237:, one of her suitors, goes so far as to try to kidnap her, the Duchess's guards drive his party off by force. Belvidere is then lodged in the duchy's fortress, where she can be protected; but she is now isolated from Silvio and other would-be suitors. Silvio exploits a family connection – the wife of the citadel's keeper is his aunt – to meet his beloved; but he is caught and brought before the angry Duchess. (As a mere private gentleman, Silvio is not considered a fit partner for the duchy's heir.) Silvio faces a penalty of death; but the two lovers compete to claim responsibility before the council that tries Silvio, leaving the judges confused. The Duchess decides to be merciful, and banishes Silvio for a year; she furthermore gives Silvio a chance at marrying Belvidere – if he can solve the riddle she poses him.
260:
who secured the victory with the bejeweled cameo portrait of
Belvidere that he took from the Duke of Siena. When he reveals his identity, however, the Duchess is ready to have him executed. Silvio reminds the Duchess of their riddle bargain; and she, confident of her position, allows him to venture a solution – which Belvidere has provided him.
344:
connection between main plot and subplot); the second and more serious seducer is a handsome young gallant who calls himself "Rugio." Rugio has a servant named Soto who provides much of the play's comic material. (Soto is a stock thin-man or "lean fool" figure, common in the dramas of the King's Men; see the entry on
329:
lesson; SIlvio, though tortured by his apparent fate, proves to be a man of honor and agrees to the marriage...which turns out perfectly well once
Belvidere reveals her true identity. The Duchess consoles the disappointed Duke of Siena by marrying him herself; in the end, both mother and daughter are "women pleased."
147:, another dependable resource. Scholars attribute the play to Fletcher alone, since his characteristic pattern of stylistic and textual preferences is continuous throughout the text; but some critics favor the view that the extant text is a revision by Fletcher of an earlier play of his own authorship. See his
328:
In producing the correct answer, Silvio has won...but no one knows the whereabouts of
Belvidere. The old Sibyl throws another twist into the plot: she demands, as her "boon," that Silvio marry her. The Duchess and the Duke of Siena are delighted at this twist, feeling that Silvio is being taught his
259:
The old Sibyl (Belvidere in disguise) advises Silvio to turn himself in to the
Duchess's authorities; she assures him that she will preserve him and unite him with Belvidere, and in gratitude he promises to grant whatever "boon" she shall ask of him. Silvio arrives at court, and proves he is the man
348:
for details.) The subplot features the elements typical of its kind of humor, with characters hiding behind tapestries and even up chimneys to avoid discovery. In the end, Isabella seems tempted by Rugio but stands firm as a chaste wife; and Rugio reveals himself to be
Isabella's brother Claudio in
343:
The play's subplot involves that staple of comedy, a rich old miser married to a beautiful young wife. Lopez, a "sordid userer," is jealous of his wife
Isabella, who is pursued by two would-be seducer/adulterers; one is the elderly Bartello, the commander of the city's fortress (who supplies a
244:. (In the process, Belvidere discovers the riddle and its answer from her mother.) Before the arranged marriage can take place, however, Belvidere vanishes from the court. The Duke of Siena, feeling he's been played for a fool, withdraws in anger and prepares a military response.
263:
The play's riddle is a version of one that recurs through traditional literature and folklore; in its simplest form, the riddle's question is "What does a woman want?" The play states its version of the riddle in verse, and adds an ironic and contradictory twist to it:
138:
for the riddle which Silvio is set to solve by the
Duchess within a year's time as well as Belvidere's disguise as an old hag and demand to marry him as boon for providing him with the answer to the riddle. Fletcher drew material for the subplot from three tales in the
247:
Silvio wanders about the country in disguise; he consults "Diviners, dreamers, schoolmen, deep magicians" in search of an answer to the
Duchess's riddle, but without much success. In the countryside, he falls in with a set of farm people and
233:, the play focuses its main plot on the love match between its protagonists, Silvio and Belvidere. Belvidere is the daughter and only child of the reigning Duchess, and so a highly desirable marital partner; when the Duke of
256:. The old woman, in fact, is Belvidere in disguise. She advises Silvio to join the fight against the invading Duke of Siena; he does so, and becomes the great hero of the Florentine victory when he captures the Duke.
