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Antonio disguises himself as an Amazon to reach Mellida, daughter of his father's rival, Duke Piero. Their attempts to escape and marry are repeatedly disrupted by discoveries and new disguises; after Antonio stages his death, the fathers reconcile and the lovers are finally wed. A comic subplot follows Mellida's cousin and her many suitors.
After Duke Piero poisons Andrugio and accuses his daughter Mellida of infidelity, Antonio hears his father's ghost demand revenge. Antonio kills Piero's son, disguises himself as a fool, and helps stage a conspiracy that culminates in Piero's murder at a wedding feast. Antonio survives but refuses the dukedom, vowing to live in mourning for Mellida.
London goldsmith Touchstone dismisses his idle apprentice Quicksilver and favors his dutiful apprentice Golding, who marries Touchstone's younger daughter Mildred. Meanwhile, vain Gertrude marries the fraudulent Sir Petronel, whose scheme to use her dowry for a voyage to Virginia ends in shipwreck and arrest. Quicksilver repents, and Touchstone restores him and reconciles the family.
Through symbolic scenes, the moral allegory depicts human nature and shows how pride, greed, and sloth lead society into war and destruction. It also satirizes professional actors and other social targets.
Pasquil and Katherine face trials on their way to happiness, alongside the romance of Camelia and Planet. The play combines romantic and comic plots with satire of human folly, the absurdities of being in love, and the self-satisfied belief that some people are above foolishness.
A welcome for the Countess of Derby unfolds into a masque at Ashby Castle. An enchantress and Saturn greet her, then Cynthia appears in a cloud-borne chariot to converse with Ariadne; four knights and four gentlemen masque, present shields, and invite guests to dance. An eclogue and Niobe's gift accompany the Countess's departure.
Duke Hercules disguises himself as the flattering courtier called the Fawn to observe Duke Gonzago’s court and his son Tiberio. He exposes the courtiers’ sexual intrigues and Gonzago’s vanity, then stages a symbolic Court of Cupid to punish them.
Freevill leaves the courtesan Franceschina to marry Beatrice and introduces her to his friend Malheureux. Humiliated, Franceschina persuades Malheureux to kill Freevill; Freevill stages his own disappearance to cure his friend’s passion, and Franceschina is punished.
In Venice, Countess Isabella quickly marries Roberto after her husband’s death, then pursues Massino and Gnaica and arranges Massino’s murder; she is condemned and receives Roberto’s forgiveness at the scaffold. In a comic subplot, two quarrelling husbands are tricked by their wives into sleeping with their own spouses while believing they have seduced each other’s wives, and are released when the deception is revealed.
The deposed Duke Altofronto returns to the corrupt court of Genoa disguised as the caustic Malcontent Malevole, exposing his enemies’ schemes and maneuvering to regain his dukedom and reunite with his imprisoned wife.
Corina, a courtesan drawn into a relationship with Wellman, turns toward revenge while resisting the control of Mrs Dunwell, the older bawd who encouraged her involvement. Their conflict adds a darker account of sexual exploitation to the comedy of courtship and deception.
Carthaginian princess Sophonisba faces an unwanted pursuer, Syphax, and the invading Roman general Scipio while trying to remain faithful to her husband Massinissa and her ideals. She ultimately takes her own life to keep Massinissa from being forced to break conflicting vows.
The comedy contrasts the bitter satirist Lampatho Doria with the genial poet Quadratus through comic debates and vignettes; a subplot has boy pages tricking and humiliating fools.
Antonio disguises himself as an Amazon to reach Mellida, daughter of his father's rival, Duke Piero. Their attempts to escape and marry are repeatedly disrupted by discoveries and new disguises; after Antonio stages his death, the fathers reconcile and the lovers are finally wed. A comic subplot follows Mellida's cousin and her many suitors.
After Duke Piero poisons Andrugio and accuses his daughter Mellida of infidelity, Antonio hears his father's ghost demand revenge. Antonio kills Piero's son, disguises himself as a fool, and helps stage a conspiracy that culminates in Piero's murder at a wedding feast. Antonio survives but refuses the dukedom, vowing to live in mourning for Mellida.
London goldsmith Touchstone dismisses his idle apprentice Quicksilver and favors his dutiful apprentice Golding, who marries Touchstone's younger daughter Mildred. Meanwhile, vain Gertrude marries the fraudulent Sir Petronel, whose scheme to use her dowry for a voyage to Virginia ends in shipwreck and arrest. Quicksilver repents, and Touchstone restores him and reconciles the family.
Through symbolic scenes, the moral allegory depicts human nature and shows how pride, greed, and sloth lead society into war and destruction. It also satirizes professional actors and other social targets.
Pasquil and Katherine face trials on their way to happiness, alongside the romance of Camelia and Planet. The play combines romantic and comic plots with satire of human folly, the absurdities of being in love, and the self-satisfied belief that some people are above foolishness.
A welcome for the Countess of Derby unfolds into a masque at Ashby Castle. An enchantress and Saturn greet her, then Cynthia appears in a cloud-borne chariot to converse with Ariadne; four knights and four gentlemen masque, present shields, and invite guests to dance. An eclogue and Niobe's gift accompany the Countess's departure.
Duke Hercules disguises himself as the flattering courtier called the Fawn to observe Duke Gonzago’s court and his son Tiberio. He exposes the courtiers’ sexual intrigues and Gonzago’s vanity, then stages a symbolic Court of Cupid to punish them.
Freevill leaves the courtesan Franceschina to marry Beatrice and introduces her to his friend Malheureux. Humiliated, Franceschina persuades Malheureux to kill Freevill; Freevill stages his own disappearance to cure his friend’s passion, and Franceschina is punished.
In Venice, Countess Isabella quickly marries Roberto after her husband’s death, then pursues Massino and Gnaica and arranges Massino’s murder; she is condemned and receives Roberto’s forgiveness at the scaffold. In a comic subplot, two quarrelling husbands are tricked by their wives into sleeping with their own spouses while believing they have seduced each other’s wives, and are released when the deception is revealed.
The deposed Duke Altofronto returns to the corrupt court of Genoa disguised as the caustic Malcontent Malevole, exposing his enemies’ schemes and maneuvering to regain his dukedom and reunite with his imprisoned wife.
Corina, a courtesan drawn into a relationship with Wellman, turns toward revenge while resisting the control of Mrs Dunwell, the older bawd who encouraged her involvement. Their conflict adds a darker account of sexual exploitation to the comedy of courtship and deception.
Carthaginian princess Sophonisba faces an unwanted pursuer, Syphax, and the invading Roman general Scipio while trying to remain faithful to her husband Massinissa and her ideals. She ultimately takes her own life to keep Massinissa from being forced to break conflicting vows.
The comedy contrasts the bitter satirist Lampatho Doria with the genial poet Quadratus through comic debates and vignettes; a subplot has boy pages tricking and humiliating fools.