I see I cannot get thy father’s love;
Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
I see I cannot get your father’s love; Therefore no more turn me to him, sweet Nan.
i see i cannot get your father’s love; therefore no more turn me to him, sweet nan.
i see i cannot get your father’s love; therefore no
Alas, how then?
Alas, how then?
alas, how then?
alas, how then?
Why, thou must be thyself.
He doth object I am too great of birth,
And that my state being galled with my expense,
I seek to heal it only by his wealth.
Besides these, other bars he lays before me:
My riots past, my wild societies—
And tells me ’tis a thing impossible
I should love thee but as a property.
Why, you must be thyself. He does object I am too great of birth, And that my state being galled with my expense, I seek to heal it only by his wealth. Besides these, other bars he lays before me: My riots past, my wild societies— And tells me ’tis a thing impossible I should love you but as a property.
why, you must be thyself. he does object i am too great of birth, and that my state being galled with my expense, i seek to heal it only by his wealth. besides these, other bars he lays before me: my riots past, my wild societies— and tells me ’tis a thing impossible i should love you but as a property.
why, you must be thyself. he does object i am too
Maybe he tells you true.
Maybe he tells you true.
maybe he tells you true.
maybe he tells you true.
No, heaven so speed me in my time to come!
Albeit I will confess thy father’s wealth
Was the first motive that I wooed thee, Anne,
Yet, wooing thee, I found thee of more value
Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags.
And ’tis the very riches of thyself
That now I aim at.
No, heaven so speed me in my time to come! Albeit I will confess your father’s wealth Was the first motive that I wooed you, Anne, Yet, wooing you, I found you of more value Than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags. And ’tis the very riches of thyself That now I aim at.
no, heaven so speed me in my time to come! albeit i will confess your father’s wealth was the first motive that i wooed you, anne, yet, wooing you, i found you of more value than stamps in gold or sums in sealed bags. and ’tis the very riches of thyself that now i aim at.
no, heaven so speed me in my time to come! albeit
Gentle Master Fenton,
Yet seek my father’s love, still seek it, sir.
If opportunity and humblest suit
Cannot attain it, why then—hark you hither.
Gentle Master Fenton, Yet seek my father’s love, still seek it, sir. If opportunity and humblest suit Cannot attain it, why then—hark you hither.
gentle master fenton, yet seek my father’s love, still seek it, sir. if opportunity and humblest suit cannot attain it, why then—hark you hither.
gentle master fenton, yet seek my father’s love, s
Break their talk, Mistress Quickly. My kinsman shall speak for himself.
Break their talk, Mistress Quickly. My kinsman will speak for himself.
break their talk, mistress quickly. my kinsman will speak for himself.
break their talk, mistress quickly. my kinsman wil
I’ll make a shaft or a bolt on ’t. ’Slid, ’tis but venturing.
I’ll make a shaft or a bolt on ’t. ’Slid, ’tis but venturing.
i’ll make a shaft or a bolt on ’t. ’slid, ’tis but venturing. or something?
i’ll make a shaft or a bolt on ’t. ’slid
Be not dismayed.
Be not dismayed.
be not dismayed.
be not dismayed.
No, she shall not dismay me. I care not for that, but that I am afeard.
No, she will not dismay me. I care not for that, but that I am afeard.
no, she will not dismay me. i care not for that, but that i am afeard. or something?
no, she will not dismay me. i care not f
Hark ye, Master Slender would speak a word with you.
Hark ye, Master Slender would speak a word with you.
hark ye, master slender would speak a word with you.
hark ye, master slender would speak a word with yo
I come to him.
I come to him.
i come to him.
i come to him.
And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you, a word with you.
And how does good Master Fenton? Pray you, a word with you.
and how does good master fenton? pray you, a word with you.
and how does good master fenton? pray you, a word
I had a father, Mistress Anne; my uncle can tell you good jests of
him.—Pray you, uncle, tell Mistress Anne the jest how my father stole
two geese out of a pen, good uncle.
So, um... is she... does she seem like a good person?
