From AudioFile
At the request of the Queen, Shakespeare wrought this farce starring Sir John Falstaff of his HENRY IV plays, here transplanted from the fifteenth to the sixteenth century, where he attempts to seduce two wealthy married women who are a bit too smart for him. Director Clive Brill has orchestrated a rousing production that concentrates on clarity. Though a trifle short on personality, this is a delightful addition to Arkangel's series of the complete, uncut Shakespeare plays. Y.R. © AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Book Description
Each edition includes: • 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 famous lines and phrases • An introduction to reading Shakespeare's language • An essay by an outstanding scholar providing a modern perspective on the play • Illustrations from the Folger Shakespeare Library's vast holdings of rare books Essay by Natasha Korda The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C., 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.


Download Description
Shal. Come Coz, come Coz, we stay for you: a word with you Coz: marry this, Coz: there is as 'twere a tender, a kinde of tender, made a farre-off by Sir Hugh here: doe you vnderstand me?


The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature
Comedy in five acts by William Shakespeare, produced about 1600-01 and published in a quarto edition in 1602. Shakespeare used the character of Falstaff, who appears in his historical drama Henry IV, in this play. After Falstaff meets Mistresses Page and Ford, two married women said to control their own financial affairs, he writes identical love letters to each of them, never imagining that they will compare notes. When they do, they vow to trick Falstaff. In a climactic scene, Falstaff appears in a silly costume, complete with stag's horns, expecting an assignation--but the women and their husbands have arranged for a group of friends, including the Pages' daughter, all in witch and fairy costumes, to frighten and tease him. All identities are revealed at the end, and in an atmosphere of good humor Falstaff is forgiven.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Despite a consistent record of attracting appreciative audiences to the theater, The Merry Wives of Windsor has not received as much favorable criticism as it merits. Focusing on the unconventional Sir John Falstaff--one of Shakespeare's most vivid creations, best known for his role as confidant to Prince Hal in the Henry IV plays--this witty and satiric farce is perhaps Shakespeare's most realistic comedy. Comparing Falstaff's role in the two genres, many critics have found the comic characterization somewhat weak; by concentrating almost exclusively on this perceived failing, they have often missed the structural strengths and coherent design of the play. R.S. White allusively draws on recent theories of literature, especially feminist criticism and reader-response theory, to illuminate and revalue this neglected play. Seeing Falstaff as a comic mirror of provincial society, he demonstrates how his behavior reflects the values of the town dwellers--notably, acquisitive capitalism and the tendency to treat women as property and marriage capital. His analysis reveals how Shakespeare's use of plot, character, and imperialist language highlights the political ramifications of the seemingly trivial story. White also presents the operatic adaptations of the play by Nicolai, Verdi, and Vaughan Williams as significant readings of the original as well as independent masterpieces. His study provides a cogent introduction to the general problems of interpreting Shakespeare in the present day as well as a fresh and insightful account of The Merry Wives of Windsor.

SYNOPSIS

Sir John Falstaff’s notorious greed and lechery receive a comic tweaking when the portly knight attempts to seduce a pair of well-to-do country housewives.

FROM THE CRITICS

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