The Merry Wives of WindsorSimon and Schuster, 2011 M08 23 - 320 pages Shakespeare’s “merry wives” are Mistress Ford and Mistress Page of the town of Windsor. The two play practical jokes on Mistress Ford’s jealous husband and a visiting knight, Sir John Falstaff. Merry wives, jealous husbands, and predatory knights were common in a kind of play called “citizen comedy” or “city comedy.” In such plays, courtiers, gentlemen, or knights use social superiority to seduce citizens’ wives. The Windsor wives, though, do not follow that pattern. Instead, Falstaff’s offer of himself as lover inspires their torment of him. Falstaff responds with the same linguistic facility that Shakespeare gives him in the history plays in which he appears, making him the “hero” of the play for many audiences. 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: -The exact text of the printed book for easy cross-reference -Hundreds of hypertext links for instant navigation -Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the play -Full explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play -Scene-by-scene plot summaries -A key to the play’s famous lines and phrases -An introduction to reading Shakespeare’s language -An essay by a leading Shakespeare scholar providing a modern perspective on the play -Fresh images from the Folger Shakespeare Library’s vast holdings of rare books -An annotated guide to further reading Essay by Natasha Korda The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC, is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, and a magnet for Shakespeare scholars from around the globe. In addition to exhibitions open to the public throughout the year, the Folger offers a full calendar of performances and programs. For more information, visit Folger.edu. |
Contents
Editors Preface | ix |
The Merry Wives of Windsor | xiii |
The Merry Wives of Windsor | xiv |
Shakespeares Life | xxvi |
Shakespeares Theater | xxxv |
The Publication of Shakespeares Plays | xliv |
An Introduction to This Text | xlviii |
Text of the Play with Commentary | 1 |
ACT 3 Scene 4 | 117 |
ACT 3 Scene 5 | 125 |
ACT 4 Scene 1 | 139 |
ACT 4 Scene 2 | 143 |
ACT 4 Scene 3 | 157 |
ACT 4 Scene 4 | 159 |
ACT 4 Scene 5 | 165 |
ACT 4 Scene 6 | 173 |
ACT 1 Scene 1 | 7 |
ACT 1 Scene 2 | 25 |
ACT 1 Scene 3 | 27 |
ACT 1 Scene 4 | 33 |
ACT 2 Scene 1 | 47 |
ACT 2 Scene 2 | 61 |
ACT 2 Scene 3 | 79 |
ACT 3 Scene 1 | 89 |
ACT 3 Scene 2 | 97 |
ACT 3 Scene 3 | 103 |
ACT 5 Scene 1 | 181 |
ACT 5 Scene 2 | 183 |
ACT 5 Scene 4 | 185 |
ACT 5 Scene 5 | 187 |
Longer Notes | 205 |
Textual Notes | 215 |
A Modern Perspective | 227 |
Further Reading | 241 |
Key to Famous Lines and Phrases | 263 |
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Common terms and phrases
action actors Anne appear Bardolph basket beginning Brook called carry characters comedy comes continued court desire DOCTOR CAIUS domestic early edition English example exits fairies FALSTAFF Fenton Folio follow Ford’s Garter give hand hath head hear heart heaven Herne the Hunter honest horns Host humor husband John knight language Latin letter literally London longer note look marry Master Master Brook meaning meet Merry Wives MISTRESS FORD MISTRESS PAGE MISTRESS QUICKLY never perhaps picture Pistol plays pray present Press printed Proverbial Quarto Queen reading reference Robert Rugby scene SD Enter Shake Shakespeare’s SHALLOW Simple SIR HUGH Sir John Slender speak speech stage stage directions stand tell term theater thee thou University wife Wives of Windsor woman women wordplay young