The two women positively enjoy punishing the portly knight for his audacity as they deal with an insanely jealous husband, a rebellious daughter, a warlike French doctor, a nosy Welch clergyman and all the other denizens of their Windsor community.

There were jokes because of all those people in the pits with their onions and canisters of beer who could chuck them at you.

Shakespeare's heroines are generally quite bold. His women were women of character ? that would appeal to Elizabeth as well because she was certainly a feminist.

(The play) was kind of a joke on the middle class and a joke on foreigners.

From Queen Elizabeth, who had her own box, to the street cleaners.

Queen Elizabeth liked Falstaff's character so much that she sent word that she'd like to see more of Falstaff. Shakespeare was one of the first to be obliged to resurrect a character.

This is one of the easier comedies to understand.

They have money, education and are fixated upon copying their ?betters' ? those of the nobility.