Slender continues his courtship, Anne’s parents arrive. Page encourages Slender and tells Fenton not to “haunt” his house. He refuses to listen to Fenton, and invites Shallow and Slender in, leaving Anne and Fenton with Mistress Page and Mistress Quickly. Mistress Page assures Anne that she does not want her to marry Slender, saying that Caius would be a “better husband.” She says she will be neither “friend nor enemy” to Fenton, but agrees that she will support Anne if she loves him. She takes Anne indoors, and Mistress Quickly tells Fenton that Anne’s encouragement is her doing and he thanks her, before giving her a ring to give to Anne. Alone, Mistress Quickly declares her preference for all three suitors, before going to deliver the message from Mistresses Page and Ford to Falstaff.
ACT 3 SCENE 5
Falstaff sends Bardolph to fetch him a drink and muses on recent events. He is indignant at having been “carried in a basket like a barrow of butcher’s offal.” Bardolph shows in Mistress Quickly. When Falstaff learns that she has come from Mistress Ford he refuses to listenbut she persuades him that Mistress Ford is sorry and wishes to make amends. He agrees that he will visit her between eight and nine, and Mistress Quickly goes to tell Mistress Ford. Falstaff wonders why he has not heard from Broom, just as Ford appears in disguise. Falstaff tells Broom that he was at Ford’s house at the appointed time, but that Ford came home and interrupted him, so he was forced to hide in a laundry basket. His indignation mounts as he describes the scene to the disguised Ford, ironically insulting the man he is speaking to as a “lunatic knave” and a “jealous rotten bell-wether.” He announces that he has not given up: he will call on Mistress Ford again while her husband is out “a-birding.” Broom informs him that it is “past eight” and Falstaff hurries off to Ford’s house, promising that Broom “shall cuckold Ford.” Alone, Ford vents his fury and pursues Falstaff to his house.
ACT 4 SCENE 1
Mistress Quickly tells Mistress Page that Falstaff is at Ford’s house and Mistress Page says that she will go there after she has taken her son, William, to school. Evans arrives and tests William on his Latin. Mistress Quickly comically misinterprets the Latin words.
ACT 4 SCENE 2
Lines 1–98: Mistress Ford has succeeded in convincing Falstaff that she is sorry and he assures her that he loves her. Mistress Page arrives and calls out, and Mistress Ford urges Falstaff to hide in “th’chamber” next door. Once again they act out a conversation for the listening Falstaff: Mistress Page pretends to be glad that “the fat knight” is not there, as Ford is approaching the house with the other men, adding that he will be there “anon.” Mistress Ford again “confesses” that Falstaff is there and Mistress Page tells her that he is a “dead man” if Ford catches him. Falstaff emerges, and Mistress Page tells him that Ford’s brothers are guarding the house doors “with pistols.” The two women suggest that he disguise himself in clothes belonging to Mistress Ford’s maid’s aunt, “the fat woman of Brentford.” Falstaff runs to put on the gown, and Mistress Ford hopes thatFord meets with the disguised Falstaff as he “cannot abide the old woman of Brentford … and hath threatened to beat her.” Mistress Page says that somehow Ford knows about the laundry basket, and the women decide to use this as a decoy. Mistress Page delivers a little rhyme that neatly sums up the play to the effect that “Wives may be merry, and yet honest too.” Mistress Page goes to dress Falstaff, and Mistress Ford instructs her servants to take up the laundry basket again, but to “set it down” if Ford asks them to.
Lines 99–198: Ford arrives and orders his servants to set down the laundry basket. He calls angrily for his wife. Mistress Ford enters, and he accuses her of “brazen-face” dishonesty before
ACT 3 SCENE 5
Falstaff sends Bardolph to fetch him a drink and muses on recent events. He is indignant at having been “carried in a basket like a barrow of butcher’s offal.” Bardolph shows in Mistress Quickly. When Falstaff learns that she has come from Mistress Ford he refuses to listenbut she persuades him that Mistress Ford is sorry and wishes to make amends. He agrees that he will visit her between eight and nine, and Mistress Quickly goes to tell Mistress Ford. Falstaff wonders why he has not heard from Broom, just as Ford appears in disguise. Falstaff tells Broom that he was at Ford’s house at the appointed time, but that Ford came home and interrupted him, so he was forced to hide in a laundry basket. His indignation mounts as he describes the scene to the disguised Ford, ironically insulting the man he is speaking to as a “lunatic knave” and a “jealous rotten bell-wether.” He announces that he has not given up: he will call on Mistress Ford again while her husband is out “a-birding.” Broom informs him that it is “past eight” and Falstaff hurries off to Ford’s house, promising that Broom “shall cuckold Ford.” Alone, Ford vents his fury and pursues Falstaff to his house.
ACT 4 SCENE 1
Mistress Quickly tells Mistress Page that Falstaff is at Ford’s house and Mistress Page says that she will go there after she has taken her son, William, to school. Evans arrives and tests William on his Latin. Mistress Quickly comically misinterprets the Latin words.
ACT 4 SCENE 2
Lines 1–98: Mistress Ford has succeeded in convincing Falstaff that she is sorry and he assures her that he loves her. Mistress Page arrives and calls out, and Mistress Ford urges Falstaff to hide in “th’chamber” next door. Once again they act out a conversation for the listening Falstaff: Mistress Page pretends to be glad that “the fat knight” is not there, as Ford is approaching the house with the other men, adding that he will be there “anon.” Mistress Ford again “confesses” that Falstaff is there and Mistress Page tells her that he is a “dead man” if Ford catches him. Falstaff emerges, and Mistress Page tells him that Ford’s brothers are guarding the house doors “with pistols.” The two women suggest that he disguise himself in clothes belonging to Mistress Ford’s maid’s aunt, “the fat woman of Brentford.” Falstaff runs to put on the gown, and Mistress Ford hopes thatFord meets with the disguised Falstaff as he “cannot abide the old woman of Brentford … and hath threatened to beat her.” Mistress Page says that somehow Ford knows about the laundry basket, and the women decide to use this as a decoy. Mistress Page delivers a little rhyme that neatly sums up the play to the effect that “Wives may be merry, and yet honest too.” Mistress Page goes to dress Falstaff, and Mistress Ford instructs her servants to take up the laundry basket again, but to “set it down” if Ford asks them to.
Lines 99–198: Ford arrives and orders his servants to set down the laundry basket. He calls angrily for his wife. Mistress Ford enters, and he accuses her of “brazen-face” dishonesty before
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