Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

HANAN

in Jacob and Esau — Udall, Nicholas (?)

Metadata

PlayJacob and Esau
AuthorUdall, Nicholas (?)
Year (catalogued)1568
First performance1554
Decade1560s
GenreBiblical
Play typeInterlude
Speech prefix(es)Hanan.
Words356
Characters1752
Typicality0.29 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA04206
BritDrama no.251
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

AH sir, I see I am and early man this morn, I am once more begylde with Esau his horn. But there is no such stirrer as Esau is: He is up day by day before the Crow pis: Then makes he with his Horn such tooting and blowing And with his wide throat such shouting and hallowing, That no neighbour shall in his Tent take any rest, From Esau addresseth him to the Forest. So that he makes us whither we will or no, Better husbands than we would be, abroad to go, Eke of us about our business and our work. But whom do I see yonder coming in the dark? It is my neighbour Zethar, I perceive him now. What should he do in the matter I you pray? Alack good man, what should he do more than he hath done? I dare say no father hath better taught his son, Nor no two have given better example of life Unto their children, than both he and his wife: As by their younger son Jacob it does appear He liveth no lose life, he does God love and fear. He keepeth here in the Tents like a Quiet man: He giveth not himself to wildness any when. But Esau evermore from his young childhood Hath been like to prove ill, and never to be good. Young it pricks (folks do say) that will be a thorn, Esau hath been nought ever since he was born. And whereof comes this, of Education? Nay it is of his own ill inclination. They were brought up both under one tuition, But they be not both of one disposition Esau is given to lose and leude living. Neither see I any hope that he will amend. O it is our part to lament them that do ill. Like as very Nature, a godly heart doth move Others good proceedings to tender and to love: So such as in no wise to goodness will be brought: What good ma ̄ but will mourn, since God us all hath wrought But you have some business, and so have I.

Plot summary

Plot — Jacob and Esau
Esau is obsessed with hunting: Ragau is forced to get up early to go out with him, and in consequence 1553 doesn’t get enough sleep or food. The neighbours, too, are inconvenienced by noise during the night, and they grumble about disorderly youth. Esau is nevertheless Isaac’s favourite son, while Rebecca favours his brother Jacob. She remembers God’s prediction that her elder son shall be subject to her younger, but Isaac is steadfast in his belief in seniority. On returning from hunting, Esau and Ragau are extremely hungry, so Jacob sells his brother a dish of rice pottage, at the price of his birthright. Esau eats it all himself, leaving none for Ragau, and then tries to renege on the agreement. Isaac still favours him over Jacob, and sends him out to hunt for food. Rebecca sends Jacob out to kill a kid: if he serves a meal to Isaac first, his blind father will mistake him for Esau and bless him instead. The problem is that Esau is hairy and Jacob smooth: Isaac will be able to feel the difference. Rebecca cooks the kid and makes sleeves and a collar from its hairy skin. Isaac recognizes Jacob’s voice, but the artificial hair persuades him: he administers the blessing and grants Jacob his inheritance. Esau’s venison arrives too late. Esau plans to avenge himself by killing Jacob. trusting that God is not truly omniscient and that he will therefore get away with it. Rebecca and Isaac send Jacob away to safety with his uncle in Mesopotamia, but their admonition persuades Esau to give up his hate for Jacob.