The Falstaff of Shakespeare [pp. 352-356]

THE FALSTAFF OF SHAKSPEARE.
THE FALSTAFF OF SHAKSPEARE.
MONG all Shakspeare's characters decessors and contemporaries, we need
there is no one which more truly only compare the historical plays in
presents itself to us in life-like com- which Falstaff bears a part, with the
pleteness than that of Sir John Falstaff drama entitled The Famous Victories of
-no more solid and palpable figure, Henry V., which suggested them, and on
none casting a better-defined shadow which they were built up. It is not our
under the bright sun of imagination. business to make this comparison on
He even made such an impression on the present occasion. We must be conthe matter-of-fact intellect of Queen tent to show how well the great poet
Elizabeth, that, according to the well- executed the task he had imposed on
known story, she bespoke another chap- himself, rather than how much he surter of his history, and obliged the dram- passed his models and his materials.
atist to exhibit him in company with The hero of the two parts of Henry
the "Merry Wives of Windsor." In IV., no less than of Henry V., is the popthis comedy, he is still the Falstaff of ular Harry of Monmouth, the last conHenry IV.; in fact it would be impossi- queror of France. In the first-named
ble to mistake him; but he is represent- drama, he is set before us as a young
ed at a later period of his life, when he man whose mind, naturally strong, and
has plunged deeper into his material whose disposition, originally virtuous,
tastes, and appears to be solely occupied had been depraved by the pernicious inin satisfying the wants of his gluttony; fluence of profligate companions. In
and it is through such moral degenera- order, then, to complete the picture of
tion that he gets into the buck-basket which the prince is the central figure, it
scrape, and receives a beating from Mr. was necessary to group together a set
Ford. The poet himself loved the fat of auxiliaries, whose qualities should
knight so jealously as to make sure of justify the results which they produced,
his death before allowing him to pass and who should personify the attractions
from his hands. by which high-spirited youth is apt to be
Notwithstanding all that has been drawn into vice and folly. In the older
written in the matter of Falstaff, it ap- play, the prince is a mere ruffian and his
pears to us that the subject is imper- companions low-bred and profligate vagfectly understood, and that there still re- abonds. But Shakspeare's Young Harmains room for a closer analysis of this ry is from the first the hero of Agincharacter, and of Shakspeare's intention court-though in a chrysalis state; and
in dealing with it. In order to do this we not only see at once what he is capain a satisfactory manner, we shall, as ble of becoming, but we hear him defar as possible, confine ourselves to the dclare his self-consciousness of his own
historical plays, and consider Falstaff in better nature and higher hopes; for he is
his primary functions -those of a com- made to say at the beginning of Henpanion and followerof the madcap Prince ry IV., Part I., Act i, Scene 2:
of Wales.
of ~Walewoldsee. howimeasrabl"I know you all, and will a while uphold
If we would see ow immeasurably The unyoked humor of your idleness:
superior Shakspeare was to all his pre- Yet herein will I imitate the sun;
[OCT.
352