Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

PIPPEAU

in The Bloody Brother (Rollo, Duke of Normandy) — Fletcher, John; Massinger, Philip; Field, Nathan (?)

Metadata

PlayThe Bloody Brother (Rollo, Duke of Normandy)
AuthorFletcher, John; Massinger, Philip; Field, Nathan (?)
Year (catalogued)1639
First performance1617
Decade1630s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
Speech prefix(es)Pip.
Words219
Characters1097
Typicality0.41 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA00958
BritDrama no.1841
ClusterCluster 11 — Tosspots & tavern railers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

What now? Did not I yester-morning Bring you in a Cardecu there from the Peasant, Whosse I had driven aside, and hid, that you Might conjure for him? and then last night, Six Souz from the Cooks wife, you shared among you To set a figure for the I stole, It is not at home yet; these things, my Master's, In a hard time, they would be thought on, you Talk of your lands and Castles in the air, Of your twelve houses there: but it is I That bring you in your rends for'em, it's Pippe That is your bird-call. I was light then, New built and rigged when I came to you, Gentlemen, But now with often and far venturing for you Here be leaks Spr and whole Planks wanting see you; If you'll new sheat me ine, yet I am for you To any bog or sleights, where ere you'll send me, For as, when can this ragged Bark Put in for any service; less it be O'th Isle of Rogues, and there turn Pyrate for you. They are Gallants, Courtiers, one of'em is Exit and enter again. To Nor rest. Of the Dukes bedchamber. They have so little As well may free them from the name of shifters. We must lay in several places, Sir.

Plot summary

Plot — The Bloody Brother (Rollo, Duke of Normandy)
The old Duke of Normandy has left his dukedom to be shared by his two sons, Rollo and Otto, but the brothers are mutually antagonistic. Civil war is averted by the intervention of their mother Sophia, and they agree to celebrate the new accord at a banquet. Latorch persuades Rollo to renege on the truce, but proposes to dispose of Otto by craft rather than by force, and suborns the kitchen staff preparing the banquet to poison Otto's food. At the feast, however, Otto is off his food and will not eat. Rollo pretends to take offence, claiming that Otto's reluctance is tantamount to accusing him of a poisoning attempt, and leaves the banquet. He later murders Otto in their mother's presence, and sends Latorcb to convince the citizens that he was acting in self-defence. Gisbert and Baldwin, two senior courtiers, are beheaded for refusing to abet his usurpation; a third, Aubrey, recognizes that, the murder notwithstanding, Rollo is the only legitimate heir left. Rollo makes it known that the poisoning plot was instigated by Otto, and has the caterers hanged. Rollo proves to be a tyrant who preys not only on his nobles but also his meaner subjects. Among the latter is Allan , Gisbert's servant, who is condemned to death for burying his executed master; his brother Hamond, the Duke 's Captain of the Guard, cannot persuade Rollo to spare him. Latorch asks permission to have Rollo's horoscope cast; his objective is to get the astrologers to foretell danger to the Duke's life from a courtier identifiable as Aubrey. Rollo does not wait for the results: Aubrey is delegated to carry out a task detailed in a letter, which turns out to be the supervision ofhis own execution; but Hamond will not co-operate. and Aubrey 's head remains on his shoulders. Meanwhile Rollo goes to dinner with Baldwin 's daughter Edith , ,,.ilom he covets, not knowing that she intends to murder him. Her plans are stymied when he seems to repent his misdeeds and promises reformation. Hamond, ordered to attend with the guard, does not share her scruples : he kills Rollo in revenge for the treatment of Allan _and Aubrey, and then himself. Aubrey succeeds to the dukedom, and has Latorch hanged. Edith is sent to a nunnery after she refuses to condemn Rollo 's murder.