# Scene II explained — The Merry Wives of Windsor

> Chapter companion for The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare.

## What happens

Sir Hugh Evans instructs Simple to deliver a letter to Mistress Quickly, asking her to help advance Slender's suit for Mistress Anne Page.

## Themes in this chapter

### Marriage and Courtship

Evans arranges for Slender's courtship of Anne Page through a letter to Mistress Quickly.

## Character check-ins

### Sir Hugh Evans

Gives Simple a letter for Mistress Quickly to solicit Slender's desires to Anne Page.

### Simple

Receives instructions from Evans to deliver the letter to Mistress Quickly.

### Mistress Quickly

Mentioned as the recipient of the letter; she is acquainted with Anne Page.

### Master Slender

Referred to as the master whose desires are to be solicited to Anne Page.

### Anne Page

Mentioned as the object of Slender's desires.

## Key lines

> Give her this letter; for it is a ’oman that altogether’s acquaintance with Mistress Anne Page; and the letter is to desire and require her to solicit your master’s desires to Mistress Anne Page.

Give this letter to Mistress Quickly, who knows Anne Page well, and ask her to help your master win Anne's favor.

_Evans explains the purpose of the letter to Simple._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/chapters/act-i-scene-ii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/chapters