John Falstaff is a popular fictional character in Shakespeare’s plays, originally named John Oldcastle. He is a fat, corrupt knight and mentor to Prince Hal, who eventually renounces him upon becoming King Henry V. Falstaff’s importance and meaning are debated, but he remains one of Shakespeare’s most memorable characters.
John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in many of William Shakespeare’s plays. He is originally featured in two historical plays as a drinking companion and mentor to Hal, the son of King Henry VI. The character also transforms into comedy as the hero of one of Shakespeare’s more bawdy plays. From the 16th century to the present day, he remains one of the most memorable characters in all of Shakespeare’s work.
Experts suggest that Falstaff was not the character’s original name. There is evidence that Shakespeare intended to call him ‘John Oldcastle’, but he was forced to change it after protests from a descendant of a real man of that name. Textual support shows that the name “John Falstaff” is consistently off poetic meter in Henry IV, Part I, suggesting that the name was changed after the game was completed. Furthermore, the epilogue to Henry IV Part II explicitly denies any connection between the character and the historical Oldcastle, implying that a connection could be drawn. There appears to be no similarity between Shakespeare’s character and the historical figure, and experts aren’t sure why the author chose to use the Oldcastle name.
In Henry IV, Parts I and II, Falstaff is a fat, merry, corrupt knight in constant company with Prince Hal. He is a great storyteller and braggart, always telling tall tales of his own bravery. In truth, he’s a coward, he’s not above playing dead on a battlefield to avoid fighting, or take credit for another man’s killings. While Hal is initially his devoted companion, he eventually tires of the deceptions and gossip. Upon becoming King Henry V, Hal renounces Falstaff and publicly ends their friendship.
Falstaff’s death is announced in Henry V, but Shakespeare quickly resurrected the character for use in The Merry Wives of Windsor. His appearance in the play is somewhat puzzling, as Henry’s plays are set in 15th century England, while The Merry Wives of Windsor take place in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. A popular theory suggests that Shakespeare acted on the whim of Queen Elizabeth I of England, who wished to see a play in which her character fell in love with her. This theory is much questioned by experts, as it did not appear for more than a century after the opera’s first performance.
In the play, the character continues his life of lewdness and debauchery, desiring two married women and their fortunes. When Falstaff dismisses the two pages for refusing to help his plans, his servants tell the women and their husbands of his plan. The rest of the game consists of the wives conspiring to make the old knight look foolish, leading to him being beaten, thrown into a river, and finally convinced that fairies are attacking him while he is dressed as a stag. In true character, Falstaff enjoys a hearty laugh when his plans go awry, realizing she got what he deserved.
Experts are divided on Falstaff’s importance, particularly in Henry’s plays. He is considered essential to Hal’s character, as he represents the prince’s youth which must be left behind before Hal can become king. Others suggest that the character is an embodiment of the common man and humanity, and that Hal’s rejection of him is a negative symptom of the disconnect between monarch and subjects. Disputes about his meaning and importance may never be resolved by pundits, but the arguments do not diminish the popularity of this character believed by some to be Shakespeare’s greatest comic creation.
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