Falstaff

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Falstaff
       n : a dissolute character in Shakespeare's plays [syn: {Sir John
           Falstaff}]