Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

CENTAUR

in Epicene, or The Silent Woman — Jonson, Ben

Metadata

PlayEpicene, or The Silent Woman
AuthorJonson, Ben
Year (catalogued)1620
First performance1609
Decade1620s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional
CompanyChildren of the Queen's Revels
Speech prefix(es)Cen. | Cer.
Words368
Characters1979
Typicality0.48 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA04645
BritDrama no.1603
ClusterCluster 13 — Attendant courtiers & citizens

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Yes faith, Madame, and Mavis, and she will set up a side. Alas, Madame, he has provided none. How Like you her wit, Mavis. And you'll come to the College, and live with us? Let him allow you your Coach, and four Horses, your Woman, your Chambermaid, your Page your Gentle man-Vsher, your French Cook, and four Grooms. It will open the gate to your fame. They are empty losses, women fear, in this kind. There is, indeed, Sir Amorous La-fool. He looks Like a very pitiful Knight— Nay, Madame, Mavis was more deceived then we, 'twas her commendation uttered them in the Col ledge. But when will you come, Morose? And yet not so superlatively neat as some, Madame, that have their faces set in a Brake! I could love a man, for such a Nose! He has and exceeding good eye, Madame! Good Morose, bring him to my Chamber first. God so, Mavis, Haughty is kissing. We would be all glad to style him of our friend ship, and see him at the College. Wee'll entreat Sir Dauphiness company. Mau. Upon our honours, Sir Dauphine. Where are you, my Lady Haughty. Within, Madame, a writing. I'll follow you pre sently. I'll but speak a word with Sir Dauphine. Good Sir Dauphine, do not trust Haughty, nor make any credit to her, what ever you do beside. Sir Dau phine, I give you this caution, she is a perfect Courtier; and loves no body, but for her uses: and for her uses, she loves all. Beside, her Physicians give her out to be none o'the clearest, whither she pay them or no, Heaven knows: and she's abided fifty too, and pargets! See her in a forenoon. Here comes Mavis, a worse face then she! you would not Like this, by Candlelight. If you'll come to my Chamber one of these Morning's early, or late in and Evening, I'll tell you more. Where's Haughty, Mavis? What have you, there? I'll lend you my Footman. Begin with him first. He shall command us. Bridegroom un carnate. And, have they confessed? So do I, I protest. He do's it not sure, without good ground. He is a rude Groom, indeed.

Plot summary

Plot — Epicene, or The Silent Woman
Dauphine's obsessively noise-hating uncle, Morose. has threatened to disinherit him by taking a wife and begetting a son and heir. He has engaged a gen ts to seek a silent woman for his bride, and the barber, Cutbeard, seems to have found him one, Mistress Epicoenc. Truewit goes to him in disguise and tries to dissuade him from marriage; but this makes him the more determined to go ahead with it straight away. He inspects Epicoene, is pleased by her silence, and marries her. Almost at once he learns that she is able to speak loudly. Sir Amorous La Poole is holding a dinner for the members of a college of ladies, but the gallants divert the collegians to Morose's house, to celebrate his wedding. They persuade La Poole that Sir John Daw has arranged this to dishonour him. La Foole dresses up as a sewer to serve the meat. Mistress Otter comes along with him, and the gallants arrange for her to witness her henpecked husband criticizing her behind her back - which earns him a beating. The collegians hold her up as an example to Epicoene: she must establish her dominance in the household. The gallants persuade Dauphine that the two knights have slandered him, and tell each of the knights in turn that the other intends to fight him. Both are so anxious to avoid a duel that each agrees to be beaten by the other; Dauphine does the beating and takes their swords from them. The ladies witness the event, and see the knights' unworthiness; they transfer their affections to Dauphine and begin to compete for his favours. Morose intends to procure a divorce, but cannot find a lawyer in the noise of the courts. Truewit supplies a lawyer and a divine to deal with the case; they are really Cutbeard and Otter in disguise. They delineate the legal grounds for divorce, but none seems to fit the case. The two knights are persuaded to admit that they deflowered Epicoene - but this doesn't count because it happened before the marriage. Morose is forced to claim that he is impotent- but that will only be grounds for .ii:picoene to divorce him, not vice versa. Dauphine offers to free his uncle from the marriage in return for an annual income and a guarantee that he ·will inherit the E_m tire estate. Once Morose has signed the papers, Dauphine reveals that Epicoene is really a boy.