The original Sir Oldcastle was a member of Parliament, a soldier under Henry IV, and a friend of Prince Hal. A falling out occurred when Oldcastle began to espouse the teachings of Wycliffe. This particular historical figure was once a distinguished soldier, but deserted at Patay, and the stigma of cowardice haunted him for the remainder of his life. He owned the Boar's Head Tavern in Southwark, a place Shakespeare's Falstaff frequents in the Henry IV plays. He also suggests that Shakespeare initially tailored the part for the comic actor Will Kemp.
Wiles also points out the comic phallic possibilities in the name.
The only weapon associated with Falstaff in Merry Wives is a cudgel or wooden practice sword. In the dramatic realms of historical event, the Henry IV plays, Falstaff's purpose is to provide a comic viewpoint. Merry Wives has been dubbed one of Shakespeare's poorer works. Critics call the plot and subplot lines sloppy. Although the praise for Falstaff is nearly universal, it has been argued that the Falstaff of Merry Wives is a very different figure than his namesake in the histories.