Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

EMULO

in Patient Grissel — Dekker, Thomas; Chettle, Henry; Haughton, William

Metadata

PlayPatient Grissel
AuthorDekker, Thomas; Chettle, Henry; Haughton, William
Year (catalogued)1603
First performance1600
Decade1600s
GenreComedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyAdmiral's (Nottingham's) Men
Speech prefix(es)Emu. | Emu
Words223
Characters1269
Typicality0.15 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA20077
BritDrama no.1230
ClusterCluster 7 — Pedants, satyrs & Latin wit

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Sir Owen I protest to you, the magnitude of my condole meant, hath been elevated the higher to see you and my self, two gentlemen. Good friend I am not in the Negative, be not so Capricious, you misprize me, my collocution to ̄ death to S. Owens dignifiing. Most true. I bought them of a penurious Cordwainer, & they are the most incongruent that ere I beware. Would would, well Gentlemen I have other projects beckon for me, I must disgress from this bias, and leave you: accept I beseeeh you of this vulgar and domestic compliment. Sir Owen and Signiors both, do not expatiate my obloquy, my love shall be so fast conglutinated to you. I'll not digest this pill, Signiors adieu. You are Fastidious and I banish you. Exit Emulo. My opinion is I shall never recuperate the le gittimate office of this member my arm. O patience be thou my fortification: Italy thou spurnest me for uttering that nutriment, which I sucked from Thee. I cannot conceit this rawness: Italy farewell, Italians adue. A virtuous soul abhors to dwell with you. Exit. Not so tempestuous sweet knight: though to my disconsolation, I will obliuionize my love to the welch widow, and do here proclaim my delinquishment, but sweet Signior be not to Diogenicall to me, Sweet and accomplished Signiors.

Plot summary

Plot — Patient Grissel
Gwaltef has vowed to choose a wife. On the day of decision, he goes hunting instead, but leads his companions to the low-born (GHiSSil] whom he has been wooing in secret. D@WFe6) Grissil’s brother, comes home from university in poverty, but he and his father become courtiers after Gwalter and Grissil are married. Grissil becomes pregnant. Gwalter’s subjects object to his marrying beneath him. Though obsessively uxorious, he is determined to test her patience, and attempts to humiliate her by making her tie a servant’s shoe; she complies without protest. He then banishes her family from court; again she accepts this patiently. She gives birth to a twin son and daughter, and Gwalter has the babies taken away from her: they are sent to PaWia to be looked after by his brother, and Grissil is expelled from court. She ===== PAGE 196 ===== GRISSIL, Janicola’s daughter, Laureo’s sister: later Gwalter’s wife and mother of Prince Gwalter and the Princess; also called Lady Grissil returns to her father’s house, and Gwalter sends Fan to tell her she will never see her children again; he watches the conversation in disguise, and BABULO, Janicola’s man; formerly a traveller ‘accidentally’ drops a piece of gold to ensure that Master LAUREO, a poor young scholar; Janicola’s son, she will not starve. In the sub-plot, Eiiul6 and Siff{Oweni are rivals for Grissil’s brother; later uncle of Grissil’s children Two LapIgs attending Gwalter (sc.2, non-speaking) the Welsh widow GwWénthian, while others compete for - Gwalter’s sister, Jiilia. Emulo challenges Sir Owen toa = ATTENDANTS on Gwalter (sc.2, 5, non-speaking) duel, but then tries to back out of it; his later account of the duel is met with disbelief. Sir Owen marries Gwenthian, and she turns out to be a shrew. He asks Gwaltéf for advice on how to tame her, and is told to cut six osier twigs; Gwalter takes three and Sir Owen SIR OWEN ap Meredith, a Welsh knight; later keeps the others. Later, when Gwalter visits Sir Owen for dinner, GWénthiaW ruins the occasion: she has Gwenthian’s husband and Gwalter’s kinsman; also called Sir Meredith and Sir Owen Meredith allowed beggars to eat all the food, and turns up dressed in rags as a protest after Sir Owen tore the Lady GWENTHIAN, a Welsh widow, Gwalter’s kinswoman by marriage; later Sir Owen’s wife rebato she had bought. Gwalt@r spreads rumours that he plans to marry ONOPHRIO, a gentleman and a bachelor; also called Onophry again, and summons Grissil and her family to attend…