Falstaff is an English fictional character that appears in five of William Shakespeare’s plays: Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, Henry V and The Merry Wives of Windsor He is a comic figure who is both witty and cowardly and who engages in antics that result in hilarious situations. Falstaff is often seen as the quintessential unreliable narrator, a character who constantly exaggerates and brags about himself. He is an intelligent, educated and ultimately an honest man who has a sharp wit and an ability to read people.
The five best essay topic ideas for Falstaff are as follows.
1. How does Shakespeare use humor in Falstaff’s character? This essay topic would explore the humor that is used in Falstaff’s character and how it is used to drive the story forward. Analysis of Falstaff’s dialogue, physicality and thoughts will be required to answer this question.
2. How does Falstaff’s character develop over the course of the five plays he appears in? This essay topic would look at how Falstaff changes and evolves throughout the plays, in terms of his values, attitudes and behaviors. It is interesting to see how a character changes over the course of several plays and this would be an interesting topic to explore.
3. What is the impact of Falstaff’s character on the other characters in the plays? This essay topic would explore how Falstaff influences the other characters and how their relationships change in response to his presence. The power dynamics of the different relationships between the characters will be explored.
4. How does Falstaff’s presence effect the overall tone and atmosphere of the five plays? This essay topic would look at the role Falstaff plays in setting the mood and tone of the plays. How does his presence help to create the comedy of the plays, or does it simply add to the overall tragedy?
5. What does Falstaff represent in the plays? This essay topic would explore what themes and ideas Falstaff serves to represent in the plays. What does his character mean to the play as a whole? Does he represent a particular set of values or ideas? What is the underlying symbolism of his character?