Falstaff
Shakespeare’s character inspired several musicians to compose music about him.  Carl Otto Nicolai wrote an opera called Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor (1849). Verdi’s wrote an opera Falstaff based on the same play.  It is often thought to be Verdi’s greatest opera. Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote an opera called Sir John in Love, (1924–1928).  Elgar wrote a brilliant piece for orchestra called “Falstaff” which he called: “a symphonic study”.