in The Maid's Tragedy — Beaumont, Francis; Fletcher, John
Metadata
Play
The Maid's Tragedy
Author
Beaumont, Francis; Fletcher, John
Year (catalogued)
1619
First performance
1610
Decade
1610s
Genre
Tragedy
Play type
Adult Professional
Company
King's Men
Theater
Blackfriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)
DIPH. | Diph. | DIP.
Words
395
Characters
2046
Typicality
0.22 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A06289
BritDrama no.
1650
Cluster
Cluster 21 — Old fathers & plain counsel
Important excerpts
Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 21 (gar, shillings, alii, yongrave, ogenes, nat…). Matches are highlighted.
you, Does this become our strain. Whats that? Then I had lost, I was about to lay, you had not God her maiden head to night. What should I be then by the course of nature, They having both robbed me of so much virtue. Sister, Dula swears she herd you cry two rooms off.
Full speech
You are brother to the King my Lord, we'll take your word. Hail worthy brother, He that reioyces not at your return In saferie, is mine enemy for ever. My noble brother my excuse Is my Kings straight command, which you my Lord Can witness with me. Have you herd of it. This day? 'Tis true, but And so it stood, In all opinion long, but your arrival Made me imagine you had herd the change. Our brides must take their morning's rest, The night is troublesome. What ods, he has not my sisters maidenhead to night. You're merry with my sister, you'll please to all low me the same freedom with your mother. Then she's merry enough of herself, she needs no tickling, knock at the door. No matter they have the year before them, good morrow sister, spare your self to day, the night will come again. Enter Amintor. You look as you had lost your eyes to night, I think you would not slept. You have done better then. Oh sister what have you done. With a truth. Lets see you walk. I'll marry if it will make one thus Yonder has been such laughing. Why our sister and the King, I thought their spleens would break, They laughed us all out of the room. Must they? You should not, I would first mangle my self & find it. You do wrong us both, People hereafter shall not say there passed A bound more then our loves to tie our lives And death's together. But I will tell you now, weel right our selves. This were a night indeed to do it in, The King hath sent for her. Would you God that? With a confidence as great as his. He's finely wrought. Exeunt Call. Diph. I fear not, My spirit lies not that way. Courage Callianax. You disclaimed us all but now Callianax. O brother here lies your sister slain, You lose your self in sorrow there. Hold Brother. Fie how unmanly was this offer in you, Does this become our strain. Whats that? Then I had lost, I was about to lay, you had not God her maiden head to night. What should I be then by the course of nature, They having both robbed me of so much virtue. Sister, Dula swears she herd you cry two rooms off.
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.