Year: 1873

"MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR"


The variety of scene and incident in
this play, and the great number and d.
vcrsity of characters, preclude any at
tempt at an elaborate review of il. We
can only express our views of it by some
general remarks.


Its object would seem to be, like that
of the great work of Cervante, to sati-
rize human nature in general. Every
important character in the play is made
the victim Of deception and disappoint-
ment. The two classes represented are
mutually foiled in their attempts upon
each other. Falstaf' is made completely
a victim Page and his wife are both de-
ceived, in their attempts to deceive each
other, by third party, the only success
ful character in the play; Sir Hugh
Evans, is sent to the wrong place, to
fight duel, which duel never takes
place; his antagonist is in the same pre-
dicament; mine host has his horses stolen;
and Slender, as he is relating how he
was about to marry great lubberly boy
instead Of Anne Page, is interrupted by
Caius, who had been even worse treated,
for he had undergone the ceremony Of
wedlock with un garcon.


The characters in the play are distinct
ly and clearly drawn. There is no mis-
taking one for another, however similar
they may be. The folly Of Page and
his wife, the Stiffness of Slender, and the
empty-headedness of Shallow are plainly
distinguished.


But Falstaf is the best delineated
character of the play, as well as the man
of most weight in the story. He is the
principal, the ceRtre of gravity, around
which revolve all meaner luminaries. He
is the representative of the higher class
of society, and the burghers, albeit they
entrap and deceive him, are yet evident
ly Aattered by the notice Of Knight.
Sensuality is his principle trait; he is
withal good-natured, benevolent, loud
boaster and a jolly boon companion. He
is not at all depraved, but he makes eve
rything yield to hisappetites, and shrinks
norfrom risks and danger to ga ifyt hem.
He has no conscience and no belief in
practical virtue; he knows his own faults
and ridicules them as freely as those of
Others. Ee is by no means deficient in
sagacity, yet his passions blind him so
that he cannot see the tolls set for him.
1t is only at the middle of the last scene
that he "begins to see that he has been
made an ass" 1t was his misfortune to
be born three hundred years too late. AT
an earlier period, he would have been
much more respectable, but Knights were
at discount in his day.


The other characters are of less i'm
portance. Sir Hugh Evans is dull and



pedantic, besides having some very un-
clerical notions in regard to fighting.
Anne Page seems to have been, for the
age, a very model of maiden, and like
most Of her sex, loved to have her own
way. Fenton is in the back ground un-
til the end Of the play. His business is
to come forward at the proper time and
marry Anne Page, and he does it. Slen-
der and Shallow, We have mentioned,
they answer well to their names. Mine
host Of the Garter is babbling old land
lord, who is familiar with everybody ;
his spirits depend upon the success of his
business.


One thing noticeable in this play is,
that there is not an elevated character in
it, This should be so--for the object be-
ing TO satiri.e human nature, there was
no need for such a character fact, he
would have spoiled the whole.