Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

GEORGE

in Every Man Out of His Humor — Jonson, Ben

Metadata

PlayEvery Man Out of His Humor
AuthorJonson, Ben
Year (catalogued)1600
First performance1599
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyLord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men
Speech prefix(es)Geor. | Georg. | George.
Words190
Characters979
Typicality0.26 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA04648
BritDrama no.1216
ClusterCluster 8 — Martial kings & Roman gravity

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Here Master Carlo. I sir, I assure you it's right. Your meat's ready sir and your company were come. Good Lord that master Carlo could not take heed, and knowing what a Gentleman the knight is if he be angry. Gods So, Signior Fungoso! Sirrah, we have a pawn for the Reckoning. No; look under the Table. Yes faith; have you been here all this while? All's clear Sir, but the Reckoning; and that you must clear and pay before you go, I assure you. By you Sir? I know not that: but 'twas for you and your company, I am sure. What, and have such Apparel? Do not say so, Sig nior, that mightily discredits your clothes. Yes sir, I did see you drink once. I Sir, and I thank you. You shall Sir: Welcome Master Carlo. I sir, almost: will you have the cloth laid, Master Carlo? None yet sir. It shall sir. Did you call, Master Carlo? I Sir, it is enough? They are all gone, there's none of them will be laid any hold on. Oh here's master Macilente. What? Master Fungoso? I Sir. Done sir.

Plot summary

Plot — Every Man Out of His Humor
Cordatus and Mitis are brought by Asper to watch a satirical play, in which he is to be an actor, playing malicious Macilente. They keep up a running commentary between, and sometimes during, the scenes. Each character in the play has a ‘humour’ or obsession to be purged. Sogliardo wants to be a gentleman: he takes instruction from Carlo Buffone and purchases himself a coat of arms; he is eventually used to humiliate the conceited court lady Saviolina by showing that she cannot tell true gentility from false. The farmer Sordido is hoarding grain, and resists a court order to sell it because he is gambling on the price going up after a bad harvest; when this does not happen, he tries to hang himself, and repents on hearing the comments of the rustics who cut him down. Puntarvolo plays chivalric wooing games of mock- adultery with his wife, and plans to travel to Constantinople with his wife and dog, venturing money on their safe return; but he loses the inclination when Macilente poisons the dog. Fungoso tries to imitate the courtier Brisk’s fashionable suit, but is continually frustrated because Brisk keeps changing his clothes. The uxorious Deliro seeks advice on how best to please his contrary wife, Fungoso’s sister. Shift, wanting to be known for a machismo he doesn’t really have, represents himself as a robber, but the threat of hanging forces him to admit the truth. Carlo Buffone has a humour of talking: at a tavern, he performs a comic dialogue between two cups, playing both parts himself, and Puntarvolo seals his mouth with wax. The affray brings the Constable, who is minded to arrest them all but is content tv take only Brisk. Fungoso, penniless from his clothing purchases, is left to pay the tavern bill, and has to be rescued by bis brother-in-law, who also calls in the mortgage on ===== PAGE 162 ===== Brisk’s lands; the courtier is left in prison for debts totalling £13,000, curing him of his humour. Macilente is purged of his malign humour by the sight of the Queen.