Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

PROLOGUE

in The Disobedient Child — Ingelend, Thomas

Metadata

PlayThe Disobedient Child
AuthorIngelend, Thomas
Year (catalogued)1570
First performance1560
Decade1570s
GenreMoral
Play typeInterlude
Speech prefix(es)¶ The Prologue ſpeaker.
Words288
Characters1583
Typicality0.24 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA04027
BritDrama no.213
ClusterCluster 7 — Pedants, satyrs & Latin wit

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Now forasmuch as in these latter days, Throughout the whole world in every land Vice does increase, and Virtue decays Iniquity having the upper hand. We therefore intend, good gentle Audience, A pretty short Interlude, to play at this present Desiring your leave and quiet scisence To show the same, as is meet and expedient. The fume whereof, matter and argument, In two or three verses, briefly to declare, Since that it is for and honest intent, I will somewhat bestow my care. In the City of London, there was a rich man Who loving his son most tenderly, Moved him earnestly now and than, That he would gyve his mind to study. Saying that by knowledge, science, and learning Is at the last got a pleasant life: But throng he the want, and lack of this thing Is purchased ponertie, sorrow, and strife. His Son notwithstanding, this gentle monition As one that was clean devoid of grace, Did turn to a mock, and open derysion Most wickedly with and bushame fast face. In so much that contrary to his father's will Unto a young woman he did consent, Whereby of Lust he might have his fill, And married the same in contynents. Not long after that, the child began To feel his wife's great frowardenes, And called himself unhappy man, Oh ressed with pains and heaviness. Who before that time, did live blessedly, While he was under his father's Wing But now being wedded, mourning and misery Did him torment without ending, But now it is time for me to be going, And hence to depart for a certain space, For I do hear the Rich man continued ̄ ming With the wanton boy into this place.

Plot summary

Plot — The Disobedient Child
A rich man's son, afraid of corporal punishment, refuses to go to school. He also rejects his father's suggestion that he find gainful employment, perhaps as a soldier; instead, against his father's advice, he insists on marrying. His father disinherits him. He leaves his home in London for St Albans, gets into debt, and marries a young woman. They have a lavish and expensive wedding feast. His father refuses to pay the money he owes. When he proves reluctant to go out to earn a living, his wife becomes shrewish, beats him, and sends him on domestic errands. He regrets his marriage, and goes home to his father. Satan reveals that the marital discord was his doing. The rich man refuses to take in his son and insists that he return to the wife he chose, but promises him a little money. The moral is explained in a peroration: spare the rod and spoil the child.