The Maid's Revenge
Encyclopedia
The Maid's Revenge is an early Caroline era stage the play, the earliest extant tragedy
by James Shirley
. It was first published in 1639
.
The Maid's Revenge was licensed for performance by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of the Revels
, on February 9, 1626
. It was the second of Shirley's plays to be produced (after Love Tricks
in 1625
). The play was acted by Queen Henrietta's Men
at the Cockpit Theatre
, as were most of Shirley's plays in this era. The 1639 quarto
was issued by the bookseller William Cooke
, and was dedicated by Shirley to Henry Osborne, esq.
Shirley based his plot on the seventh story in the collection by John Reynolds
called The Triumphs of God's Revenge Against the Crying and Execrable Sin of Murder.
Critics have been divided on the merits of the play. Schelling, who judged it positively, described it as "a tragedy of much promise, full of swift action, capably plotted, and fluently and lucidly written." The play was revived on the stage during the Restoration
era.
Catalina discovers that she has been fooled and used; she locks up her sister and arranges for her to be kidnapped and poisoned. But Antonio discovers the plot and is able to forestall it; he rescues Berinthia and takes her to his castle. Sebastiano comes to demand satisfaction, but finds Antonio's explanation acceptable. His own motives are complicated: he stays to court Castabella.
The vengeful Catalina demands revenge, though, and persuades her father: Gaspar orders his son Sebastiano to kill Antonio. Though the two young men remain friends and are engaged to each others' sisters, the demands of the aristocratic code of honor are inescapable. They duel, and Antonio is slain. Vengeance appears to run in Gaspar's family: Berinthia, mourning her lost love, embarks on revenge of her own. She stabs her brother Sebastiano, poisons her sister Catalina, and then stabs herself.
Like most tragedies of the era, The Maid's Revenge leavens its tragic plot with some comic materials, including the Count de Montenegro, the type of comic suitor that is a staple of Shirley's drama.
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
by James Shirley
James Shirley
James Shirley was an English dramatist.He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so much for any transcendent genius in himself, as that he was the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly...
. It was first published in 1639
1639 in literature
The year 1639 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*May 21 - The King's Men act John Fletcher's The Mad Lover.*Blaise Pascal's family move to Rouen.*François de La Mothe-Le-Vayer is elected to the Académie Française....
.
The Maid's Revenge was licensed for performance by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of the Revels
Master of the Revels
The Master of the Revels was a position within the English, and later the British, royal household heading the "Revels Office" or "Office of the Revels" that originally had responsibilities for overseeing royal festivities, known as revels, and later also became responsible for stage censorship,...
, on February 9, 1626
1626 in literature
The year 1626 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Izaak Walton marries Rachel Floud.*John Beaumont is made a baronet.-New books:*Francis Bacon - The New Atlantis*Robert Fludd - Philosophia Sacra...
. It was the second of Shirley's plays to be produced (after Love Tricks
Love Tricks
Love Tricks, or The School of Complement is a Caroline stage play by James Shirley, his earliest known work.-Performance:Love Tricks was licensed for performance by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of the Revels, on February 10, 1625; it was performed by the Lady Elizabeth's Men at the Cockpit Theatre...
in 1625
1625 in literature
The year 1625 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*January 1 - The King's Men act Henry IV, Part 1 at Whitehall Palace....
). The play was acted by Queen Henrietta's Men
Queen Henrietta's Men
Queen Henrietta's Men was an important playing company or troupe of actors in Caroline era London. At their peak of popularity, Queen Henrietta's Men were the second leading troupe of the day, after only the King's Men.-Beginnings:...
at the Cockpit Theatre
Cockpit Theatre
The Cockpit was a theatre in London, operating from 1616 to around 1665. It was the first theatre to be located near Drury Lane. After damage in 1617, it was christened The Phoenix....
, as were most of Shirley's plays in this era. The 1639 quarto
Book size
The size of a book is generally measured by the height against the width of a leaf, or sometimes the height and width of its cover. A series of terms is commonly used by libraries and publishers for the general sizes of modern books, ranging from "folio" , to "quarto" and "octavo"...
was issued by the bookseller William Cooke
Andrew Crooke and William Cooke
Andrew Crooke and William Cooke were London publishers of the mid-17th-century. In partnership and individually, they issued significant texts of English Renaissance drama, most notably of the plays of James Shirley....
, and was dedicated by Shirley to Henry Osborne, esq.
Shirley based his plot on the seventh story in the collection by John Reynolds
John Reynolds (merchant)
John Reynolds was an English merchant from Exeter, known as a writer. He produced a series of violent stories around marriage, adultery and murder; and also political writings that caused him to be imprisoned.-Life:...
called The Triumphs of God's Revenge Against the Crying and Execrable Sin of Murder.
Critics have been divided on the merits of the play. Schelling, who judged it positively, described it as "a tragedy of much promise, full of swift action, capably plotted, and fluently and lucidly written." The play was revived on the stage during the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
era.
Synopsis
The setting is Avero in Portugal; the story involves two noble families. An elderly lord, Gaspar de Vilarezo, has a son, Sebastiano, and two daughters, Catalina and Berinthia. Their contemporaries are Antonio and his sister Castabella; Sebastiano and Antonio are close friends. Antonio is in love with Berinthia; but old lord Gaspar believes that his elder daughter Catalina must be married before the younger can entertain a suitor. Antonio, therefore, pretends to be courting Catalina so that he can see Berinthia — and Catalina falls for her apparent suitor.Catalina discovers that she has been fooled and used; she locks up her sister and arranges for her to be kidnapped and poisoned. But Antonio discovers the plot and is able to forestall it; he rescues Berinthia and takes her to his castle. Sebastiano comes to demand satisfaction, but finds Antonio's explanation acceptable. His own motives are complicated: he stays to court Castabella.
The vengeful Catalina demands revenge, though, and persuades her father: Gaspar orders his son Sebastiano to kill Antonio. Though the two young men remain friends and are engaged to each others' sisters, the demands of the aristocratic code of honor are inescapable. They duel, and Antonio is slain. Vengeance appears to run in Gaspar's family: Berinthia, mourning her lost love, embarks on revenge of her own. She stabs her brother Sebastiano, poisons her sister Catalina, and then stabs herself.
Like most tragedies of the era, The Maid's Revenge leavens its tragic plot with some comic materials, including the Count de Montenegro, the type of comic suitor that is a staple of Shirley's drama.
Sources
- Forsythe, Robert Stanley. The Relations of Shirley's Plays to the Elizabethan Drama. New York, Columbia University Press, 1914.
- Nason, Arthur Huntington. James Shirley, Dramatist: A Biographical and Critical Study. New York, 1915; reprinted New York, Benjamin Blom, 1967.
- Schelling, Felix Emmanuel. Elizabethan Drama 1558–1642. 2 Volumes, Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1908.