Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

1 OFFICER

in The Revenger's Tragedy — Middleton, Thomas

Metadata

PlayThe Revenger's Tragedy
AuthorMiddleton, Thomas
Year (catalogued)1607
First performance1606
Decade1600s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
Speech prefix(es)1. Offi. | 1. Off. | 1. Off
Words189
Characters1023
Typicality0.26 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA13843
BritDrama no.1520
ClusterCluster 14 — Law & judgment

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

It must and shall my Lord—this morning then, So suddenly? You must pardon us my Lord, Our Office must be found, here is our warrant The signet from the Duke, you must straight suffer. A trick my Lord? if you expect such comfort, Your Hope's as fruitless as a barren woman: Your brother's were the unhappy messengers, That brought this powerful token for your death. My Lord, They're far enough by this, at least at Court, And this most strict command they left behind e'm, When grief swum in their eyes, they showed Like brother's, Brimful of heavy sorrow: but the Duke Must have his pleasure. Troth you say true my Lord we take our leaves, Our Office shall be found, weel not delay, The third partly of a minute. It shall be done my Lord. These were their last words which my memory bears, Commend us to the Scaffold in our tears. It says true in that sir, for you must suffer presently. The hour beckons us, The headsman waits, lift up your eyes to heaven. Come 'tis no time to curse. Weel weep and do your commendations,

Plot summary

Plot — The Revenger's Tragedy
Nine years ago, the DUKE poisoned Gl@fiana when she refused to submit to his sexual advances; Windies has preserved her skull. HippOlit6 is given the task of recruiting a pander for the Duke’s son [iisstinioso, and brings Mimdiee, his brother, to court in disguise. The object of seduction turns out to be their sister, @AStiZa. Vindice undertakes the task, incognito as the pander (Piato’; he is delighted at Castiza’s outraged rejection, but less pleased at their mother’s venal readiness to countenance a liaison between her daughter and the heir apparent. ‘Piato’ reports this limited success back to Lussurioso. The Prince changes his initial plans to visit Castiza that night when he learns of a chance to catch his bastard brother Spud in bed with the DweHessl However, Spurio has changed his plans too, in the expectation of catching Lussurioso in the act of raping Castiza; so when Lussurioso bursts in on the Duchess with his sword drawn, it is the Duke who is with her, and he is arrested. Two of the Duchess’s sons plead insincerely for their stepbrother’s release, and put their pleas into reverse when the Duke, recognizing their malice, agrees to pardon him. Finally, without their knowledge, he sends order for Lussurioso to be freed. Meanwhile, the Duchess’s younger son, Jaimi6r has raped Ammtonio'siwifé at a recent court masque. He is tried and convicted for the crime, but the Duke defers sentencing until a later date. The victim poisons herself in shame; and a group of lords, including Hippolito, decide to take the law into their own hands should the Duke grant a reprieve. AlbiHOS6 and Sipenvaeuo use the Duke’s signet to order Lussurioso’s immediate execution, not knowing that he has already been released; in consequence it is Jiii6r who is beheaded. His brothers receive the severed head and are busy congratulating themselves on their stratagem when [bussurioss arrives, with his head still on. The Duke engages ‘Piato’ to get him a girl in secret. Waimedice arranges the assignation at a place where the Duchess and Spurid have agreed to meet. The ‘lady’ is also not what the Duke expects: Gléfianasiskull The Duke kisses the skull and is poisoned by it; the last thing he sees is the Duchess and Spurio together. Later, the brothers violently force their mother to repent; (Castiza then tests her by pretending to agree to sex with Lussurioso. Dissatisfied with ‘Piato’, IGSSii0sS6 asks Hippolito to bring his brother Vindice to court as a replacement; his first…