Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

MEMBERGE

in Thierry and Theodoret — Fletcher, John; Massinger, Philip; Anonymous

Metadata

PlayThierry and Theodoret
AuthorFletcher, John; Massinger, Philip; Anonymous
Year (catalogued)1621
First performance1617
Decade1620s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
TheaterBlackfriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Memb.
Words247
Characters1334
Typicality0.46 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA00968
BritDrama no.1848
ClusterCluster 19 — Grieving nobles & tragicomic sufferers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Would you would please to make some other choice Your reason conquers; my grandmothers looks Have turned all air to earth in me, they fit Upon my heart Like night charms, black and heavy. The Dance. O my presage! Father. O my too true suspicion? Martell, Memberge. One, no Guard Can put back from access, whose tongue no threats Nor prayers can silence, a bold suitor and For that which if you are your self, a King, You were made so to grant it, Justice, Justice. Their is justice, 'twere unfit That any thing but vengeance should fallen on him, That by his giving way to more then murder, (For my deer father's death was parricide) Makes it his own. Hell cannot stop joust prayers from entering heaven, I must and will be herd, Sir; but remember That he that by her plot fell, was your brother, And the place where, your palace, against all Inviolable rites of hospitality, Your word, a kings word, given up for his safety, His innocence, his protection, and the gods Bound to revenge the impious breach of such So great and sacred bonds; and can you wonder, (That in not punishing such a horrid murder, You did it) that heavens favour is gone from you? Which never will return until his blood Be washde away in hers. Your son, And for me, be assure the means to be Revenge on thee vile hag, admits no thought, But what tends to it.

Plot summary

Plot — Thierry and Theodoret
up her attempts lascivious to make his mother life and enter holy Brunhild orders. give Her · . 60 I 1848. Thierry, King of France, and his Brother Theodoret 1617 response is to abscond to her other son, Thierrv, whom she persuades to appoint her lover, Protaldi, tda senior military command. Theodoret follows her and Thierry faces a conflict of loyalty, which he resolves in his brother's favour. With Thierry's agreement, Martel demonstrates comprehensively that Protaldi is a coward, first by tricking him into giving up his sword without a fight, then showing to what lengths he will go to avoid having to fight a duel. Brunhild fears that Thierry's bride, Ordella, will eclipse her in preeminence, so at the wedding banquet she gives Thierry a potion that makes him impotent that night. Ordella is very understanding , but Thierry is concerned about the need to beget an heir, so Brunhild suggests he should consult a local hermit and astrologer. Her parasite, Lecure, impersonates the wise man, and tells Thierry that he will regain his potency ifhe kills the first female person he encounters the next day, whoever she may be. Lecure arranges for this to be Ordella herself. Not recognizing her in her veil, Thierry explains why she must die, and she agrees; but he cannot bring himself to go through with it when he realizes who she is. Martel dissuades Ordella from loyally committing suicide, and, suspecting a plot, has her pretend to be dead in order to smoke it out Meanwhile Brunhild spreads a rumour that Theodoret is illegitimate and has him secretly murdered by Protaldi at the continuing wedding revels. Believing that Theodoret was not his brother and that Ordella is dead, Thierry offers to make amends by marrying Memberge, Theodoret's daughter. Brunhild is forced to admit her lies in order to prevent an incestuous marriage. She gives Thierry a poisoned handkerchief, which kills him; Martel brings Ordella to his deathbed. Brunhild admits complicity in his murder, and is sentenced to remain awake for the rest of her life; disturbed by the sight of Protaldi being tortured to death, she commits suicide. Thierry and Ordella die together , and Martel becomes King of France.