So like, is she cool? I guess we could... you know?
does she seem nice
i guess we could get married
idk
Slender is wealthy — he has three hundred pounds to offer Anne as a settlement, which is real money. Yet Anne's contempt for him is absolute. Her aside, 'What a world of vile ill-favoured faults / Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year!' reveals the play's secret knowledge: money makes ugly things beautiful only temporarily. Anne can see through the illusion. Slender is not just unwilling or inarticulate; he is actively refusing to engage with her. His final speech — 'Truly, for mine own part I would little or nothing with you' — is the cruelest thing a suitor could say. He's offering her marriage, money, and absolutely nothing of himself. Fenton, meanwhile, has none of these things but he offers exactly what Slender refuses: attention, passion, and the recognition that Anne is worth more than money.
Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
Mistress Anne, my cousin loves you.
mistress anne, my cousin loves you.
mistress anne, my cousin loves you.
Ay, that I do, as well as I love any woman in Gloucestershire.
So, um... is she... does she seem like a good person?
So like, is she cool? I guess we could... you know?
does she seem nice
i guess we could get married
idk
He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
He will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
he will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
he will maintain you like a gentlewoman.
Ay, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a squire.
Yes, that I will, come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a squire.
yes, that i will, come cut and long-tail, under the degree of a squire. or something?
yes, that i will, come cut and long-tail
He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.
He will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.
he will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointure.
he will make you a hundred and fifty pounds jointu
Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
Good Master Shallow, let him woo for himself.
good master shallow, let him woo for himself.
good master shallow, let him woo for himself.
Marry, I thank you for it, I thank you for that good comfort.—She calls
you, coz; I’ll leave you.
Well, I thank you for it, I thank you for that good comfort.—She calls you, coz; I’ll leave you.
well, i thank you for it, i thank you for that good comfort.—she calls you, coz; i’ll leave you.
well, i thank you for it, i thank you for that goo
Now, Master Slender.
Now, Master Slender.
now, master slender.
now, master slender.
Now, good Mistress Anne.
So, um... is she... does she seem like a good person?
So like, is she cool? I guess we could... you know?
does she seem nice
i guess we could get married
idk
What is your will?
What is your will?
what is your will?
what is your will?
My will? ’Od’s heartlings, that’s a pretty jest indeed! I ne’er made my
will yet, I thank heaven. I am not such a sickly creature, I give
heaven praise.
My will? ’Od’s heartlings, that’s a pretty jest indeed! I ne’er made my will yet, I thank heaven. I am not such a sickly creature, I give heaven praise.
my will? ’od’s heartlings, that’s a pretty jest indeed! i ne’er made my will yet, i thank heaven. i am not such a sickly creature, i give heaven praise. or something?
my will? ’od’s heartlings, that’s a pret
I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me?
I mean, Master Slender, what would you with me?
i mean, master slender, what would you with me?
i mean, master slender, what would you with me?
Truly, for mine own part I would little or nothing with you. Your
father and my uncle hath made motions. If it be my luck, so; if not,
happy man be his dole. They can tell you how things go better than I
can. You may ask your father. Here he comes.
Truly, for mine own part I would little or nothing with you. Your father and my uncle has made motions. If it be my luck, so; if not, happy man be his dole. They can tell you how things go better than I can. You may ask your father. Here he comes.
truly, for mine own part i would little or nothing with you. your father and my uncle has made motions. if it be my luck, so; if not, happy man be his dole. they can tell you how things go better than i can. you may ask your father. here he comes. or something?
truly, for mine own part i would little
Nay, Master Page, be not impatient.
No, Master Page, be not impatient.
no, master page, be not impatient.
no, master page, be not impatient.
Good Master Fenton, come not to my child.
Good Master Fenton, come not to my child.
good master fenton, come not to my child.
good master fenton, come not to my child.
She is no match for you.
She is no match for you.
she is no match for you.
she is no match for you.
Mistress Quickly appears in this scene promising to help all three suitors, but her real loyalty is to Fenton. This makes her the play's clearest moral voice: she sees that love is real and money is not. She will work for Caius and Slender (and accept payment from them), but she serves Fenton (and his love) with her heart. Her final soliloquy shows her calculating odds while committing herself: 'I will do what I can for them all three, for so I have promised — but speciously for Master Fenton.' The word 'speciously' (which means 'with false appearance') is oddly placed here — she might mean 'especially' — but it reveals her knowledge that she's using her loyalty to the other suitors as cover for her real allegiance to love. She is the merchant of affection, and Fenton's case is the one sale she makes for its own sake.
Sir, will you hear me?
Sir, will you hear me?
sir, will you hear me?
sir, will you hear me?
