I just came across this play and decided I needed to read it. It's actually pretty good! I can imagine it going nicely with the Roman plays I usually teach in my various Shakespeare courses. There certainly do seem to be some echoes of Antony and Cleopatra in it, though I suppose that may just be a common ancestry in Plutarch. Anyway, I thought I'd write up another Holzknechtian treatment for our friends over at Blogging the Renaissance. They're welcome to cut and paste it from here if they'd like to have it over there.
The False One by John Fletcher and Philip Massinger, circa 1620 (first printed in 1647).
Dramatis Personae
Julius Caesar, Emperour of Rome
Ptolomy, King of Aegypt
Achoreus, an honest Counsellor, Priest of Isis
Photinus, A Politician, minion to Ptolomy
Achillas, Captaine of the Guard to Ptolomy
Septimius, a revolted Roman Villain
Labienus, a Roman Souldier, and Nuncio
Apollodorus, Guardian to Cleopatra
Antony
........................}Caesars Captaines
Dollabella
Sceva, a free Speaker, also a Captaine to Caesar
Boy, Souldiers, Guard, Servants
Women
Cleopatra, Queene of Aegypt, Caesars Mistrisse
Arsione, Cleopatras Sister
Eros, Cleopatras waiting Woman
Masquers
Isis
Nylus and his seven Heads
Three Labourers
The Scene Aegypt
Prologue
The prologue begins with a discussion of originality and derivation. Roman stories may be familiar to the audience, but this treatment of Caesar's erotic desire and of young Cleopatra is certainly different than other stories they may know, such as Shakespeare's treatment of Caesar's subsequent fall in the Capitol or Cleopatra's exercising her wiles on Antony.
Act One
At the court of King Ptolomy, his wise counselor and the captain of his guard provide exposition on the current situation: following others' advice, Ptolomy has imprisoned his sister Cleopatra, rival for the throne. The dastardly Septimus arrives and suffers their calumny. After Ptolomy enters with Labienus and hears that Pompey has been defeated at Pharsalia and now seeks refuge from his former dependent, he holds a council and listens to the wicked advice of Photinus (i.e. murder Pompey since Fortune obviously now favors Caesar) over Achoreus's virtuous advice (i.e. support Pompey, who supported Ptolomy in the past). Ptolomy empowers Photinus, who sends Septimus and Achillas to do the deed. Meanwhile, melancholy Cleopatra suffers house arrest, but plots an escape with the ingratiating Apollodorus. She must find a way to reach and impress Caesar directly, since he may preserve her majesty, though it may come at the cost of her virginity.
Act Two
Septimus enters boasting with Pompey's head, but Achillas rebukes him for taking so much pleasure in a wicked deed. Ptolomy enters with Photinus and Achoreus still contending over the wisdom of the deed. Seeing the head, Achoreus mourns the treachery. Caesar and his party arrive and Photinus with Achillas's help boasts of Ptolomy's devotion to Caesar, but Caesar and his party condemn them for the wicked murder. Rather than more material rewards, Caesar tells them that he forgives them for the murder and that they should give thanks for that reward instead. Ptolomy worries that Photinus's advice may not have been as good as he had hoped. Septimus sulks until Photinus assures him that his deeds will pay off in the end, asking whether he might be willing to commit another despicable deed. Meanwhile, Caesar and company worry about the untrustworthy Egyptians. Unable to rest, Caesar is troubled by a noise outside his chamber. It turns out it is his honest advisor Sceva, who has intercepted a packet intended for Caesar: he opens it for his master and out pops Cleopatra, who immediately enchants Caesar. A disgusted Sceva, who laments inadvertently becoming a bawd, quits the service of the enraptured Caesar as Cleopatra and he retire to discuss how he can serve her.
