Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

GENTLEMAN

in A Yorkshire Tragedy — Middleton, Thomas

Metadata

PlayA Yorkshire Tragedy
AuthorMiddleton, Thomas
Year (catalogued)1608
First performance1606
Decade1600s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
TheaterGlobe;Outdoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Gen. | Gent. | Ge.
Words369
Characters1941
Typicality0.26 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA12030
BritDrama no.1484a
ClusterCluster 17 — Intriguers & schemers

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Well or ill met I care not. I am come with confidence to chide you. Strike thine own folly, for it is they Deserve to be well beaten, we are now in private, Ther's none but thou and I? thou'rt found & peevish, And unclean ryoter, thy lands and Credit Lie now both sick of a consumption I am sorry for thee: that man spends with shame That with his riches does consume his name: And such art thou. No thou shalt hear me further: Thy father's and forefathers worthy honours, Which were our country monuments: our grace, Follies in thee begin now to deface: The spring time of thy youth did fairly promise such a most fruitful summer to thy friends It scarce can enter into men's beliefs, Such dearth should hang on thee, we that see it, Are sorry to believe it: in thy change, This voice into all places will be hurled: thou and the devil has deceived the world. but of all the worst: Thy virtuous wife right honourably allied Thou hast proclaimed a strumpet. O ignoble thought. I am passed my patient blood, shall I stand idle and see my reputation touched to death. No monster, I will prove My thoughts did only tend to virtuous love, Love of her virtues? there it goes: Base spirit, To lay thy hate upon the fruitful They fight and the Husbands hurt Honour of thine own bed. I hope nor never shall do. Fight again. No plain and right. He needs no cunning that for truth does fight. Now sir you lie at mercy, See her she comes of her self, Woult thou yield it yet? Alas that hate should bring us to our graven: You see my sword's not thirsty for your life, I am sorrier for your woonde then your self, You're of a virtuous house, show virtuous deeds 'Tis not your honour, 'tis your folly bleeds, Much good has been expected in your life, Cancel not all men's Hope's, you have a wife Kind and obedient: heap not wrongful shame On her your posterity, let only sin be soar, And by this fallen, rise never to fallen more And so I leave you. Exit

Plot summary

Plot — A Yorkshire Tragedy
News arrives from London that a young woman's absent lover has married somebody else. It was a lucky escape for her: he has turned out to be a wastrel and a gambler, has got into debt, and is treating his wife badly; he will not listen to remonstrance and responds ungratefully to attempts to help him. An appeal by the Master of his brother's college, made after the brother is imprisoned for his debts, finally makes him realize what his prodigality has cost his family and descendants. Stricken with remorse, he takes command of his fate by murdering his son and heir, then assaulti