The scene continues with Hugh Evans changing the topic to marriage (at line 37). Evans believes that Slender should consider taking Anne Page as his wife. Slender, though, proves to be a slender lover as well as a slender thinker. There is no romance in him. The only qualities that Slender has noticed in Anne Page is her brown hair and her high womanish voice. Evans tries to convince Slender into the match by discussing her dowry: Anne will receive a large sum of money from her father on her seventeenth birthday. Shallow, Slender’s uncle, comments that Anne Page has “good gifts” (51). Shallow means that she has fine personal qualities and that she is virtuous. Evans, though, misinterprets Shallow’s meaning and responds that the money she will receive is a very good gift. During the Renaissance many gentlemen and aristocrats considered two factors in their decision to get married: (1) wealth and (2) social class. If the woman did not have wealth and an acceptable social standing, the wealthy man would not even begin to consider her. Slender has no notions of love or romance, so Evan’s suggestion is acceptable to him.
Shallow, Slender, and Evans arrive at the house of Master George Page, Anne’s father. Page answers the door himself, and he thanks Shallow for the venison (deer meat) that Shallow had given him earlier. Shallow comments that the deer “was ill killed” (66-67). Shallow means that the deer was killed illegally. This is one of his grievances against