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)
DVL.
Words
267
Characters
1292
Typicality
0.54 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP id
A06289
BritDrama no.
1650
Cluster
Cluster 1 — Wives, widows & intimate counsel
Important excerpts
No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).
Full speech
Madame shall we undress you for this fight, The wars are naked that you must make to night. I should be far merrier Madame, if it were with me As it is with you. That I might go to bed with him with credit that you do. Come Ladies, will you help. And as soon done, Good store of clothes will trouble you at both. Why heres none but we. I by my troth, you hit my thoughts right. Anon you must endure more and lie still, 'Tis best to practice. No faith, this is a trick that I have had Since I was fourteen. Nay now isle keep it till the trick leave me, A dozen wanton words put in your head, Will make you livelier in your husbands bed. Take it Madame, where, We all will take it I hope that are here. So will I make The ablest man in Rhodes or his heart ache. I'll hold your cards against any two I know. Madame weel doo't and make'm leave play too. I will refuse it, She will pluck down aside, she does not use it. You will find the play Quickly, because your head lies well that way. She is in love, hang me if I were so, But I could run my Country I love too, To do those things that people in love do. Thats not so good, let'em shoot any thing but sire, and I feare'm not. Nay let your Lord worser e some. Where's my Lord? Heel find her in the dark. Come Ladies will you go. Exit Aspatia.
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.