"To what purpose have you unfolded this to me"

Sir John Falstaff, one of the most famous comic characters in all English literature, appears in four of Shakespeare’s plays. Entirely a creation of Shakespeare's fertile imagination, Falstaff is said to have been partly modeled on Sir John Oldcastle, the martyred leader of the Lollard sect.

Originally Shakespeare called this character (Falstaff) Sir John Oldcastle in Henry IV, Part 1, but subsequently changed the name before the play was registered. This was probably because descendants of Sir Oldcastle—who were then prominent at court—protested.

It's believed Shakespeare chose the name Falstaff partly because it contained echoes of the name Sir John Fastolf, which he had earlier given to a cowardly knight in Henry VI, Part 1. But nobody's sure, so don't quote me on that

Anyway . . .

In point of reference - There actually was a Sir John Fastolf, a career soldier, who in the second phase of the Hundred Years’ War had a reputation (somewhat of a reputation at any rate) of being a coward. However, that being said, Shakespeare’s presentation of his character, none-the-less, was considered to be libellous. -

Let us move on, in Henry IV, Part 1, Sir John Falstaff is a boon companion to the young Prince Hal, a type of nonjudgmental father-substitute the Prince refers to as that “reverend vice, that father ruffian, that vanity of years”

Naturally in Falstaff’s own imagination, the Prince's references are something like: that “kind Jack Falstaff, true Jack Falstaff, valiant Jack Falstaff” (you know "hale and hearty" stuff like that)

Meanwhile, throughout the play, thanks to Shakespeare, Falstaff makes comments on the political machinations in and around the court with inglorious, reckless, egotistical good sense.

In Henry IV, Part 2, Falstaff and his disreputable crew are rejected by Prince Hal, now referred to as "Henry V", having assumed the air and dignities of the crown. Ultimately leading to the eventual demise of Sir John. In typical Shakesperean fashion, his death is movingly reported in Henry V.

However, this "demise" was a touch premature, since Sir John later reappears in The Merry Wives of Windsor, a play that, according to legend and largely unsupported tradition, was written at the express command of Queen Elizabeth I, who having developed a certain fondness (?) for Sir John, had wished to see Falstaff in love.

This Falstaff, found in The Merry Wives of Windsor, now reduced to an opportunistic and comically unsuccessful seducer, (by way of curious note) was the subject of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Falstaff, produced in 1893 and of Otto Nicolai’s "Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor" produced in 1849.

He also - the Falstaff of "The Merry Wives" - by the way, is my favourite Shakesperean character; as for Mistress Ford or Mistress Page . . . . no!

Okay, I know, utter, and absolutely useless, rubbish! But, it was another one of those 'nothing' days, "all hat and no cattle" as they say down in Texas

Enjoy your Friday!