Falstaff decides to fix his financial woe by seducing the wives of two wealthy merchants. Performances of the merry wives of windsor run approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes including one 15minute intermission. Special performances find opencaptioned performances, preshow events, and additional related programs. The merry wives of windsor folger shakespeare library. Mar 18, 2017 the merry wives of windsor is one of shakespeares most middle class plays. A fortyminute merry wives of windsor by shakespeare, abridged bill tordoff additional information. The folger shakespeare library is pleased to offer free downloadable files of the merry wives of win. The merry wives of windsor was first published as a quarto in 1602 q1 and then reprinted in a 1619 quarto edition q2.
Project gutenberg offers 61,639 free ebooks to download. The merry wives of windsor study guide course hero. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. It is said that queen elizabethgave shakespeare two weeks to write this play that showcases her favoritecomedic character, sir john falstaff. The merry wives of windsor open source shakespeare.
Read every line of shakespeares original text alongside a modern english translation. It was included in the 1623 first folio f1 in a version that is nearly twice as long as q1, and although the two share essentially the same course of dramatic action, in some places their dialogue diverges substantially. A group of singing ladies who sound like celtic woman went to a flogging molly concert and took home half the band. Meanwhile the women quietly get on with running things. Falstaff returns in shakespeares the merry wives of windsor, in which he tries to start an affair with mistress page. The merry wives of windsor has recently experienced a resurgence of critical interest. The central themes are love in various guises and jealousy. Librivox recording of the merry wives of windsor by william shakespeare. Readcentral has helped thousands of people read books online without the need for signups. It is thought to have been performed before queen elizabeth i at windsor castle. Act 1, scene 3 read the full text of the merry wives of windsor act 1 scene 3 with a sidebyside translation here. Shakespeares bawdy comedy appears in a condensed script format. The merry wives of windsor by william shakespeare overdrive. The merry wives of windsor or sir john falstaff and the merry wives of windsor is a comedy by william shakespeare first published in 1602, though believed to have been written in or before 1597.
Search merry wives of windsor sheet music at jw pepper. Freshly edited text based on the best early printed version of the playfull explanatory notes conveniently placed on pages facing the text of the play. Bbc presents the classic play by william shakespeare. So, various kinds of male absurdity are on display tonight. Folio 1 1623, folio 2 1632, folio 3 16634, folio 4 1685 quartos. It features the fat knight sir john falstaff, and is shakespeares only play to deal exclusively with contemporary elizabethan era english middle class life. Choose the part of the merry wives of windsor which you want to read from the table of contents to get started. Read download the merry wives of windsor annotated pdf pdf.
This version of the merry wives of windsor is part of my shakespeare in 30 collection. Jim alkhalili science documentary science duration. Anyone coming from outside that social structure or from outside the confines of windsor are viewed with suspicion. But the merry wives of windsor is an extraordinary play because it makes us reconsider the importance of what we deem trivial. The merry wives of windsor by william shakespeare free ebook. Sir john falstaff devises a plan to seduce both mistress page and mistress ford, the wives of two wealthy burgesses of. Bbc television shakespeares the merry wives of windsor is directed by david hugh jones and stars richard. Since the merry wives of windsor is basically a spinoff of henry iv part 1, shakespeare would have expected his audience to know all about mistress quicklys shady ways. The most notable character is the fat and lecherous knight, sir john. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. With david troughton, luke newberry, beth cordingly, rebecca lacey.
At times considered one of shakespeares weaker plays, it is often dismissed or marginalized. Monkeynotes free online study guide summarythe merry wives. From an old sketch eton standing bed and truckle bed mufflers scene in windsor forest fords house, windsor. Oscarwinner ben kingsley stars with judy davis and richard griffiths in shakespeares comedy of romantic misdemeanors. Merry wives of windsor marry, this is the short and the long of it the best courtier of them all, when the court lay at windsor, could never have brought her to such a canary.
With alan bennett, richard ocallaghan, tenniel evans, bryan marshall. A 40minute abridgement of shakespeares merry wives of windsor, using the original language, characters and plot, but with a reduced length, aiming to provide an introduction to shakespeare for primary schools. The merry wives of windsor act 1, scene 1 translation. Instead the two merry wives collude to play a series of embarrassing pranks on falstaff. Read download the merry wives of windsor annotated pdf.
