Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

DIAGORAS

in The Maid's Tragedy — Beaumont, Francis; Fletcher, John

Metadata

PlayThe Maid's Tragedy
AuthorBeaumont, Francis; Fletcher, John
Year (catalogued)1619
First performance1610
Decade1610s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
TheaterBlackfriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)DIAG.
Words243
Characters1228
Typicality0.52 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA06289
BritDrama no.1650
ClusterCluster 0 — Clowns, beggars & street sellers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Why do you swear so my Lord, You know heel have it here. And if he will not be wise, you are forsworn. My Lord I shall never keep them out, Your looks will terrify them. I mean because they know you, and your office. He's so humorous since his daughter was forsam ken? hark, hark, whose there, codes, codes, What now? within Knock within Who i'st. I hope your Lordship brings no troop, for I you do, I must return them. Enter Melantius and a Lady. The Ladies are all placed above, save those that come in the Kings troop, the best of Rhodes fit there, ere is no room. Stand back there, room for my Lord Melanti us, pray bear back, his is no place for such youths and their truls, let the doors shut again, no; do your heads itch, isle scratch them, so now thrust and hang, again, who i'st now, I cannot blame my Lord Calianax for giving way, would he were here, he would run raging amongst them, and break a dozen heads in the twinkling of and eye, what's the news now? within I pray you can you help me to the speech of the master Cook? If I open the door isle cook some of your calves heads. Peace rogues? — again, — who i'st? Oh my Lord a must, make room there for my Lord, is your Lady placed. Enter Melantius. Good my Lord.

Plot summary

Plot — The Maid's Tragedy
At: the King’s request, Al@minf6f breaks off his engagement to his fiancée AlSpatia and instead marries Evadne) sister of his friend Melantius. After a wedding masque, Evadne prepares for bed. When Amintor arrives, however, she refuses him sex and explains that she is the King’s mistress: the marriage has been arranged as a cover for their continuing relationship, and to provide a nominal father for any bastards that may result; it will never be consummated. Amintor is unable to satisfy his impulse to take revenge, because his wronger is the King, but on learning the truth, Melantius has no similar scruples. A successful rebellion depends upon control of the city’s: defensive fort, but this is in the hands of Melantius’ enemy, ASpatia’sifathier Caliana who partly blames Melantius for the way Aspatia has been treated. Melantius asks Calianax to hand over the fort, knowing this will be reported to the King; but when the King confronts him with the accusation, his bare-faced denial. discredits Calianax and makes the accusation look like senile malice. Calianax is sent away from court and sees no option but to give Melantius the fort after all. M@@lantivis]? threat of violence secures a confession from Bya@méj and she agrees to join the conspiracy. Summoned by the King that night, Evadne ties him to the bed and kills him when he wakes. Melantius retreats to the fort and agrees to come out only once the mew King has granted him a pardon on his own terms. The despairing AlSpatia dresses as a man, visits Amintor, and provokes a fight in which she allows him to give her a fatal wound. Evadne comes to tell Amintor what she has done, but kills herself when he rejects her. On learning that he has killed AlSpatia, the grieving AIMEE takes his own life. Finding him dying, MGIEHTUS too tries to kill himself; he is prevented, but declares his intention to starve himself to death.