side, Slender, with the aid of Shallow, attempts to woo Anne. However, Slender has no love for Anne; and the dialogue that follows are the words of the unsuccessful lover. The reader should note that Fenton’s lines are in poetic meter, indicating the warm emotion of his speech; but Slender’s lines are in prose, indicating the cold and emotionless tone of his appeal. When Shallow tells Anne that Slender loves her, Slender adds “as well as any woman in Gloucester” (41-42). Slender loves Anne as much as he loves any other woman: in other words, he does not love her at all. Slender is not a clever lover either. Anne asks him, “What is your will?” (53): she means what is his desire. However, Slender thinks she is asking him about his last will and testament, a legal document. Slender thinks only prosaically. Slender finally admits that the notion of marriage comes from his uncle and her father. He is really indifferent to the whole idea.
Fenton attempts yet again to speak to Master Page, but Page still resolutely rejects him. Acting on Mistress Quickly’s advice, Fenton then approaches Mistress Page. Mistress Page had wanted her daughter to marry Caius, but Anne asserts that she would rather face torture – being buried in the ground and plummeted with turnips – than marry the doctor. So, Mistress Page says that she will discuss the matter further with her daughter and will support her daughter’s opinion on the matter.
After Anne and her mother exit, Fenton asks Mistress Quickly to bring a ring to Anne; and Fenton gives some money to the housekeeper before he exits.