Shakespeare's French Connection

Shakespeare most often locates his plays in Italy and England, and his third most frequent setting is France. Indeed, nearly 70 scenes at a conservative count, and perhaps as many as 100, take place in France in a variety of significant geographical locations. French is also the foreign language Shakespeare uses most; he is sufficiently au fait with French to use it for puns and scatological jokes. He weaves in comments on French fashion, ways of walking, and skills in horsemanship, sword-playin