Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

BELLANORA

in All Fools

Metadata

PlayAll Fools
Year (catalogued)1605
First performance1605
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeBoys Professional;Professional
CompanyChildren of the Queen's Revels
Theaterbefore the Court;Blackfriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Bell.
Words172
Characters885
Typicality0.40 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA18400
BritDrama no.1448
ClusterCluster 10 — Mourners, mothers & doleful voices

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

That is your fault Gazetta, we have Lou And wish continual company with the . In honoured marriage rites, which you enjoy. But seld or never can we get a look Of those we love, F rtunio my deer Dare not be known to love me, nor come near My Father's house, where I as in a prison Consume my lost days, and the tedious nights, My Father guarding me for one I And Gratiana here my brother's love, Joys him by so much , that vehement fear Drinks up the sweetness of their stolen deligh Where you enloye a husband, and may freely Perform all obsequies you worser e to love. My Father bids you kindly welcome Lady, And therefore you must needs come well to me. Little thinks The mind my thrifty father bears, That I am vo worser to you, and so am bound From him: who for more riches he would force On my disl king fancy. Good Signior Cornelio let us poor Gentlewomen entreat you to forbear.

Plot summary

Plot — All Fools
alerio and Fortunio are both in love, but the strictness of Valerio's father Gostanzo crosses them both: Valerio has married Gratiana in secret and must keep the fact from Gostanzo, who wrongly thinks him a model of virtue; and Fortunio loves Valerio's sister Bellanora but can gain no access to her. Rinaldo resolves both problems by tellingGostanzo thatGratiana is Fortunio's wife and that his father Marc Antonio, angry at not being consulted about the match, has disowned him. Gostanzo offers to take in the 'couple' until Marc Antonio's displeasure passes; there Fortunio will learn from Valerio's good example. However, when he sees Valerio behaving amorously with Gratiana, Gostanzo insists that she leaves. Rinaldo next lodges Gratiana with Marc Antonio, telling him the truth that she is really Valerio's wife and that the story about Fortunio was a blind to gull Gostanzo. Marc Antonio believes this at first, until Gostanzo persuades him otherwise; when Valerio seeks his forgiveness for his secret marriage, he thinks this a device to deceive Marc Antonio, and gives the couple his blessing. Valerio has been made to look a fool when Cornelio and Dariotto persuade him to sing and play for them. He gets even by spreading a rumour that Dariotto has cuckolded Cornelio, who wounds the courtier in reprisal and then sets about divorcing his wife. As he is signing the divorce papers, however, he gets a nosebleed and, thinking it ominous, defers it till the next court day. On being told that the whole affair was a ruse, he tricks the arch-trickster Rinaldo into bringing Gostanzo to the tavern where he sees his son drinking and gambling. He also learns beyond doubt that both his children have married without his consent: Fortunio has taken full advantage of his access to Bellanora. Cornelio is reconciled to his wife, claiming that he merely intended to frighten her with the prospect of divorce (and gave Dariotto the opportunity to cuckold him in order to have grounds). Valerio declares that cuckold's horns are endemic in the present age.