340:
is a convert to
Puritanism who refuses the role on religious grounds; there is a good deal of ridiculous back-and-forth, attacking and defending "This beast of Babylon...The hopeful hobby horse.")
289:
The answer to the traditional riddle is that "A woman wants to have her will" – in modern terms, to have her own way. The play is faithful to its folklore source:
505:
369:, are not unhappily wedded together into an entertainment which could not but have been very effective in the hands of a skillful troupe." So thought
240:
With Silvio gone, Belvidere pretends to be cured of her infatuation with him; she seems to acquiesce to her mother's plan to marry her to the Duke of
627:
336:
who were hostile to stage plays and to traditional celebrations of many types, including Morris dancing. The dancer who was set to dance the
1216:
989:
498:
349:
disguise. The subplot constitutes one of the "chastity tests" that are such a regular and striking feature in
Fletcher's plays.
875:
100:
491:
1201:
61:
403:
The Later Jacobean and Caroline Dramatists: A Survey and Bibliography of Recent Studies in English Renaissance Drama,
620:
105:
two other Fletcherian plays of the same era. The inclusion of Taylor dates the play after the March 1619 death of
1125:
53:
25:
52:
The play's date is uncertain; it is usually assigned to the 1619–23 period by scholars. It was acted by the
1130:
37:
1120:
965:
826:
696:
157:
shares a plot point (the heroine dressing up as an old woman to influence the plot) that also occurs in
535:
130:
33:
483:
214:
1054:
854:
847:
728:
94:
1158:
1044:
882:
791:
471:
370:
173:
89:
1080:
117:
As he often did, Fletcher depended on a Spanish source for the plot of his play; in this case,
81:
77:
361:
is an excellent example of Fletcher's composite art, whereby tragicomedy and a variety of the
1096:
1007:
941:
896:
682:
575:
515:
1211:
1206:
1034:
972:
812:
735:
8:
979:
868:
798:
710:
555:
392:
ed. Theresa M. Krier, Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 1998; pp. 191–2.
194:
889:
819:
805:
742:
689:
675:
661:
654:
218:
202:
178:
159:
144:
73:
57:
41:
1140:
1088:
1024:
1000:
910:
777:
703:
362:
171:
In subject matter and source material, Fletcher's play parallels the anonymous drama
1167:
1135:
1017:
948:
668:
565:
542:
528:
153:
for a comparable case of Fletcher revising himself. He also borrowed from himself:
126:
1072:
756:
647:
337:
149:
106:
85:
65:
252:; he also meets an old woman who claims special insight, and who he considers a
955:
903:
585:
570:
122:
56:; the cast list added to the play in the second Beaumont and Fletcher folio of
1195:
861:
763:
560:
206:
918:
590:
550:
249:
198:
125:
supplied part of the main plot. He also appears to have been influenced by
770:
29:
580:
513:
345:
69:
332:(The scenes in the country provide an element of satire against the
230:
427:
Chapel Hill, NC, University of North Carolina Press, 1939; p. 218.
749:
333:
449:
New York, Modern Language Association of America, 1937; p. 144.
478:
2 Volumes, Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1908; Vol. 2, pp. 209–10.
366:
253:
241:
234:
181:. It is unclear which play had priority over the other.
405:
Lincoln, NE, University of Nebraska Press, 1978; p. 50.
1184:† = Not published in the Beaumont and Fletcher folios
209:
would borrow from Fletcher's play for his pantomime
460:
John Fletcher's Chastity Plays: Mirrors of Modesty,
1193:
462:Lewisburg, PA, Bucknell University Press, 1973.
373:; other critics have been less complimentary.
