The Merry Wives of Windsor Character Analysis

Sir John Falstaff

Sir John Falstaff is a swaggering, comically self-assured knight who is visiting Windsor. He and his followers Pistol, Nym, and Bardolph are characters from the Henry IV plays, but in Merry Wives… read analysis of Sir John Falstaff

Mistress Page

Mistress Page, one of the titular “Merry Wives,” is the wife of Master Page. She and Mistress Ford are the targets of a scheme by Sir John Falstaff to lure them into affairs and… read analysis of Mistress Page

Mistress Ford

Mistress Ford, one of the titular “Merry Wives,” is the wife of Master Ford. She and Mistress Page are the targets of a scheme by Sir John Falstaff to lure them into affairs and… read analysis of Mistress Ford

Master Page

Master Page is the husband of Mistress Page. He and his wife are slightly older than Master Ford and Mistress Ford, and perhaps partly due to this experience, their relationship has a solid… read analysis of Master Page

Master Ford

Master Ford is the husband of Mistress Ford. A jealous man, Ford is easily manipulated by Pistol into believing that his wife is cheating on him with Sir John Falstaff. At first, he’s… read analysis of Master Ford

Anne Page

Anne Page, daughter of Master Page and Mistress Page, is a young woman of marriageable age. Sir Hugh Evans, Abraham Slender, and Robert Shallow describe her as a quiet, well-mannered, and pretty… read analysis of Anne Page

Mistress Quickly

Mistress Quickly is a servant in Doctor Caius’s household. Overworked, well-informed, and in possession of a rather wide mischievous streak, Mistress Quickly agrees to help all three of Anne Page’s suitors (Abraham… read analysis of Mistress Quickly

Sir Hugh Evans

Sir Hugh Evans is Windsor’s local parson. A Welshman, he speaks with a thick accent, which makes him a frequent target of jokes from characters like Sir John Falstaff. Sir Hugh is slightly fussy… read analysis of Sir Hugh Evans

Doctor Caius

Doctor Caius is one of Anne Page’s suitors and the local doctor in Windsor. A Frenchman, he speaks with a thick accent, which Host of the Garter Inn and other characters poke fun at… read analysis of Doctor Caius

Master Fenton

Master Fenton is one of Anne Page’s suitors. He is neither Mistress Page nor Master Page’s first choice for Anne’s husband, and Master Page disapproves of Fenton so much that he bans Fenton… read analysis of Master Fenton

The Host of the Garter Inn

The Host of the Garter is a jovial man who runs the Garter Inn. He seems to get along with everyone from Sir John Falstaff to Master Fenton, and he acts as a pillar… read analysis of The Host of the Garter Inn

Abraham Slender

Abraham Slender is Robert Shallow’s stupid, weak-willed, and pompous nephew. In the first scene of Act 1, he airs his dispute with Sir John Falstaff’s servants Nym, Pistol, and Bardolph—but… read analysis of Abraham Slender

Robert Shallow

Robert Shallow is a Justice of the Peace who, like Sir John Falstaff, is a visitor to Windsor. Shallow is polite but self-important and stuffy. He’s easily offended—especially by the likes of Falstaff. In… read analysis of Robert Shallow

Pistol

At the beginning of the play, Pistol is one of Sir John Falstaff’s servants. In the first scene of Act 1, Bardolph, Pistol, and Nym taunt Abraham Slender about their theft of his… read analysis of Pistol

Nym

At the beginning of the play, Nym is one of Sir John Falstaff’s servants. In the first scene of Act 1, Bardolph, Pistol, and Nym taunt Abraham Slender about their theft of… read analysis of Nym

Bardolph

At the beginning of the play, Bardolph is one of Sir John Falstaff’s servants. In the first scene of Act 1, Bardolph, Pistol, and Nym taunt Abraham Slender and about their theft of… read analysis of Bardolph

Robin

Robin is Sir John Falstaff’s young page. As part of her revenge scheme, Mistress Page employs Mistress Quickly to ask Falstaff to leave Robin with the Page household. The reason she gives Falstaff is… read analysis of Robin

Minor Characters

William Page

William Page is the young son of Master Page and Mistress Page. He is Anne Page’s brother. At the beginning of Act 4, Mistress Page asks Sir Hugh Evans to test William on his Latin. At the end of the lesson, Sir Hugh praises William’s memory.

John Rugby

John Rugby is Doctor Caius’s servant. He accompanies Doctor Caius to the meeting place for his duel with Sir Hugh Evans.

Peter Simple

Peter Simple is Abraham Slender’s servant. Slender sends him on errands like bringing a letter to Mistress Quickly to ask for her help in wooing Anne Page.

John

John is one of the Ford household’s servants. He and Robert help Mistress Ford and Mistress Page play pranks on Sir John Falstaff and Master Ford.

Robert

Robert is one of the Ford household’s servants. He and John help Mistress Ford and Mistress Page play pranks on Sir John Falstaff and Master Ford.

The Merry Wives of Windsor Characters