Falstaff \Falstaff\ prop. n.
Sir John Falstaff, a celebrated character in Shakespeare's
historical play " Henry IV." (1st and 2d parts), and also in
" The Merry Wives of Windsor." He is a very fat, sensual, and
witty old knight; a swindler, drunkard, and good-tempered
liar; and something of a coward. Falstaff was originally
called Sir John Oldcastle. The first actor of the part was
John Heminge.
[Century Dict. 1906]
Note: Shakespeare found the name of John Oldcastle in the ...
older play of "Henry V."; in the Chronicle he found a
John Oldcastle, who was page to the Duke of Norfolk who
plays a part in "Richard II."; and this, according to
Shakespeare, his Falstaff (Oldcastle) had been in his
youth. When the poet wrote his "Henry IV." he knew not
who this Oldcastle was, whom he had rendered so
distinct with the designation as Norfolk's page; he was
a Lord Cobham [Sir John Oldcastle, known as the good
lord Cobham], who had perished as a Lollard and
Wickliffite in the persecution of the church under
Henry V. The Protestants regarded him as a holy martyr,
the Catholics as a heretic; the latter seized with
eagerness this description of the fat poltroon, and
gave it out as a portrait of Lord Cobham, who was
indeed physically and mentally his contrast. The family
complained of this misuse of a name dear to them, and
Shakespeare declared in the epilogue to "Henry IV."
that Cobham was in his sight also a martyr, and that
"this was not the man." At the same time, he changed
the name to Falstaff, but this was of little use; in
spite of the express retraction, subsequent Catholic
writers on church history still declared Falstaff to be
a portrait of the heretic Cobham. But it is a strange
circumstance that even now under the name of Falstaff
another historical character is again sought for, just
as if it were impossible for such a vigorous form not
to be a being of reality. It was referred to John
Fastolfe, whose cowardice is more stigmatised in "Henry
VI." than history justifies; and this too met with
public blame, although Shakespeare could have again
asserted that he intended Fastolfe as little as Cobham.
--Gervinus, Shakespeare Commentaries (tr. by K. E.
Bunnett, [ed. 1880), p. 800.
[Century Dict. 1906]
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