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It is a wonderful thing to see the semblable coherence of his [i.e., Justice Shallow’s] men’s spirits and his. They, by observing of him, do bear themselves like foolish justices; he, by conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like servingman. Their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of society that they flock together in consent like so many wild geese.
(Act 5, scene 1, lines 65–72)
Falstaff speaks these words as part of a soliloquy he makes at the end of act 5, scene 1. He is at the country home of Shallow, a rural justice of the peace who also makes a living as a farmer. Falstaff first passed through Shallow’s town in act 3, scene 2, when he recruited several locals to fight under him in a battle that turned out never to transpire. Now he has returned with the intention of fleecing Shallow for money. In this quote, Falstaff reflects on the shallowness of country people in general. He amuses himself by observing the “semblable coherence”—that is, the complete similarity—between Shallow and his friends. The more time these companions spend with each other, the more they come to resemble one another. In his final image of this group as a flock of “so many wild geese,” Falstaff cements his critique of country folk who would unwittingly surrender their individuality.
Even though Falstaff is specifically making fun of Justice Shallow and his companions, he’s also making a more general critique of the way society encourages submission to common ideals of whatever kind. As someone who exhibits a vibrant sense of individuality, it makes sense that Falstaff would reject any hint of social pressure to conform. Recalling his famous “catechism” against honor from Henry IV, Part 1, Falstaff now makes an implicit argument in favor of robust individualism, which is the only sort of freedom he wishes to pursue. It’s also worth noting that his words here also offer a tacit critique of his beloved friend, Prince Harry, who has committed himself to transforming into the image of a king. For Falstaff, this kind of transformation necessarily entails the crushing of the individual personality. Read in this way, Falstaff’s words here implicitly reject the process of self-abnegation required to make Prince Harry into King Henry V.
