The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act 3 Scene 4 runs 107 lines of dialogue, spoken by 7 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 114 lines. This scene is part of Act 3 of The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Full Dialogue
Fenton ♂
I see I cannot get thy father's love;
Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
Anne Page ♀
Alas, how then?
Fenton ♂
Why, thou must be thyself.
He doth object I am too great of birth–,
And that, my state being gall'd with my expense,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth:
Besides these, other bars he lays before me,
My riots past, my wild societies;
And tells me 'tis a thing impossible
I should love thee but as a property.
He doth object I am too great of birth–,
And that, my state being gall'd with my expense,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth:
Besides these, other bars he lays before me,
My riots past, my wild societies;
And tells me 'tis a thing impossible
I should love thee but as a property.
Anne Page ♀
May be he tells you true.
Fenton ♂
No, heaven so speed me in my time to come!
Albeit I will confess thy father's wealth
Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne:
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags;
And 'tis the very riches of thyself
That now I aim at.
Albeit I will confess thy father's wealth
Was the first motive that I woo'd thee, Anne:
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags;
And 'tis the very riches of thyself
That now I aim at.
Anne Page ♀
Gentle Master Fenton,
Yet seek my father's love; still seek it, sir:
If opportunity and humblest suit
Cannot attain it, why, then,–hark you hither!
Yet seek my father's love; still seek it, sir:
If opportunity and humblest suit
Cannot attain it, why, then,–hark you hither!
Shallow ♂
Break their talk, Mistress Quickly: my kinsman shall
speak for himself.
speak for himself.
Slender ♂
I'll make a shaft or a bolt on't: 'slid, 'tis but
venturing.
venturing.
Shallow ♂
Be not dismayed.
Slender ♂
No, she shall not dismay me: I care not for that,
but that I am afeard.
but that I am afeard.
Mistress Quickly ♀
Hark ye; Master Slender would speak a word with you.
Anne Page ♀
I come to him.
This is my father's choice.
O, what a world of vile ill-favor'd faults
Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a-year!
This is my father's choice.
O, what a world of vile ill-favor'd faults
Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a-year!
Mistress Quickly ♀
And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you, a word with you.
Shallow ♂
She's coming; to her, coz. O boy, thou hadst a father!
Slender ♂
I had a father, Mistress Anne; my uncle can tell you
good jests of him. Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress
Anne the jest, how my father stole two geese out of
a pen, good uncle.
good jests of him. Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress
Anne the jest, how my father stole two geese out of
a pen, good uncle.
Shallow ♂
Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
Slender ♂
Ay, that I do; as well as I love any woman in
Gloucestershire.
Gloucestershire.
Shallow ♂
He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
Slender ♂
Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the
degree of a squire.
degree of a squire.
Shallow ♂
He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.
Anne Page ♀
Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
Shallow ♂
Marry, I thank you for it; I thank you for that good
comfort. She calls you, coz: I'll leave you.
comfort. She calls you, coz: I'll leave you.
Anne Page ♀
Now, Master Slender,–
Slender ♂
Now, good Mistress Anne,–
Anne Page ♀
What is your will?
Slender ♂
My will! 'od's heartlings, that's a pretty jest
indeed! I ne'er made my will yet, I thank heaven; I
am not such a sickly creature, I give heaven praise.
indeed! I ne'er made my will yet, I thank heaven; I
am not such a sickly creature, I give heaven praise.
Anne Page ♀
I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me?
Slender ♂
Truly, for mine own part, I would little or nothing
with you. Your father and my uncle hath made
motions: if it be my luck, so; if not, happy man be
his dole! They can tell you how things go better
than I can: you may ask your father; here he comes.
with you. Your father and my uncle hath made
motions: if it be my luck, so; if not, happy man be
his dole! They can tell you how things go better
than I can: you may ask your father; here he comes.
Page ♂
Now, Master Slender: love him, daughter Anne.
