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Act 4, Scene 6
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Merry Wives of Windsor, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Deception and Dishonesty
Love
Gender
Community
Summary
Analysis
Mistress Quickly helps Falstaff arrange his costume for the evening: a chain and a set of horns, in the style of Herne the Hunter. As she leaves, Master Ford in the guise of Master Brook pays Falstaff a final visit. Falstaff tells Master Ford the story of the previous day’s courting disaster again. He describes the beating he received in great detail, expressing his resentment toward Ford and promising to win Mistress Ford for “Master Brook” that night.
The power dynamic between Falstaff and Master Ford has flipped. Now Falstaff, in some horns of his own, is set up to be the cuckold. Similarly, the irony is now on Master Ford’s side instead of against him. He still knows something Falstaff doesn’t know, which creates the humor of their conversation, but now Ford is just waiting to close the trap on Falstaff. Mistress Ford and “Master Brook” will end up together, after all—just as Falstaff promises.
Active
Themes
