Sir Hugh Evans: The Welsh Parson Shakespeare Found Funny
First appears: Act 1, Scene 1
Sir Hugh Evans is the Welsh parson of Windsor, and Shakespeare has considerable fun with his accent and his habit of mixing scripture with everyday concerns. He agrees to fight a duel with Doctor Caius, a French rival for influence in Windsor, and both men are manoeuvred into meeting in the wrong place.
While waiting for the duel, he sings a song to calm himself. It comes out as a garbled mix of Marlowe's 'Come live with me' and a psalm. It is one of the play's most affectionate portraits of a man talking to himself under stress.
He is not satirised cruelly. His Welshness is comic but his character is consistently good. He cares about the people of Windsor and tries to help them.
Key Scenes
Famous Quotes
“'Pless my soul, how full of chollors I am, and trempling of mind!”
Sir Hugh Evans — Act 3, Scene 1
“Nay, it is petter yet. Give her this letter; for it is a 'oman that altogether's acquaintance with Mistress Anne Page.”
Sir Hugh Evans — Act 1, Scene 2
Themes
Other Characters in The Merry Wives of Windsor
Test Your Knowledge
Think you know your Shakespeare? Put it to the test with one of our free quizzes.
See all quizzes →