Act Three
Ptolomy worries that Photinus has ruined him, especially now that Cleopatra has Caesar's ear. Achoreus counsels signalling their trust in Caesar by appealing to him to mediate between the King and Cleopatra. Ptolomy agrees and turns against Photinus and Achillas. The Roman captains lament that Caesar has turned to dalliance rather than pursuing his military gains (though Antony admits she does have her attractions). When Septimus arrives, they scorn him. The murderer finds himself scorned by Eros too. He tries to buy the affections of Caesar's neglected, wounded soldiers, but when Sceva tells them whose gold they're taking, they give it back and reject him too. Meanwhile, Ptolomy has planned a masque to showcase the wealth of Egypt, foolishly hoping this will make Caesar more likely to side with him; his advisors on all sides caution against advertising Egypt's wealth to Caesar, lest it inspire the Roman simply to take Egypt for himself. Caesar enters, talking of the wonderful wealth of Egypt, then Cleopatra arrives. Finally, Ptolomy and his advisors enter with a show of wealth. Caesar can't take his eyes off the treasure, despite Cleopatra's efforts to keep his attention. Caesar watches a masque in which Isis extols the wonders of Nylus's abundance. Overcome, Caesar retires while Ptolomy gloats and Cleopatra sulks.
Act Four
The Egyptian advisors berate Ptolomy for enticing Caesar with the secrets of Egypt's wealth; the King regrets having put his safety at risk, but Photinus hints at a plan to redeem him. Cleopatra cannot believe her wiles have lost out to Caesar's greed for material things. If she were old and wrinkled, that would be one thing, but she's young and fresh! When Caesar arrives, she refuses his entry until he can restore her virginity, but he barges in because he is not accustomed to waiting. She refuses his advances, further whetting his appetite. Having been curtly dismissed, Caesar stands amazed but then hears news that Photinus has incited the Egyptians against the Roman party and reverts to his former martial bearing, pleasing his aides with this new resolve. Meanwhile, Septimius wallows in disgrace and repentance, earning some pity from the Roman soldiers who spurned him earlier. But Photinus and Achillas arrive to tempt him to another dastardly deed. He refuses at first, since their last proposal resulted in his current shame, but they promise him that if he can kill Caesar he will redeem his reputation.
Act Five
With the Egyptians in revolt not only against Caesar but also against their King, Ptolomy comes to the besieged Caesar and offers his assistance and those who remain loyal to him. Caesar is not used to being on the defensive, inside a siege, but recognizes the necessity of accepting Ptolomy's aid. The rebel party of Photinus, Achillas, and Septimius arrive, discussing their plans to kill Caesar's besieged party, including Ptolomy, and make Cleopatra a puppet until she is no longer useful to them. They exchange insults with Caesar, refusing to accept his points about law and authority since he himself abrogated law when he crossed the Rubicon. Caesar orders the palace to be burned and in order to lead his party through the confusion to safety. Septimius, realizing that he's a prop to be discarded by the actor Photinus, changes loyalty and resolves to aid Caesar. Meeting Caesar's party escaping the blaze of a second Troy, he offers to hide him and then bring him to Photinus's chamber to assassinate the rebel, but Caesar and his men scorn to take the base means of escape and leave soldier to kill off Septimius. As anarchy engulfs the city, Cleopatra's attendants lament the outrages they have suffered; a mob killed Arsino's "little dog, / And broke my monkey's chain!" But constant Cleopatra shows no fear, and when Photinus arrives and claims he has done all this for her favor, she scorns the base-born villain, even as he swears that no gods exist but himself. Achillas arrives with Ptolomy's body, but also bears the bad news that Caesar and his party escaped to his fleet. Photinus and Achillas flee as Caesar returns. Sceva reminds his master that he has business to complete before he can entertain Cleopatra and they exit, returning a few lines later with the rebels' heads. Cleopatra compliments him and he promises to bury Ptolomy honorably and to have the Senate install her as Queen of Egypt. A brief epilogue follows.
FINIS.
