Degraded Role of Women in The Merry Wives of WindsorIn Shakespeare's comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor, there are two plots that ultimately converge on the concept of marriage; one is the antics performed by the brides and the other is the marriage of Anne Page. These two plots subversively give rise to a discouraging attitude towards the view of women within the framework of the play. The wives of the Merry Wives of Windsor are not recognized as being beyond commodities, cannot be entrusted to their own will, and are seen as anonymous and degraded figures by men. By examining the usage of the word "wife", the characters who use it most frequently, the manner in which it is used, and by examining the text and context surrounding it, one can arrive at these unfortunate conclusions with a indisputable certainty. We quickly perceive this notion in the very first scene of the opening act. Slender and Evan evaluate Anne Page's qualities based on the monetary value her dowry will confer on her happy husband; both conclude that “seven hundred pounds and possibilities are good gifts” (1.1.58-9). This attitude sets the stage, so to speak, and suggests the direction the women in the play must have. Even though it is the wives who manipulate the pranks that ensue, it seems that it is the men who are in control; they extend their eagerness to business and court matters (which is established first in Pistol and Falstaff's dispute with the others and later in Ford's settlement against Falstaff for the twenty pounds and pretentious positions of the men in Anne's affairs) to the family's personal and marital affairs. women. In fact, the details that drive the main plot of the play can, in themselves, be interpreted as a business transaction. ...... middle of paper ...... also displays this limitation and acknowledges that he once viewed Anne Page as property. Fenton is reformed, however, and Anne admits that he "...has found thee more precious than gold stamps or sums sealed in bags; and this is thy own wealth" (3.3.15-17). Considering the eccentricity of all the male characters enlivens the plot and increases the depth of the comedy. This analysis, with particular attention to the use of the word "wife" by those who use it most and the full context in which it appears, elucidates Shakespeare's conceptualization of the nature of men and marriage and demonstrates that women are valued only as anonymous commodities. , not entrusted to their own will and judgment in The Merry Wives of Windsor. Works CitedShakespeare, William. The Complete Works of Shakespeare, ed. David Bevington. Sixth edition. New York: Harper Collings, 1998.