Click on any scene below for a side-by-side translation from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Act 1, Scene 1
On a street in Windsor, England, we meet three guys: (1) Justice Robert Shallow (a man who thinks he's awesome and likes to remind everyone about his social rank, thus earning his name); (2) Shallo...
Act 1, Scene 2
After dinner, Sir Hugh sends Simple to hand-deliver a letter to a woman named Mistress Quickly.Since Mistress Quickly is chummy with Anne Page, Sir Hugh wants her to talk to Anne about marrying Sle...
Act 1, Scene 3
Later on, Falstaff and company chill out at the Garter Inn. (Windsor's version of a local sports bar.)Falstaff confides to the Host of the Garter Inn that he's completely broke.Brain Snack: In Eliz...
Act 1, Scene 4
Over at Doctor Caius's house, the servant Peter Simple has arrived with a letter for Mistress Quickly. (Remember how Sir Hugh wrote a letter asking Mistress Quickly to be a go-between?)Mistress Qui...
Act 2, Scene 1
Over at the Page's house, Mistress Page reads Falstaff's steamy love letter, which sounds a lot like this: Dear Mistress Page: I love you, baby. We should get together for the following reason...
Act 2, Scene 2
Over at the Garter Inn, Falstaff refuses to loan money to Pistol, who, apparently, is always asking Falstaff for spare change.Pistol draws his sword and says the world is his oyster and he's going...
Act 2, Scene 3
Remember that Caius challenged Sir Hugh to a duel? Well, they're getting ready to rumble in a field in Windsor Park. Caius is all dramatic.He slashes his sword around and declares that Sir Hugh is...
Act 3, Scene 1
Over at Frogmore fields, Sir Hugh has been waiting for Caius to show up. He's carrying a big sword and a Bible. (They go together like peanut butter and jelly.)Simple is there, too, and Sir Hugh se...
Act 3, Scene 2
On a street in Windsor, Falstaff's boy servant (Robin) follows Mistress Page around like a little puppy. They're on their way to see Mistress Ford when they bump into Mistress Ford's jealous, insec...
Act 3, Scene 3
Over at Ford's house, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page get ready to punk Falstaff and Master Ford.Falstaff's going to show up any minute, so they order the servants to set up a "buck-basket" (a.k.a....
Act 3, Scene 4
Outside Master Page's house, Anne and dreamy Fenton get cozy and talk about their future together.Fenton is bummed out that Anne's dad hates him and won't let him marry his daughter.He tells Anne t...
Act 3, Scene 5
At the garter Inn, Falstaff orders Bardolph to "fetch" him a "quart of sack" (a.k.a. a lot of sweet wine) with a piece of toast in it.Hey, wine and toast: totally a thing, especially if y...
Act 4, Scene 1
Mistress Page chats with Mistress Quickly as she attempts to drop off her son at school.Sir Hugh shows up and announces that school has been canceled that day.Mistress Page complains that her littl...
Act 4, Scene 2
Falstaff show up at the Ford house and starts to sweet talk Mistress Ford.He's worried that her husband will show up, so Mistress Ford promises him that her husband's out bird hunting with his pals...
Act 4. Scene 3
At the Garter Inn, Bardolph chats with the Host. He wants to know if a group of German guests can borrow some horses so they can meet the German Duke at Windsor Castle. (This seems out of place, we...
Act 4, Scene 4
Back at the Ford's house, the married couples have a good laugh about the pranks that have been played on Falstaff.Ford apologizes to his wife and vows never to mistrust her again.They all agree th...
Act 4, Scene 5
Simple shows up at the Garter Inn looking to deliver a message to Falstaff from his master, Slender.The Host tries to send him up to Falstaff's room but Simple's afraid to go up because he thinks F...
Act 4, Scene 6
The Host returns to the Garter Inn after trying to chase down the guys who stole his horses.He's super bummed but cheers up right away when Fenton offers him some gold if he'll help him elope with...
Act 5, Scene 1
At the Garter Inn, Falstaff chats with Mistress Quickly, who promises to help him put together his "Herne the Hunter" costume.Ford shows up in his "Brooke" disguise, and Falstaff tells him all abou...
Act 5, Scene 2
Later that night, Page, Shallow, and Slender walk near Windsor Park.Slender says he and Anne have worked out code words to help them recognize one another.Shallow reminds him Anne's going to be wea...
Act 5, Scene 3
Mistress Page, Mistress Ford, and Doctor Caius also meet up near the park.Mistress Page tells Caius that Anne's going to be dressed in green that night and that he should grab her and run off to ge...
Act 5, Scene 4
Sir Hugh, Page, and a bunch of little kids dressed as fairies show up at the park.Sir Hugh leads them toward the oak. Trib, trib. (We assume that's his sound effect for a sort of gallop? Or somethi...
Act 5, Scene 5
The clock strikes midnight as Falstaff shows up at the park dressed as "Herne the hunter" and wearing a huge set of horns on his head. (Psst. Check out this snapshot of Falstaff from a Globe T...