Showing posts with label Massinger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Massinger. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Love's Cure or, The Martial Maid
I was just talking about this play with a friend. I don't have Holzknecht handy, so perhaps it's summarized there as well, but I thought I'd write this up all the same. If the folks over at Blogging the Renaissance have an interest in cutting and pasting it to their blog for Holzknecht Redivivus, they're welcome to it. Anyway, enjoy:
Love’s Cure or, The Martial Maid (Beaumont and Fletcher c.1606/ heavily revised by Massinger after c. 1629).
Assistente, or Governor
Vitelli, a young gentleman, enemy to Alvarez.
Lamorall, a fighting gallant, friend to Vitelli.
Anastro, an honest gentleman, friend to Vitelli.
Don Alvarez, a noble gentleman, father to Lucio and Clara.
Siavedra, a friend to Alvarez.
Lucio, Son to Alvarez, a brave young gentleman in womans habit.
Alguazier, a sharking pandarly Constable.
[Piorato, a swordsman]
Pachieco, a Cobler }
Mendoza, a Botcher } of worship
Metaldie, a Smith }
Lazarillo, Pachieco his hungry servant
Bobbadilla, a witty knave, servant to Eugenia, and Steward to Alvarez.
Herald,
Officer
[Servants, pages, watch, guard, attendants]
Eugenia, a virtuous Lady, wife to Don Alvarez.
Clara, Daughter to Eugenia, a martial Maid, valiant and chaste, enamoured of Vitelli
Genevora, Sister to Vitelli, in love with Lucio.
Malroda, a wanton mistirise of Vitelli.
The Scene Sevil
Act I
In Seville, Vitelli reacts violently to the news that his enemy, Alvarez, and his ‘son’ have performed valiant deeds in Flanders and earned the Spanish King’s pardon for murdering Vitelli’s uncle. Alvarez and his ‘son’ return to Seville and rejoin Eugenia, who was pregnant when Alvarez departed. She bore him a son, but raised him as a daughter, ‘Posthumina,’ to protect him from Vitelli’s wrath. Vitelli bursts in on the reunion, but Alvarez’s cross-dressed virago/daughter, Clara, amazed at his valor, protects him from death.
Act II
Four buffoonish craftsmen berate Vitelli’s corrupt minion, Constable Alguazier, into treating them to a meal. Alvarez’s steward, Bobbadilla, mistreats the effeminate Lucio, who is not used to his sword, but suffers the buffets of Clara, who has a hard time accepting a passively feminine role. Vitelli comes to thank Alvarez’s son for protecting him, discovers that his defender was Clara, and the two fall in love.
Act III
Vitelli’s longtime mistress, Malroda, bribes Alguazier to serve as her bawd to the swordsman Piorato. When Bobbadilla hires Piorato to make Lucio act like a man, he mentions that Vitelli and Clara are in love. Piorato reveals this news to Malroda, hoping she’ll leave Vitelli. Malroda sneaks Piorato past Alguazier and Vitelli, picks a quarrel with her lover, and accuses him of throwing her over for Clara. Vitelli denies it and they appear to reconcile. Meanwhile, Clara refuses her mother’s proposed suitor, Siavedra. Piorato can’t make Lucio act more manly, but he reveals Vitelli’s longtime dalliance with Malroda to Clara, who demands visual proof that she’s been betrayed. Alguazier and the craftsmen plot a robbery.
