Bardolph (Shakespeare character) He is sentenced to punishment of death by hanging. In a focal point of "Henry V", King Henry, despite being friends with Bardolph in his youth, remorselessly agrees to his punishment and has him hanged. Bardolph appears in "The Merry Wives of Windsor" as one of Falstaff's associates along with Nym and Pistol again, though his role is minor. Abraham Slender accuses him and the others of getting him drunk and then robbing him after he passed out. They all deny it. Later, Bardolph is dismissed by Falstaff because of his inadequate thieving skills ("his filching was like an unskilful
Reputation of William Shakespeare great realist of human character. In the 18th century, Shakespeare dominated the London stage, while Shakespeare productions turned increasingly into the creation of star turns for star actors. After the Licensing Act of 1737, a quarter of plays performed were by Shakespeare, and on at least two occasions rival London playhouses staged the very same Shakespeare play at the same time ("Romeo and Juliet" in 1755 and "King Lear" the next year) and still commanded audiences. This occasion was a striking example of the growing prominence of Shakespeare stars in the theatrical culture, the big attraction being the competition and