Character in The Merry Wives of Windsor
Falstaff ♂ male
433Lines Spoken
1.1First Scene
5.5Last Scene
16.6%Of Play Dialogue
Falstaff is the #1 role in The Merry Wives of Windsor by line count (433 lines, 16.6% of the play), sharing the stage most often with Ford — 6 scenes together across Acts 1 to 5.
Falstaff’s position in the full cast
| # | Role | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Falstaff (this role) | 433 | 16.6% |
| 2 | Mistress Page | 306 | 11.7% |
| 3 | Ford | 305 | 11.7% |
| 4 | Mistress Quickly | 262 | 10.0% |
| 5 | Sir Hugh Evans | 222 | 8.5% |
| 6 | Mistress Ford | 167 | 6.4% |
| 7 | Page | 144 | 5.5% |
| 8 | Slender | 141 | 5.4% |
| 9 | Shallow | 114 | 4.4% |
| 10 | Host | 107 | 4.1% |
How Falstaff’s dialogue distributes across the play
Falstaff’s dramatic peak falls in Act 3 with 129 lines.
Every scene where Falstaff speaks
| Act / Scene | Lines spoken | Share of scene |
|---|---|---|
| Act 1, Scene 1 | 15 | 5.5% |
| Act 1, Scene 3 | 46 | 49.5% |
| Act 2, Scene 2 | 105 | 35.6% |
| Act 3, Scene 3 | 35 | 16.9% |
| Act 3, Scene 5 | 94 | 68.6% |
| Act 4, Scene 2 | 14 | 7.1% |
| Act 4, Scene 5 | 39 | 33.3% |
| Act 5, Scene 1 | 25 | 86.2% |
| Act 5, Scene 5 | 60 | 25.4% |
Voice signature
Opening line (Act 1, Scene 1): “Now, Master Shallow, you'll complain of me to the king?”
Longest speech (Act 4, Scene 5): “wind were but long enough to say my prayers, I would repent.”
Exit line (Act 5, Scene 5): “When night-dogs run, all sorts of deer are chased.”
Who Falstaff shares the stage with
| Scene partner | Shared scenes |
|---|---|
| Ford | 6 |
| Bardolph | 5 |
| Mistress Quickly | 5 |
| Sir Hugh Evans | 5 |
| Pistol | 4 |
| Page | 4 |
| Mistress Page | 3 |
| Mistress Ford | 3 |
| Doctor Caius | 3 |
| Robin | 2 |
Other plays featuring a character named Falstaff
| Play | Lines |
|---|---|
| Falstaff in Henry IV, part 2 | 715 |
| Falstaff in Henry IV, part 1 | 616 |
Questions about Falstaff
Is Falstaff the lead role in The Merry Wives of Windsor?
Falstaff is ranked #1 by line count among 25 speaking characters in The Merry Wives of Windsor — carrying 16.6% of the play’s dialogue.
What is Falstaff’s longest scene?
Act 2 Scene 2, where Falstaff speaks 105 lines.
Who does Falstaff speak to the most?
Falstaff shares the most scenes with Ford — 6 scenes together across The Merry Wives of Windsor.