Act IV
Vitelli leaves his sister Genevora with his friend Lamorall and goes to Malroda. Alguazier attempts Malroda, but Vitelli arrives and he skulks off. As Vitelli and his mistress reconcile, Piorato arrives above with Clara. He leaves her with his sword. She watches Malroda and Vitelli quarrel and reconcile again. Just as she despairs, Alguazier brings Piorato in to quarrel with Vitelli. In the confusion, the tradesmen enter and rob Vitelli, but Clara intervenes and everyone flees. She and Vitelli profess their love and he swears off whoring. Alguazier and the tradesmen count their spoils from Vitelli, then Alguazier leaves them to do more villainy. They spy on Alvarez and Bobbadilla who have taken Lucio to a dark alley and issued an ultimatum: fight with the next man and accost the next wench he sees, or be disowned. As Lucio reluctantly and comically attacks Lamorall and Genevora, the craftsmen join the melee. The chaos engulfs Alvarez and Bobbadilla as well. Lucio protects his father, redeeming his reputation, and absconds with Genevora. Alguazier arrives with the watch (including a disguised Assistente, the governor) to break up the scrum. He promises Alvarez that he will punish the rogues severely in private. Alone with them, Alguazier scoffs at civic authority and boasts of their successful schemes, only to suffer when Assistente unmasks. Lucio discovers the pleasure of kissing a woman other than his mother, but when Lamorall challenges him and takes Genevora’s glove-token, he backs down, earning Genevora’s scorn.
Act V
In a duel, Lucio disarms Lamorall but refuses to kill him and tries to console him about the loss of worthless honor. They part as friends. Vitelli arrives to tell Lamorall that the King has agreed to let Vitelli and Alvarez fight a duel to resolve the original dishonor of Vitelli’s uncle’s murder. Lamorall reluctantly agrees to be Vitelli’s second. Genevora receives a message from Clara asking for a secret meeting. Lucio arrives with tokens of his defeat of Lamorall and regains Genevora’s respect and desire. Alvarez and Lucio meet on the field of honor to fight Vitelli and Lamorall. Before they can fight, Eugenia, Clara, and Genevora enter above to try to persuade them to be reconciled. The women appeal to their beloveds, then to their kin, but the men are obstinate. Finally, they call in Bobbadilla with two swords and a pistol and demand that he kill them if the men raise their swords. At last, the men relent and all are reconciled. Assistente then pronounces punishments on Alguazier and his roguish friends, and the play ends with Alvarez and Vitelli commenting on the power of love to restore nature corrupted by custom.
Epilogue:
A brief, generic epilogue (used as well with the Deserving Favorite in 1629) is printed at the end.
Prologue:
There is also a prologue from the play’s revival that praises the original wit of Beaumont and Fletcher, comparing them to Phidias and Apelles.
Love’s Cure or, The Martial Maid (Beaumont and Fletcher c.1606/ heavily revised by Massinger after c. 1629).
Assistente, or Governor
Vitelli, a young gentleman, enemy to Alvarez.
Lamorall, a fighting gallant, friend to Vitelli.
Anastro, an honest gentleman, friend to Vitelli.
Don Alvarez, a noble gentleman, father to Lucio and Clara.
Siavedra, a friend to Alvarez.
Lucio, Son to Alvarez, a brave young gentleman in womans habit.
Alguazier, a sharking pandarly Constable.
[Piorato, a swordsman]
Pachieco, a Cobler }
Mendoza, a Botcher } of worship
Metaldie, a Smith }
Lazarillo, Pachieco his hungry servant
Bobbadilla, a witty knave, servant to Eugenia, and Steward to Alvarez.
Herald,
Officer
[Servants, pages, watch, guard, attendants]
Eugenia, a virtuous Lady, wife to Don Alvarez.
Clara, Daughter to Eugenia, a martial Maid, valiant and chaste, enamoured of Vitelli
Genevora, Sister to Vitelli, in love with Lucio.
Malroda, a wanton mistirise of Vitelli.
The Scene Sevil
Act I
In Seville, Vitelli reacts violently to the news that his enemy, Alvarez, and his ‘son’ have performed valiant deeds in Flanders and earned the Spanish King’s pardon for murdering Vitelli’s uncle. Alvarez and his ‘son’ return to Seville and rejoin Eugenia, who was pregnant when Alvarez departed. She bore him a son, but raised him as a daughter, ‘Posthumina,’ to protect him from Vitelli’s wrath. Vitelli bursts in on the reunion, but Alvarez’s cross-dressed virago/daughter, Clara, amazed at his valor, protects him from death.
