re some of the most vulgar created but most effective at using raw offensive language to draw in even the lowliest of men to his plays. “Shakespeare is full of the common gutter language of the renaissance and the people loved him for it” (Paster, p 188). For example, in Much Ado about Nothing act 4 scene 1 line 96, Don John says to Claudio: “Fie, Fie, they are not to be named, my lord, not to be spoke of”. In A Dictionary of Shakespeare’s Sexual Puns and Significance, by Frank Rubenstein, “Fie is an expression of disgust, akin to ‘Shit!’; an expression used when something disgusting had been said, it means dung and the anal orifice and is current still in Lincolnshire” (p. 100). Shakespeare bluntly used fowl terms to express sheer displeasure that the common man would be able to understand and find comical like fie listed above. This blunt vulgarity is not restrained to just Much Ado About Nothing but is obvious throughout all of his comedies. In Midsummer Night’s Dream Helena says, “A foolish heart, that I leave here behind” (act 3, scene2, line 319). In this case heart means “arse; bowel: by transfiguration; perhaps punning on ‘eart/art.” (Rubenstein p122) Helena was in actuality talking about a foolish arse, not her heart. Much like in Midsummer Night’s Dream, the host in Merry Wives of Windsor uses the term heart in much the same context. “Boys of art your hearts are mighty” (act 3, scene1, line 111). The host is basically calling the men arses to their faces, telling them their mighty arses. These puns, although very blunt, are highly amusing and effective as they cut out the excess to get to the extreme point.

Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor is another character that serves as a reflection for other characters in the play. His moral corruptedness and sexuality allow the common man to laugh and somewhat relate to his plight. “Falstaff is a character like none other; he oozes a dislikeable charm that makes the other characters seem angelic like on pedestals. Falstaff is the epitome of dirty. The main characters i

Some topics in this essay:
Wives Windsor, Falstaff” Barmon, Gail Paster, Touchstone Touchstone, Frank Rubenstein, Dream Helena, Claudio Hero, Shakespeare Shakespeare’s, , Pantagruelian Prognostication, merry wives, wives windsor, merry wives windsor, characters play, sexual puns, 4 scene 1, act 3, meanings words, shakespeare’s sexual, allowed people, type character, shakespeare’s sexual puns, midsummer night’s dream, immoral characters, change meanings words,