Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

SUBSERVUS

in Appius and Virginia — B., R.

Metadata

PlayAppius and Virginia
AuthorB., R.
Year (catalogued)1575
First performance1564
Decade1570s
GenreTragedy
Play typeInterlude
Speech prefix(es)Subſeruus.
Words158
Characters803
Typicality0.23 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA00456
BritDrama no.432
ClusterCluster 3 — Citizens, tradesfolk & neighbors

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

Content if thou High thee. Hope so, and hap so, in hazard of threfninge, The worst that can hap le, in end is but beating. ¶ What if your company cause me have woo, I mind not companions so soon to forgo: Let hope hold the Helmet, till brunt it be passed, For bloes are but buffits and words but a blast, With thwick thwack, with thump thump, with bobbing and bum, Our side saddle shoulders shall shield that does come, Hope so, and hap so, in hazard &c. Nay but I escaped more finely, For I under this bedge one while did stay, Then in this bush, then in that way: Then slipped I behind them among all the rest, And seemed to common to, of things with the best, But so it did happen, that all things were well, But hazard it is, least time will truth tell. Content by my honesty, then farewell all woe.

Plot summary

Plot — Appius and Virginia
Virginius is thankful for his good wife and virtuous daughter. Judge Appius falls in love with Virginia. Instigated by the vice Haphazard, he induces Claudius to help him in a scheme to get her. Claudius lays perjured testimony that Virginia is his own daughter, stolen by Virginius when she was a baby. Appius rules that she must be placed in his own custody until the matter is resolved; once she is under his roof, he will be able to seduce or rape her. Summoned by Appius, Virginia asks for death rather than dishonour, and her father beheads her; he is about to kill himself too when Comfort prevents him. He brings her head to Appius, who calls on Justice and Reward to execute him, but on arrival they accuse Appius himself. He commits suicide in prison. Claudius has his death sentence commuted to banishment at Virginius’ request. Haphazard is hanged. Virginius and the virtues celebrate the memory of his daughter’s chastity.