628:The Masque of the Inner Temple and Gray's Inn
499:
425:Studies in Beaumont, Fletcher, and Massinger.
401:Terence P. Logan and Denzell S. Smith, eds.,
990:Four Plays, or Moral Representations, in One
506:
492:
47:
1194:
317:Yet when they have it, they abuse it,
487:
390:Refiguring Chaucer in the Renaissance
36:that was originally published in the
1040:with Massinger, Chapman & Jonson
1217:Plays by John Fletcher (playwright)
13:
1050:with Massinger, Ford & Webster
388:Helen Cooper, "Jacobean Chaucer",
278:Yet having what they most desire,
14:
1228:
38:first Beaumont and Fletcher folio
621:The Knight of the Burning Pestle
320:For they know not how to use it.
270:Tell me what is that only thing
414:Logan and Smith, pp. 50 and 73.
312:They desire to have their will;
189:Like many of Fletcher's plays,
465:
452:
439:
430:
417:
408:
395:
382:
352:
1:
1162:(Shakespeare & Fletcher?)
937:with Beaumont & Massinger
476:Elizabethan Drama, 1558–1642.
376:
184:
177:, which was first printed in
112:
1131:Beaumont and Fletcher folios
436:Logan and Smith, pp. 210–12.
92:– the same cast list as for
7:
1121:English Renaissance theatre
827:Rule a Wife and Have a Wife
281:To have it does them wrong.
224:
10:
1233:
961:with Massinger & Field
365:, trespassing on absolute
1202:English Renaissance plays
1182:
1149:
1111:
1064:
928:
876:The Custom of the Country
836:
720:
637:
612:
599:
523:
447:David Garrick, Dramatist.
273:For which all women long;
101:The Custom of the Country
1084:(Middleton & Rowley)
1055:The Fair Maid of the Inn
966:The Honest Man's Fortune
855:The Little French Lawyer
729:The Faithful Shepherdess
95:The Little French Lawyer
1159:The History of Cardenio
1045:Rollo, Duke of Normandy
792:The Humorous Lieutenant
472:Felix Emanuel Schelling
193:was revived during the
174:Swetnam the Woman-Hater
164:in a way that suggests
131:The Wife of Bath's Tale
1081:Wit at Several Weapons
201:saw it on 26 December
1008:The Two Noble Kinsmen
942:Thierry and Theodoret
516:Beaumont and Fletcher
458:Nancy Cotton Pearse,
168:is the earlier work.
16:Play by John Fletcher
1035:The Maid in the Mill
973:The Queen of Corinth
883:The Lovers' Progress
813:The Wild Goose Chase
445:Elizabeth P. Stein,
136:The Canterbury Tales
48:Date and performance
1171:(possibly based on
980:The Knight of Malta
869:The Double Marriage
799:The Island Princess
711:The Noble Gentleman
556:William Shakespeare
890:The Spanish Curate
820:A Wife for a Month
690:A King and No King
683:The Maid's Tragedy
423:Maxwell, Baldwin.