Why, how now! what does Master Fenton here?
You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my house:
I told you, sir, my daughter is disposed of.
Why, how now! what does Master Fenton here?
You wrong me, sir, thus still to haunt my house:
I told you, sir, my daughter is disposed of.
Fenton ♂
Nay, Master Page, be not impatient.
Mistress Page ♂
Good Master Fenton, come not to my child.
Page ♂
She is no match for you.
Fenton ♂
Sir, will you hear me?
Page ♂
No, good Master Fenton.
Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender, in.
Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.
Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender, in.
Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.
Mistress Quickly ♀
Speak to Mistress Page.
Fenton ♂
Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter
In such a righteous fashion as I do,
Perforce, against all cheques, rebukes and manners,
I must advance the colours of my love
And not retire: let me have your good will.
In such a righteous fashion as I do,
Perforce, against all cheques, rebukes and manners,
I must advance the colours of my love
And not retire: let me have your good will.
Anne Page ♀
Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool.
Mistress Page ♂
I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.
Mistress Quickly ♀
That's my master, master doctor.
Anne Page ♀
Alas, I had rather be set quick i' the earth
And bowl'd to death with turnips!
And bowl'd to death with turnips!
Mistress Page ♂
Come, trouble not yourself. Good Master Fenton,
I will not be your friend nor enemy:
My daughter will I question how she loves you,
And as I find her, so am I affected.
Till then farewell, sir: she must needs go in;
Her father will be angry.
I will not be your friend nor enemy:
My daughter will I question how she loves you,
And as I find her, so am I affected.
Till then farewell, sir: she must needs go in;
Her father will be angry.
Fenton ♂
Farewell, gentle mistress: farewell, Nan.
Mistress Quickly ♀
This is my doing, now: 'Nay,' said I, 'will you cast
away your child on a fool, and a physician? Look on
Master Fenton:' this is my doing.
away your child on a fool, and a physician? Look on
Master Fenton:' this is my doing.
Fenton ♂
I thank thee; and I pray thee, once to-night
Give my sweet Nan this ring: there's for thy pains.
Give my sweet Nan this ring: there's for thy pains.
Mistress Quickly ♀
Now heaven send thee good fortune!
A kind heart he hath: a woman would run through
fire and water for such a kind heart. But yet I
would my master had Mistress Anne; or I would
Master Slender had her; or, in sooth, I would Master
Fenton had her; I will do what I can for them all
three; for so I have promised, and I'll be as good
as my word; but speciously for Master Fenton. Well,
I must of another errand to Sir John Falstaff from
my two mistresses: what a beast am I to slack it!
A kind heart he hath: a woman would run through
fire and water for such a kind heart. But yet I
would my master had Mistress Anne; or I would
Master Slender had her; or, in sooth, I would Master
Fenton had her; I will do what I can for them all
three; for so I have promised, and I'll be as good
as my word; but speciously for Master Fenton. Well,
I must of another errand to Sir John Falstaff from
my two mistresses: what a beast am I to slack it!
107 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fenton | 27 | 25.2% |
| Slender | 21 | 19.6% |
| Mistress Quickly | 17 | 15.9% |
| Anne Page | 17 | 15.9% |
| Shallow | 9 | 8.4% |
| Mistress Page | 8 | 7.5% |
| Page | 8 | 7.5% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 27 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 15 lines.
Total speakers on stage
7 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 3
This is Scene 4 of 5 in Act 3 of The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Scene length vs. play average
At 107 lines, this scene is shorter than the The Merry Wives of Windsor average scene in The Merry Wives of Windsor (~114 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 3 Scene 3 · Next: Act 3 Scene 5
About Act 3 Scene 4 of The Merry Wives of Windsor
Who carries Act 3 Scene 4 of The Merry Wives of Windsor?
Fenton, with 27 lines — about 25% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 7 speakers and the lead holding 25% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.