Poins: The Schemer Who Knows His Place
First appears: Act 1, Scene 2
Poins is Hal's companion and the one who designs the Gad's Hill scheme: the plan to rob the robbers, which is to say, to catch Falstaff in a story he cannot defend. He is quick-witted, practical, and comfortable being the second most interesting person in any room.
The robbery works because Poins can execute a plan without complicating it. He and Hal stay in disguise until Falstaff's gang has done the actual work, then steal the money back. When Falstaff tells the story in the tavern, the number of men he was fighting has grown from two to eleven.
He is loyal to Hal without illusions. He knows this phase of their friendship will not last, and he makes the most of it while it does.
Key Scenes
Famous Quotes
“But, my lads, my lads, tomorrow morning, by four o'clock, early at Gad's Hill! There are pilgrims going to Canterbury with rich offerings.”
Poins — Act 1, Scene 2