Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

PENELOPE

in Sir Giles Goosecap — Chapman, George

Metadata

PlaySir Giles Goosecap
AuthorChapman, George
Year (catalogued)1606
First performance1602
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the Chapel (second)
Speech prefix(es)Pen. | Pen: | Pene. | Pe. | P •… nel: | P •… n: | `Pen. | Pe •… . | Fen.
Words349
Characters1780
Typicality0.14 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA01911
BritDrama no.1340
ClusterCluster 1 — Wives, widows & intimate counsel

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Fie upon it, for Gods sake shut the Casements, heres such a fulsome air comes into this chamber; in good faith madame you must keep your house in bet ter reparations, this same Fowlweather beats in so filthily. Oh Courteous Lord Momford! Indeed Sir Kuttberd Bingcob, I have herd, you are either of the family of Love, or of no religion at all. Are you able to reckon his good parts my Lord? Nor cracked them neither. Pardon my Lord I have never a spare eye to cast away I assure you. Very perfectly my Lord, amongst which one of them was, that he is the best Sempster of any woman in England, pray lets see some of his work? Thank you good servant. No, something else there, good servant. He bobd me there indeed my Lord. Alas poor gentleman; good my Lord lets see him. The languages servant, why the languages? I and a reason of the Sun too my Lord, for his father wood have been ashamed on't. And so say I upon my maiden head. My Lord the con ract is knit fast betwixt them Nay stay there my Lord, I have not yet proved all his knightly parts I hear he is and excellent Poet too. What shall this be servant? No by my faith Servant t'is better in Oh far away, for now servant, you nee de never marry, you are both husband, and wife your self. Let's hear it good servant. Good speak my Lord. Are the Goosecaps a kin to you my Lord. Never trust me if it be not incredible; forth my good Lord. Nay good my Lord no more, you have spoken for him thoroughly I warrant you. No madam, but they are fit sauce for any men meat I'll warrant them. Come madam I think your dinner be almost ready, Come good sir ant let's see what you work. And we are handmaidens to her to that end. Is this a partly of so much Impudence? 'Tis excellent servant. And you were her white son, I warrant my Lord.

Plot summary

Plot — Sir Giles Goosecap
The widow Eugenia lives in chastity with two virgins, Hippolyta and Penelope. They entertain three foolish would-be suitors to supper: Sir Giles Goosecap, Sir Cuthbert Rudesby, and Captain Foulweather. A page tells the guests that the ladies plan an early morning visit to Barnet the next day, and encourages them to rendezvous there; in fact, it is to be a wild-goose chase. The pages later meet the suitors on their way back, and tell them that the ladies decided not to go after all, asa test of tolerance. Clarence is also in love with Eugenia, and confides this to his best friend, her uncle, Lord Momford. Disturbed to hear of the supper with the knights, Momford visits his niece and tries to press Clarence’s suit. Relatives of Goosecap and Rudesby likewise sing their in-laws’ praises, albeit rather unconvincingly. Momford brings a love-letter from Clarence and tries to get Eugenia to reply; he agrees to take dictation from her, but writes down her refusal with additional phrases which turn it into an acceptance, then signs her name on her behalf. Momford invites the ladies to supper. Eugenia is persuaded to come only on the assurance that Clarence is too ill to be present. The other suitors are also invited. Momford takes his guests on a tour of the house, during which they overhear Clarence discussing Eugenia with his doctor - an ‘accident’ which was planned by Momford all along. Eugenia suspects that he also intends to arrange a more direct encounter with Clarence, so she hides in the one place they will not expect to find her: Clarence’s bedroom. But Clarence is there, and they agree to marry. Momford is delighted that she has accepted his friend without knowing that the young man is also his heir.