Horned Gods, Horny Men, Witches, and Fairies: Pagan Remnants in Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor

Abstract

Fairies, witches, and horned men dancing around in a haunted forest at midnight: such elements may be approached with skepticism and laughter by theatrical audiences today. Just as we find ourselves amused by quaint notions of cuckoldry and horniness that seem out of place, we also scoff at the idea that, once upon a time, theater-goers (and the general populace) might have believed in witchcraft, fairy lore, and horned gods.