No, good Master Fenton.—
Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender, in.—
Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.
No, good Master Fenton.— Come, Master Shallow; come, son Slender, in.— Knowing my mind, you wrong me, Master Fenton.
no, good master fenton.— come, master shallow; come, son slender, in.— knowing my mind, you wrong me, master fenton.
no, good master fenton.— come, master shallow; com
Speak to Mistress Page.
Speak to Mistress Page.
speak to mistress page.
speak to mistress page.
Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter
In such a righteous fashion as I do,
Perforce, against all checks, rebukes, and manners,
I must advance the colours of my love
And not retire. Let me have your good will.
Good Mistress Page, for that I love your daughter In such a righteous fashion as I do, necessarily, against all checks, rebukes, and manners, I must advance the colours of my love And not retire. Let me have your good will.
good mistress page, for that i love your daughter in such a righteous fashion as i do, necessarily, against all checks, rebukes, and manners, i must advance the colours of my love and not retire. let me have your good will.
good mistress page, for that i love your daughter
Good mother, do not marry me to yond fool.
Good mother, do not Well me to yond fool.
good mother, do not well me to yond fool.
good mother, do not well me to yond fool.
I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.
I mean it not; I seek you a better husband.
i mean it not; i seek you a better husband.
i mean it not; i seek you a better husband.
That’s my master, Master Doctor.
That’s my master, Master Doctor.
that’s my master, master doctor.
that’s my master, master doctor.
Alas, I had rather be set quick i’ th’ earth,
And bowled to death with turnips.
Alas, I had rather be set quick i’ th’ earth, And bowled to death with turnips.
alas, i had rather be set quick i’ th’ earth, and bowled to death with turnips.
alas, i had rather be set quick i’ th’ earth, and
Come, trouble not yourself, good Master Fenton,
I will not be your friend, nor enemy.
My daughter will I question how she loves you,
And as I find her, so am I affected.
Till then, farewell, sir. She must needs go in;
Her father will be angry.
Come, trouble not yourself, good Master Fenton, I will not be your friend, nor enemy. My daughter will I question how she loves you, And as I find her, so am I affected. Till then, farewell, sir. She must needs go in; Her father will be angry.
come, trouble not yourself, good master fenton, i will not be your friend, nor enemy. my daughter will i question how she loves you, and as i find her, so am i affected. till then, farewell, sir. she must needs go in; her father will be angry.
come, trouble not yourself, good master fenton, i
Farewell, gentle mistress. Farewell, Nan.
Farewell, gentle mistress. Farewell, Nan.
farewell, gentle mistress. farewell, nan.
farewell, gentle mistress. farewell, nan.
This is my doing now. “Nay,” said I, “will you cast away your child on
a fool, and a physician? Look on Master Fenton.” This is my doing.
This is my doing now. “No,” said I, “will you cast away your child on a fool, and a physician? Look on Master Fenton.” This is my doing.
this is my doing now. “no,” said i, “will you cast away your child on a fool, and a physician? look on master fenton.” this is my doing.
this is my doing now. “no,” said i, “will you cast
I thank thee; and I pray thee, once tonight
Give my sweet Nan this ring. There’s for thy pains.
I thank you; and I pray you, once tonight Give my sweet Nan this ring. There’s for your pains.
i thank you; and i pray you, once tonight give my sweet nan this ring. there’s for your pains.
i thank you; and i pray you, once tonight give m
Now Heaven send thee good fortune!
Now Heaven send you good fortune!
now heaven send you good fortune!
now heaven send you good fortune!
The Reckoning
This is the love plot's pivot: Anne, trapped between her father's choice (Slender) and her mother's choice (Caius), realizes she must escape both. Slender is so completely ineffectual that Anne's aside — 'vile ill-favoured faults / Looks handsome in three hundred pounds a year' — is the play's harshest judgment of marriageability as mercenary. But Fenton offers something beyond both: genuine feeling, which Anne recognizes. Mistress Quickly becomes the hinge between plots: she serves all masters because her loyalty is to love itself.
If this happened today…
Imagine a young woman whose father wants her to marry a wealthy but utterly forgettable guy, whose mother wants a doctor, and who is actually in love with the penniless charming guy. When both parents show up to shut down that third option, she realizes she has to choose for herself. That's Anne. The twist is that her parents' disagreement about her future becomes her freedom.