The Merry Wives of Windsor Act 1 – “He hath studied her will, and translated her will, out of honesty into English.”

The Merry Wives of Windsor Act 1 – “He hath studied her will, and translated her will, out of honesty into English.”

The front page of the first publication of ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ in 1602 gives the full title of the play as ‘The Most Pleasaunt and Excellent Conceited Comedie, of Syr John Flagstaffe, and the Merrie Wives of Windsor’. On the same cover it later states that this play has been performed “…both before her Maiestie, and else-where.” This is important and helps to date the first performance probably at Windsor Castle itself perhaps at the ceremony of the investiture of knights into the Order of the Garter in late April or early May of 1597. It could have been performed as a commissioned play and its satirical style, where eventually the merry wives of Windsor win out, would have proved popular with an aging Elizabeth I.

The play starts on the streets of Windsor where Justice Shallow walks with Master Slender and Sir Hugh Evans (a man of the church). He wants to bring Sir John Falstaff before the court because of a number of grievances. Evans says that the more pressing matter is that they attempt to try to make a marriage match between Master Slender and Mistress Anne Page. They arrive at the Page house and Master Page greets them thanking them for the venison that Shallow sent. They enquire whether Falstaff is inside the house and when they hear he is, Shallow begins to bemoan the fact that Falstaff has wronged him in a number of ways.

Then Falstaff enters followed by his cronies Bardolph, Nim, and Pistol. When Shallow confronts Falstaff with the charge of slaughtering Shallow’s deer and attacking his men, Falstaff doesn’t deny it. Accusations then fall on Falstaff’s men for stealing Slender’s money purse but they deny it claiming that Slender was too drunk on the occasion to remember anything. Slender claims he will not drink again with men such as these. When Anne Page enters she serve wine to the men and we see the object of Slender’s, and many other men’s, desires.

They all go inside except for Slender who sits alone, When Shallow and Evans re-enter, Evans infers that he has already brought up the matter of Slender’s desire to marry Anne with Master Page. When Shallow asks whether there is great love between them, Slender suggests:

“… if there be no great love in the beginning,

yet heaven may decrease it upon better acquaintance,

when we are married and have more occasion to know one another;

I hope, upon familiarity will grow more contempt:

but if you say, 'Marry her,' I will marry her; that

I am freely dissolved, and dissolutely.”

Just then, Anne re-enters to announce dinner. Slender will not go in and he awkwardly tries to make conversation with Anne. Page comes to see what is happening. Slender says he is not hungry but eventually he concedes to go inside. Soon after that, Evans, realizing that Slender is not doing well in the game of love, comes out and gets Simple to go to Doctor Caius's house to give a letter to Mistress Quickly requesting that she helps by convincing Ann Page that Slender would make a good marriage match. 

We then move on to the Garter Inn (which was real inn in Shakespeare’s time) and the place where he probably put the final touches on this play. Falstaff enters with Bardolph, Nim, and Pistol. Falstaff makes an agreement with the innkeeper for lodging which includes Bardolph working as a barman then Flagstaff reveals his plan to seduce Mistress Ford. He wants to do this not just because he thinks Mistress Ford likes him but also because she controls her husband’s money. Being very generous with his affections and machinations , he also reveals that he would like to woo Mistress Ford as well, who also happens to control her husband’s money. Flagstaff then brings out two letters which he has written. One is addressed to Mistress Ford and the other to Mistress Page. Pistol and Nim refuse to deliver the letters, and even decide that they will reveal the deceptive plan to Mistress Ford and Mistress Page – the merry wives of Windsor.

If you think this is confusing, then at least we come back to the original plot of Slender’s desire to marry Anne Page. We are at Doctor Caius’ house, although after a brief introduction to him, he leaves. Mistress Quickly then listens to Simple explains what Mr Evans wants and Mistress Quickly decides that she will suggest to Anne Page that Slender would make an ideal husband for her.

Doctor Caius re-enters and Simple is hidden by Mistress Quickly in a closet. Of course Caius opens the closet and finds Simple. The reason for him being there is loosely explained but Caius is still upset and it is revealed that Caius is also in love with Anne Page. Caius writes a letter to challenge Evans to a duel. Mistress Quickly is chastised for involving herself and Caius declares that he knows Anne loves him. Mistress Quickly reveals to the audience that she knows Anne’s mind and she probably doesn’t love either of these suitors. When Fenton enters and declares that Anne really loves him, Mistress Quickly knows that things are about to get complicated.