The merry wives of windsor kindle edition by shakespeare. Want to know where the merry wives of windsor is set. The dissolute falstaff plans toseduce mistress ford and mistress page, two merry wives of windsor, therebygaining access to their husbands wealth. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost. The merry wives of windsor audiobook, written by william.
Watching the merry wives of windsor is like channel surfing between backtoback episodes of punkd. The merry wives of windsor headpiece the merry wives of windsor full page introductory illustration windsor, 1839 oak, near the site of hernes oak oak and avenue of elms, windsor home park hernes oak. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the merry wives of windsor. The author did a great job of boiling the show down to an essence while still retaining shakespeares language and showcasing the characters in four representative scenes which tell the story in a economical and easytofollow manner. We dont often think about high art as concerning itself with things like grease and dirt. The wives find he sent them identical letters and take revenge by playing tricks on falstaff when he comes calling. When sir john falstaff decides that he wants to have a little fun he writes two letters to a pair of window wives.
The wife is faithful, of course, but the husband believes that all women are dishonest and, therefore, all wives cheat on their husbands. May 27, 2016 disney relaxing piano collection sleep music, study music, calm music piano covered by kno duration. This comedic 34 minute comedic monologue is provided by john falstaff, a middleaged man from william shakespeares comedic play, the merry wives of windsor. The british royals may not appreciate the antics that go on in the merry wives of windsor. When they put their heads together and compare missives, they plan a practical joke or two to teach the knight a lesson. I will make a starchamber matter of it, if hee were twenty sir iohn falstoffs, he shall not abuse robert shallow esquire. Read the merry wives of windsor online, free books by. After revealing to each other that falstaff is trying to woo each of them, the happily married wives band together to get even with falstaff in this comedy. Jul 01, 2000 the merry wives of windsor by william shakespeare. Read on for all the details, and see each the merry wives of windsor setting on the map below. The merry wives of windsor, free pdf, ebook global grey. April 23, 1597 for queen elizabeth at the garter feast number of lines.
The merry wives of windsor is a comedy by william shakespeare, first published in 1602, though believed to have been written prior to 1597. Shakespeare has obviously got a thing for writing about the dangers of male sexual jealousy. The merry wives are on to falstaff, however, and invite him to their homes for the purpose of making a fool of him. Now you can read the merry wives of windsor free from the comfort of your computer or mobile phone and enjoy other many other free books by william shakespeare. In the county of glocester, iustice of peace and coram. The windsor of the plays title is a reference to windsor castle in berkshire, england, and though nominally set in the reign of henry iv, the play makes no pretence to exist outside contemporary. The windsor of the plays title is a reference to the town of windsor, also the location of windsor castle, in berkshire, england. Adapter alison carey and director christopher liam moore talk about the script of the very merry wives of windsor, iowa the registerguard the very merry wives of windsor, iowa is careys take on not only shakespeares wellloved comedy but also on the contemporary politics of exclusion and the rights of gay couples to marry. Read the merry wives of windsor, free online version of the book by william shakespeare, on.
Meanwhile, three suitors seek the hand of anne page, mistress pages daughter. In other words, when people get duped in this play, they often end up looking like chumps in front of a very large audience of people. The standard ebooks edition of the merry wives of windsor. Though nominally set in the reign of henry iv, the play makes no pretence to exist outside contemporary elizabethan era. Nov 23, 2012 watch a scene from our new production of the merry wives of windsor, directed by phillip breen, with anita dobson as mistress quickly, desmond barrit as falstaff and leon finnan as robin. Sir john writes them identical love letters, and says, in effect, we both like to drink, neither of us are young.
