Understanding Shakespeare: The Merry Wives of Windsor by Robert A. Albano - HTML preview

In The Alchemist Subtle makes arrangements with Face (also referred to as Jeremy, the servant) to use the house of Face’s master while the master is away in the countryside to avoid the coming of the plague. Joining forces with a prostitute named Doll, the three rogues plan various schemes and intrigues and assume a variety of disguises to swindle a number of victims: (1) Dapper wants a charm so that he can win at gambling. (2) Abel Drugger wants a magical design for his tobacco shop so that he will be successful. (3) Sir Epicure Mammon wants the philosopher’s stone to satisfy his greed. (4) The Puritan pastor Tribulation also desires the philosopher’s stone to establish his religious cause above others. And (5) Kastril, the angry boy, wants to learn the forms of debate in order to fit into high society while his sister, the widow Dame Pliant, seeks a new husband that is socially above her.

The league of rogues, though, seems fated to failure. In the very first scene, Subtle and Face are arguing over who should get the largest share of the spoils; and in the second act the character of Pertinax Surly sees through the scoundrels’ disguises and devises his own plan to reveal their true identities. More complications occur as Subtle and Face argue over who should be the wooer of Dame Pliant. At the end of the play, disaster befalls the cheaters when Face’s (Jeremy’s) master returns to take possession of the house. Only Face manages to survive the spoiling of their plans and still turn up a winner. Subtle and Doll are forced to run for safety by