Act II
Four buffoonish craftsmen berate Vitelli’s corrupt minion, Constable Alguazier, into treating them to a meal. Alvarez’s steward, Bobbadilla, mistreats the effeminate Lucio, who is not used to his sword, but suffers the buffets of Clara, who has a hard time accepting a passively feminine role. Vitelli comes to thank Alvarez’s son for protecting him, discovers that his defender was Clara, and the two fall in love.
Act III
Vitelli’s longtime mistress, Malroda, bribes Alguazier to serve as her bawd to the swordsman Piorato. When Bobbadilla hires Piorato to make Lucio act like a man, he mentions that Vitelli and Clara are in love. Piorato reveals this news to Malroda, hoping she’ll leave Vitelli. Malroda sneaks Piorato past Alguazier and Vitelli, picks a quarrel with her lover, and accuses him of throwing her over for Clara. Vitelli denies it and they appear to reconcile. Meanwhile, Clara refuses her mother’s proposed suitor, Siavedra. Piorato can’t make Lucio act more manly, but he reveals Vitelli’s longtime dalliance with Malroda to Clara, who demands visual proof that she’s been betrayed. Alguazier and the craftsmen plot a robbery.
Act IV
Vitelli leaves his sister Genevora with his friend Lamorall and goes to Malroda. Alguazier attempts Malroda, but Vitelli arrives and he skulks off. As Vitelli and his mistress reconcile, Piorato arrives above with Clara. He leaves her with his sword. She watches Malroda and Vitelli quarrel and reconcile again. Just as she despairs, Alguazier brings Piorato in to quarrel with Vitelli. In the confusion, the tradesmen enter and rob Vitelli, but Clara intervenes and everyone flees. She and Vitelli profess their love and he swears off whoring. Alguazier and the tradesmen count their spoils from Vitelli, then Alguazier leaves them to do more villainy. They spy on Alvarez and Bobbadilla who have taken Lucio to a dark alley and issued an ultimatum: fight with the next man and accost the next wench he sees, or be disowned. As Lucio reluctantly and comically attacks Lamorall and Genevora, the craftsmen join the melee. The chaos engulfs Alvarez and Bobbadilla as well. Lucio protects his father, redeeming his reputation, and absconds with Genevora. Alguazier arrives with the watch (including a disguised Assistente, the governor) to break up the scrum. He promises Alvarez that he will punish the rogues severely in private. Alone with them, Alguazier scoffs at civic authority and boasts of their successful schemes, only to suffer when Assistente unmasks. Lucio discovers the pleasure of kissing a woman other than his mother, but when Lamorall challenges him and takes Genevora’s glove-token, he backs down, earning Genevora’s scorn.
Act V
In a duel, Lucio disarms Lamorall but refuses to kill him and tries to console him about the loss of worthless honor. They part as friends. Vitelli arrives to tell Lamorall that the King has agreed to let Vitelli and Alvarez fight a duel to resolve the original dishonor of Vitelli’s uncle’s murder. Lamorall reluctantly agrees to be Vitelli’s second. Genevora receives a message from Clara asking for a secret meeting. Lucio arrives with tokens of his defeat of Lamorall and regains Genevora’s respect and desire. Alvarez and Lucio meet on the field of honor to fight Vitelli and Lamorall. Before they can fight, Eugenia, Clara, and Genevora enter above to try to persuade them to be reconciled. The women appeal to their beloveds, then to their kin, but the men are obstinate. Finally, they call in Bobbadilla with two swords and a pistol and demand that he kill them if the men raise their swords. At last, the men relent and all are reconciled. Assistente then pronounces punishments on Alguazier and his roguish friends, and the play ends with Alvarez and Vitelli commenting on the power of love to restore nature corrupted by custom.
Epilogue:
A brief, generic epilogue (used as well with the Deserving Favorite in 1629) is printed at the end.
Prologue:
There is also a prologue from the play’s revival that praises the original wit of Beaumont and Fletcher, comparing them to Phidias and Apelles.