Actually understand the merry wives of windsor act 1, scene 1. The merry wives of windsor is one of shakespeares comedies. First folio facsimile 1910the merry wives of windsor. The merry wives of windsor the merry wives of windsor themes from the overture otto nicolaiarr. The merry wives of windsor a bourgeois comedy, with a very cute plot. First published in 1602, the merry wives of windsor is generally considered to be one of shakespeares less successful comedies. After recent auditions, the cast list for the css theatres fall play, the merry wives of windsor, has been finalized. In honor of this sensational new shakespeare on film experience of the merry wives of windsor, lets take a look at the top ten or so most. The merry wives of windsor from ben kingsleys ford to bill alexanders 50sera staging, shakespeares only purely english comedy perfectly captures middleclass mores. Falstaff, john, sir fictitious character drama subject. Master brook, falstaffs a knave, a cuckoldly knave. The most notable character is the fat and lecherous knight, sir john falstaff, who also plays a pivotal role in henry iv. But mistris page would desire you to send her your little page of al loues. In the country village of windsor, justice shallow and his nephew slender complain to parson evans that sir john falstaff from henry iv, parts 1 and 2 has wronged them.
A fortyminute merry wives of windsor by shakespeare. Windsor, a market town west of london and the home of windsor castle, is the plays setting. The merry wives of windsor is a comedy by william shakespeare, first published in 1602, though believed to have been written. In the merry wives of windsor, the roguish knight falstaff tries to flatter two married women, mistress ford and mistress page, into becoming his lovers. With the help of their husbands and friends, the wives play one last trick in the woods to put falstaffs. Merry wives of windsor wikisource, the free online library. Sir john falstaff runs astray of the denizens of windsor by trying to seduce several local wives at. The merry wives of windsor is a comedy by william shakespeare first published in 1602, though believed to have been written in or before 1597.
Louis shakespeares 2011 production of the merry wives of windsor. You can buy the arden text of this play from the online bookstore. Merry wives, jealous husbands, and predatory knights were common in a kind of play called citizen comedy or city comedy. It is like that simpsons episode where all the male simpsons gather and can find nothing better to do than charge each other head first like stags. The merry wives of windsor, a play by william shakespeare c. The merry wives of windsor, by william shakespeare standard. The merry wives of windsor shakespeare in 30 by nouvelle. She has three suitors which include shallows nephew, abraham slender a country squire. Quarto 1 bad quarto 1602, quarto 2 bad quarto 1619, quarto 3 1630. Merry wives of windsor shakespeare birthplace trust.
Mistress ford go, sirs, take the basket again on your shoulders. A fortyminute merry wives of windsor by shakespeare, abridged bill tordoff. The merry wives of windsor 1600 scenes 23 total complete text act i. William shakespeares the merry wives of windsor consists of 7 parts for ease of reading. In the merry wives of windsor, fat, disreputable sir john falstaff pursues two housewives, mistress ford and mistress page, who outwit and humiliate him instead. Read the complete script on the lazy bee scripts web site. Shakespeare set the merry wives of windsor in the time of the audience who would have attended the play the late 16th century. The two women have the old roguesmeasure, however, and falstaffs plots lead only to his own. In the merry wives of windsor, a mistrustful husband learns that another man plans to seduce his wife. I am using this script to produce the merry wives of windsor at the high school where i teach. The merry wives of windsor shakespeare theatre of new jersey.
Monkeynotes free online study guide summarythe merry wives of windsor by william shakespeare free booknoteschapter summaryanalysis download synopsis. Watch bbc television shakespeare season 1, episode 23 the merry wives of windsor. Project gutenberg offers 61,816 free ebooks to download. Shakespeares merry wives are mistress ford and mistress page of the town of windsor. Each play in this series has been adapted for teens to tackle in a half an hour. Reel truth science documentaries recommended for you. The two play practical jokes on mistress fords jealous husband and a visiting knight, sir john falstaff. The merry wives of windsor is one of shakespeares most middle class plays.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Read the merry wives of windsor online by william shakespeare at, the free online library full of thousands of classic books. The merry wives of windsor kindle edition by shakespeare, william. Caius is from france and sir hugh evans has a welsh accent, both are mocked for their pronunciation and their point of difference. The merry wives of windsor is a popular book by william shakespeare. The merry wives of windsor is a german opera written by otto nicolai in 1845, based on the shakespearean comedy of the same name. Falstaff hopes to seduce the wives so he can gain access to their husbands wealth.