The Merry Wives of Windsor

Roles

• Falstaff - Adult (36-50), Senior (>50), Male

About this piece

Falstaff scolds Pistol

Summary

In the first scene of the play we are introduced to Justice Shallow, Master Slender and Sir Hugh Evans. First they talk about Sir John Falstaff, a scoundrel and a thief, who has wronged them, then about Slender's hopes to marry Anne Page. They confront Falstaff at Master Page's house and he admits his wrongdoings. Falstaff later tells his men that he plans to seduce Mistress Page and Mistress Ford so that he can have access to their husband's money. He asks his men, Nim and Pistol, to deliver his love letters to Mistress Ford and Mistress Page but they refuse since they consider themselves honest men. Falstaff finds somebody else to deliver the letters. In this monologue Falstaff tells his man Pistol that he won't lend him any more money. He even refused to deliver his letters. The reason Pistol doesn't have any money, Falstaff argues, is that he insists in being honest.

Tone

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