# Pistol — The Merry Wives of Windsor character guide

> Pistol in The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Pistol Hope, Pistol The horn

**First appearance:** 0004-act-i-scene-iii

## Snapshot

A swaggering, bombastic ex-soldier whose inflated speeches and itchy sword make him Falstaff's loudest and least reliable follower.

## Who they are

Pistol struts through Windsor in a cloud of blank verse and bluster, one of the discarded men whose accusations set the town's husbands and wives buzzing. He carries a grudge against Falstaff for being turned away, and his taste for dramatic betrayal makes him dangerous in a petty, theatrical way. His ranting turns the play's gossip into action, feeding Ford's jealousy and helping to launch the very schemes the merry wives will turn back on the knight.

## In the story

### [Scene III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/chapters/act-i-scene-iii)

Refuses to deliver Falstaff's letter to Mistress Page and vows to expose Falstaff to Master Ford.

### [Scene II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/chapters/act-ii-scene-ii)

Makes a brief, cryptic comment about Mistress Quickly being Cupid's carrier.

### [Scene IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/chapters/act-v-scene-iv)

Attired as Puck, participating in the fairy procession.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/characters/pistol
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_merry_wives_of_windsor_se/characters