Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

SHARKWELL

in Bartholomew Fair — Jonson, Ben

Metadata

PlayBartholomew Fair
AuthorJonson, Ben
Year (catalogued)1631
First performance1614
Decade1630s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyLady Elizabeth's Men
Speech prefix(es)SHA. | SHA
Words165
Characters851
Typicality0.15 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA04633.1
BritDrama no.1757
ClusterCluster 17 — Intriguers & schemers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

I warrant you, Sir, three pence, an'we can. This later disguise, I have borrowed of a Porter, shall carry me out to all my great and good ends; The Justice comes in Like a Porter. which how ever interrupt ted, were never destroyed in me: neither is the hour of my seven rity yet come, to reveal my self, wherein cloudlike, I will break out in rain, and hail, lightning, and thunder, upon the head of enormity. Two main works I have to prosecute: first, one is to invent some satisfaction for the poor, kind wretch, who is out of his wits for my sake, and yonder I see him coming, I will walk aside, and project for it. It's a Motion, an't please your worship. Yes Captain, and waterworks, too. What, do you not know the Author, fellow Filcher ? you must take no money of him; he must come in gratis : M r . Little-wit is a voluntary; he is the Author.

Plot summary

Plot — Bartholomew Fair
Bartholomew Cokes has two objectives in life: to visit the fair which shares his name, and to marry Grace Wellborn, who, as a ward, faces a financial penalty should she refuse. He sends his servant Wasp to Littlewit the proctor to obtain a marriage licence, but then, impatiently, comes himself. He brings Grace with him, and she attracts the interest of Winwife, present with his friend Quarlous as a suitor to Littlewit’s mother-in-law, Dame Purecraft. Littlewit is more interested in Cokes’s talk of the fair, having secretly written one of the puppet plays to be performed there. The only snag is that the puritanical Dame Purecraft will disapprove of their visit, thinking fairs profane. Busy, an elder of Purecraft’s church, advises the family that fairs may lawfully be visited for good reason, and comes along with them to partake of the pork. After some unfortunate experiences involving mistaken identity, Justice Overdo no longer trusts informers and has decided to do his spying personally. He visits the fair in disguise to seek out ‘enormities’ perpetrated by the fairground folk. He is impressed by one young man, Edgeworth, and decides to rescue him from the clutches of the cheaters; but he does not know that Edgeworth is a cutpurse. While Overdo is busy telling him about the wickedness of tobacco, Edgeworth steals Cokes’s purse; Overdo gets the blame. When it happens a second time, Overdo is arrested and put in the stocks. There he encounters the madman Trouble-All, who persistently demands Overdo’s warrant for any action; it transpires that he was a court official driven out of his mind by Overdo’s own actions. The watchmen, concerned to get better authority, release Overdo from the stocks for the time being. Meanwhile, the Littlewits arrive at the fair, but Busy becomes over-excited in his condemnation, attacks the fairground booths, and is arrested; Dame Purecraft goes after him, leaving Littlewit and Win free to enjoy themselves. Edgeworth tricks Wasp into making affidavit so that, at Quarlous’s instigation, he can steal Cokes’s marriage licence. Wasp too is arrested and put in the stocks, but escapes by a ruse when Overdo and Busy are put in beside him. The women visitors to the fair are separated from the men. Littlewit leaves Win in the care of two fairground bawds while he goes off to check the arrangements for his puppet show. Cokes abandons Grace and Mistress Overdo to try and get back his stolen property. Desperate for the toilet, Mistress…