William Shakespeares Thieves and Faeries Essay -- Biography Biographi

Shakespeares Thieves and Faeries Shakespeares Puck, the mischievous household sprite redbreast Goodfellow, resembles a more benign sketch of Sir John Falstaff and the other motley thieves in Henry IV, Part One.             Both redbreast and the thieves tend to go by night, use disguises and magic, and act as jesters to their respective royalty. Falstaff declares, . . . we that attain purses go by the moon and the seven stars, and not by Phoebus. . . I.ii.13-15 and adds, Let us be Dianas foresters, gentlemen of the shade, minions of the moon. . . under whose countenance we steal. I.ii. 25-30 The action in A Midsummer Nights ideate takes place by moonlight as well in fact, Robin worries aloud to Oberon that he may not be quick profuse to undo the love-spells damage by dawn, when his powers are presumably diminished. Robin much travels invisibly or in disguise, as when he imitates in malefactor the voices of Lysander and Demetrius, or eavesdrops on the rude mechanicals without being espied. Poins, for his part, produces vizards for all on the level of the planned robbery. Gadshill says that he has the receipt of fernseed, we walk invisible. II.i.89 And just as Robin and Oberon put stars in the lovers eyes with an enchanted pansy, Falstaff declares that Poins must have disposed(p) him medicines to make Falstaff love him. II.ii.18             Falstaff clearly occupies a privileged position as a sort of court jester, his constant jabs at Hal and the crown itself genuine without punishment -- save Hals verbal parries at Falstaffs slovenliness. Robin explains to a sledding faerie that his purpose is to jest ... ...t things can be set proper(ip) The man shall have his mare again, and all shall be well. III.ii.463             Even when they endeavor to portray evil, Falstaff and Robin do such a lousy telephone circuit of it that we are assured of their relative innocuousness. Puck brags, I am feard in field and town, III.ii.398 but given his previous recital of his pastimes II.i.43-56 we cant possibly take this contention seriously. What have we to fear from one who merely makes an old womanhood spill her ale, or impersonates a three-legged stool? And who in his secure mind would believe that the corpulent Falstaff battled an ever-increasing number of buckskinned warriors and later singlehandedly finished irritate Hotspur? Robin cannot be wicked and Falstaff cannot be cunning, and the really malevolent must exhibit both properties.