‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ Act 2 – “...if money go before, all ways do lie open.”

‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ Act 2 – “...if money go before, all ways do lie open.”

Either Shakespeare had actually seen or read a number of Commedia dell’arte scenes or he had heard enough to try his hand at creating a truly English version of commedia with archetypes to match. In this act of ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ we see an intrigue of plots, gross deceptions, disguises, characters with over-inflated senses of their own self worth, fights that don’t take place, mocking of accents and people, and all the hallmarks of an Italian comedy but as set in Windsor in England.

Falstaff’s love letters have arrived and Mistress Page reads her letter in amazement at Falstaff thinking to woo her away from her husband. When Mistress Ford arrives with a love letter also from Falstaff, they swap letters and find out that he has sent them the same letter. They are incredulous for many reasons and decide they will entice Falstaff to continue his advances and make him pay for his affections until he has to even pawn his horses to pay to continue to woo them.

Pistol reveals to Ford that Falstaff is attempting to woo his wife. Ford believes his wife has probably done something to entice Falstaff. Then Nim comes to Page and tells him that Falstaff is trying to seduce his wife. Page is upset and fears that he will lose his wife’s affections.

After Mistress Ford and Mistress Page talk to their husbands (but not about the letters they received), they realize that they can use Mistress Quickly as someone to carry messages to Falstaff to start their plan to bring him down. They go inside to start their machinations.

Meanwhile, Ford and Page talk of all they were told. Ford re-interates that his own wife is not to be trusted forges a plan to find where his wife’s true affections lie. Enter the Host of the Garter, who has come to invite Ford and Page to witness the fight for honor between Evans and Caius. Ford decides what he must do. He secretly asks the Host to introduce him to Falstaff (who has never met Ford) as Brook and offers the Host money to do so. All is agreed and most go off to see the fight while Ford reveals to the audience that he will also disguise himself to catch Falstaff out and find out if his wife is cheating on him.

Serendipity falls on Falstaff, or at least he thinks so. While drinking at his lodgings at the Garter Inn, Pistol refuses to loan Falstaff any more money. Mistress Quickly enters and after being well rehearsed by Mistress Ford and Mistress page, tells Falstaff of the affection of both women for him and mentions that Mistress Ford’s husband will be out between 10 and 11 tomorrow and that Mistress Page’s husband is seldom home. Falstaff thinks his charms have worked and sends word to meet both women the next day.

Enter Ford (disguised as Brooke) who praises Falstaff for the power he seems to have over women and who offers to pay Falstaff to seduce Mistress Ford (who Ford disguised as Brooke claims he has long admired). Falstaff must think by now that the Gods are smiling on him since Brooke also offers to pay for all the expenses. Falstaff mentions that the seduction will be easy because he has already arranged to meet Ford’s wife tomorrow. Brooke asks whether Falstaff has ever met or knows Ford but Falstaff claims he does not know the man (even though he seems able to still put Ford down). As Falstaff leaves, Ford bemoans his wife’s lack of virtue in arranging to already meet Falstaff and he declares he will be avenged when he catches both his wife and Falstaff out the very next day.

On the field, people arrive for the fight with one problem, Evans seems to be not attending his own fight. Shallow thinks Evans is smart for not arriving since:

“He is the wiser man, master doctor: he is a curer of

souls, and you a curer of bodies; if you should

fight, you go against the hair of your professions.”

The Host insults Cauis and generally insults Cauis’ accent and manner but agrees to bring Cauis to a farmhouse so that he can see and meet with Anne and attempt to woo her.