303:...in good or ill,
127:Geoffrey Chaucer's
119:Grisel y Mirabella
74:William Ecclestone
28:era stage play, a
1189:
1188:
1141:Humphrey Robinson
1107:
1106:
1089:The Laws of Candy
1025:Wit Without Money
911:The Elder Brother
778:The Loyal Subject
736:The Woman's Prize
704:The Scornful Lady
697:Love's Pilgrimage
363:comedy of manners
211:A Christmas Tale,
1224:
1168:Double Falsehood
1136:Humphrey Moseley
1018:The Night Walker
995:with Shakespeare
610:
609:
566:Thomas Middleton
543:Philip Massinger
529:Francis Beaumont
508:
501:
494:
485:
484:
479:
469:
463:
456:
450:
443:
437:
434:
428:
421:
415:
412:
406:
399:
393:
386:
1232:
1231:
1227:
1226:
1225:
1223:
1222:
1221:
1192:
1191:
1190:
1185:
1178:
1145:
1114:and publication
1113:
1103:
1073:The Nice Valour
1060:
930:
924:
838:
832:
757:Monsieur Thomas
716:
655:Cupid's Revenge
648:The Woman Hater
639:
633:
605:
603:
601:
595:
519:
512:
482:
470:
466:
457:
453:
444:
440:
435:
431:
422:
418:
413:
409:
400:
396:
387:
383:
379:
355:
227:
187:
150:Monsieur Thomas
115:
107:Richard Burbage
90:Thomas Holcombe
86:Robert Benfield
66:Nicholas Tooley
50:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1230:
1220:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1187:
1186:
1183:
1180:
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1177:
1176:
1163:
1153:
1151:
1147:
1146:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1117:
1115:
1109:
1108:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1101:
1097:The Coronation
1093:
1085:
1077:
1068:
1066:
1062:
1061:
1059:
1058:
1051:
1048:
1041:
1038:
1031:
1028:
1021:
1014:
1011:
1004:
996:
993:
986:
983:
976:
969:
962:
959:
952:
945:
938:
934:
932:
926:
925:
923:
922:
914:
907:
904:The Sea Voyage
900:
897:The Prophetess
893:
886:
879:
872:
865:
858:
851:
842:
840:
834:
833:
831:
830:
823:
816:
809:
802:
795:
788:
781:
774:
767:
760:
753:
746:
739:
732:
724:
722:
718:
717:
715:
714:
707:
700:
693:
686:
679:
672:
665:
658:
651:
643:
641:
635:
634:
632:
631:
624:
616:
614:
607:
597:
596:
594:
593:
588:
586:George Chapman
583:
578:
573:
571:William Rowley
568:
563:
558:
553:
547:
546:
539:
532:
524:
521:
520:
511:
510:
503:
496:
488:
481:
480:
464:
451:
438:
429:
416:
407:
394:
380:
378:
375:
354:
351:
326:
325:
324:
323:
322:
321:
315:
314:
313:
310:
309:
308:
307:
306:
305:
304:
287:
286:
285:
284:
283:
282:
276:
275:
274:
250:morris dancers
226:
223:
186:
183:
123:Juan de Flores
114:
111:
82:Richard Sharpe
78:John Underwood
49:
46:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1229:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
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1199:
1197:
1181:
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1129:
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1110:
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1074:
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1063:
1057:
1056:
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1046:
1042:
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1036:
1032:
1029:
1027:
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1022:
1020:
1019:
1015:
1012:
1010:
1009:
1005:
1003:
1002:
997:
994:
992:
991:
987:
984:
982:
981:
977:
975:
974:
970:
968:
967:
963:
960:
958:
957:
953:
951:
950:
949:Beggars' Bush
946:
944:
943:
939:
936:
935:
933:
927:
921:
920:
915:
913:
912:
908:
906:
905:
901:
899:
898:
894:
892:
891:
887:
885:
884:
880:
878:
877:
873:
871:
870:
866:
864:
863:
862:The False One
859:
857:
856:
852:
850:
849:
844:
843:
841:
835:
829:
828:
824:
822:
821:
817:
815:
814:
810:
808:
807:
803:
801:
800:
796:
794:
793:
789:
787:
786:
785:Women Pleased
782:
780:
779:
775:
773:
772:
768:
766:
765:
764:The Mad Lover
761:
759:
758:
754:
752:
751:
747:
745:
744:
740:
738:
737:
733:
731:
730:
726:
725:
723:
719:
713:
712:
708:
706:
705:
701:
699:
698:
694:
692:
691:
687:
685:
684:
680:
678:
677:
673:
671:
670:
666:
664:
663:
659:
657:
656:
652:
650:
649:
645:
644:
642:
636:
630:
629:
625:
623:
622:
618:
617:
615:
611:
608:
598:
592:
589:
587:
584:
582:
579:
577:
574:
572:
569:
567:
564:
562:
561:James Shirley
559:
557:
554:
552:
549:
548:
545:
544:
540:
538:
537:
536:John Fletcher
533:
531:
530:
526:
525:
522:
517:
509:
504:
502:
497:
495:
490:
489:
486:
477:
473:
468:
461:
455:
448:
442:
433:
426:
420:
411:
404:
398:
391:
385:
381:
374:
372:
368:
364:
360:
359:Women Pleased
350:
347:
341:
339:
335:
330:
319:
318:
316:
311:
302:
301:
300:
299:
298:
297:
296:
295:
294:
293:
292:
291:
290:
280:
279:
277:
272:
271:
269:
268:
267:
266:
265:
261:
257:
255:
251:
245:
243:
238:
236:
232:
222:
220:
216:
212:
208:
207:David Garrick
204:
200:
196:
192:
191:Women Pleased
182:
180:
176:
175:
169:
167:
166:Women Pleased
163:
161:
156:
155:Women Pleased
152:
151:
146:
142:
137:
133:
132:
128:
124:
121:(c. 1495) by
120:
110:
108:
104:
102:
97:
96:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
62:Joseph Taylor
59:
55:
45:
43:
39:
35:
34:John Fletcher
31:
27:
23:
22:
21:Women Pleased
1172:
1166:
1157:
1095:
1087:
1079:
1071:
1053:
1043:
1033:
1023:
1016:
1013:with Shirley
1006:
999:
988:
978:
971:
964:
954:
947:
940:
919:A Very Woman
917:
909:
902:
895:
888:
881:
874:
867:
860:
853:
846:
837:Fletcher and
825:
818:
811:
804:
797:
790:
784:
783:
776:
769:
762:
755:
748:
741:
734:
727:
709:
702:
695:
688:
681:
674:
667:
660:
653:
646:
640:and Fletcher
626:
619:
606:conjectural)
604:attributions
591:John Webster
551:Nathan Field
541:
534:
527:
475:
467:
459:
454:
446:
441:
432:
424:
419:
410:
402:
397:
389:
384:
358:
356:
342:
331:
327:
288:
262:
258:
246:
239:
228:
210:
199:Samuel Pepys
190:
188:
172:
170:
165:
158:
154:
148:
140:
135:
129:
118:
116:
99:
93:
51:
20:
19:
18:
1212:1620s plays
1207:1610s plays
1112:Performance
1076:(Middleton)
1030:with Rowley
956:Love's Cure
806:The Pilgrim
771:The Chances
743:Valentinian
676:The Captain
662:The Coxcomb
353:Evaluations
338:hobby horse
195:Restoration
160:The Pilgrim
30:tragicomedy
1196:Categories
1126:King's Men
1001:Henry VIII
985:with Field
931:and others
581:Ben Jonson
377:References
346:John Shank
215:Drury Lane
213:staged at
185:After 1660
113:Authorship
70:John Lowin
54:King's Men
24:is a late
1100:(Shirley)
848:Barnavelt
839:Massinger
669:Philaster
576:John Ford
371:Schelling
145:Boccaccio
141:Decameron
1173:Cardenio
929:Fletcher
721:Fletcher
638:Beaumont
613:Beaumont
334:Puritans
231:Florence
225:Synopsis
26:Jacobean
1150:Related
750:Bonduca
518:" Canon
229:Set in
1092:(Ford)
1065:Others
88:, and
60:cites
602:(some
600:Plays
514:The "
367:farce
254:Sibyl
242:Siena
235:Milan
197:era;
134:from
219:1773
203:1668
179:1620
98:and
58:1679
42:1647
217:in
143:of
40:of
32:by
1198::
474:,
221:.
205:.
109:.
84:,
80:,
76:,
72:,
68:,
64:,
44:.
1175:)
1165:†
1156:†
998:†
916:†
845:†
507:e
500:t
493:v
357:"
162:,
103:,
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