions of this work, see merry wives of windsor shakespeare.
The authoritative edition of the merry wives of windsor from the folger shakespeare library, the trusted and widely used shakespeare series for students and general readers, includes. A fortyminute merry wives of windsor by shakespeare, abridged bill tordoff additional information. Mar 31, 2020 adapted by orson welles from william shakespeares plays henry iv, parts 1 and 2, henry v, richard ii, and the merry wives of windsor. The merry wives of windsor or sir john falstaff and the merry wives of windsor is a comedy by william shakespeare first published in 1602, though believed to have been written in or before 1597. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the merry wives of windsor and what it means. The windsor of the plays title is a reference to the town of windsor, also the location of windsor castle, in berkshire, england. The merry wives of windsor annotated kindle edition by shakespeare. American players theatres productions of the merry wives of windsor. The editors preface etext 23041 and the other plays from this volume are each available as separate etexts general notes are in their original location at the end of the folio text, followed by the textcritical notes originally printed at the bottom of each page. The merry wives of windsor, by william hazlitt in characters of shakespears plays 1817 the merry wives of windsor. In other words, when people get duped in this play, they often end up looking like chumps in front of a very large audience of people. Full text script of the play the merry wives of windsor act v by.
Jan 16, 2020 now 55, the theater director is returning to the era of secondwave feminism with a 70sset production of william shakespeares the merry wives of windsor at folger theatre. The merry wives of windsor work by shakespeare britannica. Mistress page and robin meet ford as they go to visit his wife. The crowning achievement of orson welless extraordinary film career, chimes at midnight was the culmination of the filmmakers lifelong obsession with shakespeares ultimate rapscallion, sir john falstaff. Absolutely come see this wacky and wonderful the merry wives of windsor. The merry wives of windsor american shakespeare center. A fortyminute merry wives of windsor by shakespeare. Meanwhile, three suitors seek the hand of anne page, mistress pages daughter. The merry wives of windsor has always been a popular play in the theatre.
After revealing to each other that falstaff is trying to woo each of them, the happily married wives band together to get even with falstaff in. Allison glenzer and erin baird in the merry wives of windsor. Merry wives of windsor gorin popp foster hightower 1965 youtube. The merry wives of windsor gives the folger theatre a groovy sendoff for now the merry wives of windsor breaks out the bellbottom jeans and a set inspired by the brady bunch. The author did a great job of boiling the show down to an essence while still retaining shakespeares language and showcasing the characters in four representative scenes which tell the story in a economical and easytofollow manner. Feb 21, 2019 first folio facsimile 1910the merry wives of windsor. In the merry wives of windsor, fat, disreputable sir john falstaff pursues two housewives, mistress ford and mistress page, who outwit and humiliate him instead.
Postmasters boy the postmasters boy mute role is one of evanss students, who plays a fairy in the final prank on falstaff. Merry wives of windsor summary falstaff decides to fix his financial woe by seducing the wives of two wealthy merchants. Character list sir john falstaff consistent with the image of the neerdowell companion of prince hal later to be henry v in several of shakespeares history plays, the falstaff of the merry wives of windsor is selfconsciously pompous and eloquent, selfpitying when the occasion arises, and always ready to exploit anyone man or woman. The merry wives of windsor shakespeare and the players. The editors preface etext 23041 and the other plays from this volume are each available as separate etexts. The merry wives of windsor 1600 scenes 23 total complete text act i. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of the merry wives of windsor. Much like a midsummers nights dream, the final scene focuses on an encounter between the human players and the faerie realm. The best courtier of them all, when the court lay at windsor, could never have brought her to such a canary. The merry wives of windsor open source shakespeare. First folio facsimile 1910the merry wives of windsor.
Falstaff hopes to seduce the wives so he can gain access to their husbands wealth. On top of that, justice shallow and his youthful cousin, slender, have come to windsor because falstaff has conned them out of money. Exit reenter mistress ford with two servants mistress ford. Go your ways, and ask of doctor caius house which is the way. Merry wives of windsor shakespeare resources ucf research. The merry wives of windsor full text act v act v, scene 5. The windsor wives, though, do not follow that pattern. These texts of the merry wives of windsor are from volume i of the ninevolume 1863 cambridge edition of shakespeare. Falstaff decides to fix his financial woe by seducing the wives of two wealthy merchants. Certainly salacious for its 17th century debut, the merry wives of windsor, is the only shakespeare play to feature women in the title role, merry renn vaughan reports in her directors notes.
Merry wives of windsor gorin popp foster hightower 1965. A fortyminute merry wives of windsor by shakespeare, abridged bill tordoff. Shakespeares only comedy set in an english small town is also the comedy boasting the most prose and the most references to household life. Since the merry wives of windsor is basically a spinoff of henry iv part 1, shakespeare would have expected his audience to know all about mistress quicklys shady ways. A summary of act i, scenes iiiiv in william shakespeares the merry wives of windsor.
About the merry wives of windsor there are three early texts of merry wives. Read expert analysis on the merry wives of windsor act v act v. Unpacking merry wives of windsor shakespeare oxford. It was included in the 1623 first folio f1 in a version that is nearly twice as long as q1, and although the two share essentially the same course of dramatic action, in some places their dialogue diverges substantially. Merry wives of windsor shakespeare birthplace trust. Enter mistress page, with a letter mistress page what, have i scaped loveletters in the holidaytime of my beauty, and am i now a subject for them. Shakespeares the merry wives of windsor 2018 youtube.
The merry wives of windsor texas shakespeare festival. Read full text and annotations on the merry wives of windsor act v act v, scene 5 at owl eyes read expert analysis on the merry wives of windsor act v act v, scene 5 at owl eyes the merry wives of windsor full text act v act v, scene 5 owl eyes. The comedy, set in the environs of windsor castle, weaves together a street level story of love, lust, greed, competition and humiliation with a commentary on society that, while it spoke directly to the concerns of its contemporary late 16th. To what extent is the merry wives of windsor a farce. Falstaff returns in shakespeares the merry wives of windsor, in which he tries to start an affair with mistress page. Sparknotes is here for you weve got everything you need to ace or teach. If you teachand even if you dontjoin us before the show for a lively workshop on this gem of a play. What it is, what it isget ready to be transported back to the seventies with all its kitschyness, loud colors and lingo combine it with the elizabethan shakespearean style, and you have a wonderfully imagination melee directed by aaron posner. Feb 21, 2019 the merry wives of windsor, a play by william shakespeare c. The crowning achievement of orson welless extraordinary film career, chimes at midnight was the culmination of the filmmakers lifelong obsession with shakespeares ultimate.
Ford, a gentleman dwelling at windsor page, a gentleman dwelling at windsor william page, a boy, son to page sir hugh evans, a welsh parson doctor caius, a french physician host of the garter inn bardolph, pistol, nym. The merry wives of windsor by william shakespeare, directed. Adapted by orson welles from william shakespeares plays henry iv, parts 1 and 2, henry v, richard ii, and the merry wives of windsor. Read every line of shakespeares original text alongside a modern english translation. Children of windsor mute roles are evanss students, whom he trains to play fairies in the final prank on falstaff. Read act 1, scene 1 of shakespeares the merry wives of windsor, sidebyside with a translation into modern english. Antics ensue as falstaff a favorite character of queen elizabeth herself. Mistress ford go, sirs, take the basket again on your shoulders. Whatever you do, dont teach the merry wives of windsor. Actually understand the merry wives of windsor act 1, scene 1. Merry wives of windsor new kittredge shakespeare by william shakespeare author jane w. Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the playfull explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play.
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