Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

DUARTE

in The Cruel Brother — Davenant, William

Metadata

PlayThe Cruel Brother
AuthorDavenant, William
Year (catalogued)1630
First performance1627
Decade1630s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
TheaterBlackfriars;Indoor Professional
Speech prefix(es)Dua. | Duar. | Duarte.
Words161
Characters826
Typicality0.17 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA19876
BritDrama no.2202
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

Please your Ladyship to fit, Il'e tell her so. She's come already. I shall. Madam, my Lord is near at hand. No, but she did not. Nay, I know not. But since she was no more Pliant; it does repent me much, I'ere Was instrument to his other actions. And do not I know: there is difference In workmen as in wax. Hard wax (when cold) Accepts of no impression. By coldness I in far chastity: for chastity Is cold, You presume much, on and easy nature; And how extravagant you are abroad; I am not so unkind to question. In troth you do abuse her then; I'm sure Her shrieks did scare my heart up to my lips. I wonder, it wakened not the whole house. Good Madam, your Conscience is too bold: It troubles you too much. Dismise't: think, That other Ladys have offended more. Or let my sin no mercy find in Heaven, No pity here on Earth.

Plot summary

Plot — The Cruel Brother
As a favour to Lucio, to whom he is devoted, the Duke appoints the low-born Foreste his secretary, the first port of call for ali suitors seeking monopolies and preferment. Lucio also wants to marry Foreste’s sister, 1627 Corsa, arguing that she is ennobled by her virtue, though not her ancestry. He goes through with the marriage secretly, without the Duke’s permission; but the Duke is impressed by Corsa when they are introduced, and has her brought to court so that the marriage can be properly celebrated with masques and revels. Foreste humiliates the satirist Castruccio, but his elevation to the secretaryship prevents Castruccio from challenging him to a duel. The poet initially takes a literary revenge, but, when the Duke asks about his satires, he is too cowardly to admit that Foreste is the target. The rustic Lothario comes to court, dressing foppishly in the hope of becoming a ducal favourite. Castruccio persuades him that his lack of success is Foreste’s fault. Lothario accosts Foreste offensively and finds himself imprisoned in a tiny cell. The Duke’s real intention in bringing Corsa to court is to seduce her. He engages Foreste’s wife as an unwitting go-between, then sends Lucio away overnight on a diplomatic mission. With Castruccio’s assistance, he visits Corsa, and rapes her. Foreste learns of the rape and slits the dishonoured Corsa’s wrist; she bleeds to death. On his return, Lucio takes a more lenient view than Foreste — he places more weight on the compulsion than the sexual penetration — but both agree to take revenge on the Duke, and visit him in bed. In the end, they decide to spare him, but he has already arranged assassins to dispose of them: the job was given to Castruccio, who subcontracted it to Lothario. Lothario kills the Duke by mistake; Castruccio and his accomplice kill him, then finish the job by killing Foreste and Lucio. The conspirators are kept alive to answer questions, and then suffer a death of exemplary horribleness.