Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

LUCIO

in The Opportunity — Shirley, James

Metadata

PlayThe Opportunity
AuthorShirley, James
Year (catalogued)1640
First performance1634
Decade1640s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyQueen Henrietta Maria's Men
TheaterPhoenix/Cockpit;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Luc. | Lu. | Lu:
Words342
Characters1740
Typicality0.31 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA12148
BritDrama no.2455
ClusterCluster 18 — Chronicle statesmen & prelates

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Sir, let my heart present your welcome home, Y'ave been too long a stranger, I am happy To embrace you again. I hope you are not jealous of my friendship, I thought our familiarity before The sad misfortune came that made you banish Your self from Urbino had possessed you thoroughly, How firm I dare be to you. Perhaps in your affection which no art Hath ever made me guilty to deserve, I never did betray my friend to make you Affect these clouds, but be it so. In good time. I will be bold to acquaint some bawd else In whom you have more faith. I'm lost i'th wonder Julio. I have herd of charms and philters. He has a handsome person. Is master of a noble soul. I am confident Thou hast no murmer in thy thoughts against him. Although I honour Borgia And wish him heartily advanced, I wood not Kneel to him, my voice is for Ferrara He is a Prince, I wood not for my state This shod break off his treaty. Come she cannot, Fallen so low, the passion is too violent Enter Ursini, and Ferrara. To last—who are these? Can she be In love so soon, well Borgia, if this Hold, I'll applaud thy fate. Beggars? In being Borgias friend It will become us. How not your duty Sir? We have said nothing to afflict you thus, We did expect this wood have made you merry. Preferment? 'tis too poor a word. Have you sense And talk thus wildly. The riddles you have told me. Do you count Your son lost by the Duchess loving him? I think the old men mad indeed, Dear Madam Laura, Then I can walk and wait on you. What do you mean my Lord? Have patience, and we do not, we have altered Our opinions, and are clear of your side now. Hear us Sir. Did not I say he was mad? Are you in earnest. You must be Duke of Ferrara. He preferred him First to her highness.

Plot summary

Plot — The Opportunity
Arriving in Urbino for the first time, Aurelio is surprised to find the inhabitants greeting him as a long-lost friend. It turns out that he looks identical to Borgia, who had been banished for killing the brother of Ursini, a court favourite. Accepted by Borgia’s father Mercutio, he seizes his opportunity and steps into his alter-ego’s shoes. They are summoned to court, where Ursini, in love with Borgia’s sister Cornelia, has procured a pardon for Borgia in order to gain the family’s favour. Complications arise when Aurelio falls in love with Cornelia himself, while the Duchess falls in love with him and appoints him her secretary. Aurelio decides to keep his options open, maintains his assumed identity, and pursues both ladies, circumventing any suspicion of incest by telling Cornelia that he is acting on Aurelio’s behalf: Aurelio fell for her on seeing her picture, he says, and engaged him to woo her. Other suitors have come to woo the Duchess, including the Duke of Ferrara, posing as his own ambassador; he takes offence at the favours shown to ‘Borgia’. There is a mix-up in the dark: posing as the Duchess, Cornelia tells ‘Borgia’ that she will marry Ferrara; then the Duchess arrives; ‘Borgia’ takes her for Cornelia, and, on hearing she is to marry Ursini, admits his true identity. Having overheard Cornelia’s comments, Ferrara arrives in Urbino in his own person to claim the Duchess as his bride, but she denies ever promising herself to him. Aurelio’s servant Pimponio poses as another potential suitor to the Duchess. Initially he pretends to be a Spanish don, but is advised to adopt an Italian identity instead when he is introduced at court. He duly claims to be the Duke of Ferrara, which infuriates the real Duke further. ‘Borgia’ asks the Duchess directly whether she loves him. She tartly reminds him of the unbridgeable distance between them, then dictates him a love-letter to be delivered to the person who loves her best, asking the recipient to come to an assignation in the garden. Discouraged, Aurelio gives the letter to Ferrara, but then realizes that the Duchess meant it for him. She sets Mercutio to guard the garden gate and let in none but ‘Borgia’, but he mistakenly admits Ferrara instead. Realizing that he has lost his opportunity to court the Duchess, Aurelio turns his attentions to Cornelia; but his friend Pisauro, eager to get the girl for himself, tells her that ‘Borgia’ is incestuously in love with her, and will claim, untruthfully, that…