240:
called away by his naval duties, and is soon reported dead. Mariana fears that her son will be killed in the feud; to prevent this, she announces (falsely) to the Duke and his court that
Cesario is not really Alberto's son. Early in their marriage, she maintains, Alberto had wanted an heir, but the couple did not conceive. Mariana exploited her husband's absences at sea to pass off a servant's child as her own. Thus he is no longer Alberto's son, and safe from Baptista's enmity. But the Duke sees the injustice done against Cesario, and decrees that the now-widowed Mariana should marry the young man, and endow him with three-quarters of Alberto's estate; the remaining share will serve as Clarissa's dowry.
252:. Prospero is an old friend of both Alberto and Baptista; he is able to inform the world of the fate of Juliana, and the daughter that Alberto didn't know Baptista had. She is Biancha, the supposed daughter of the tavernkeeper. This good news allows the compounding of all the previous difficulties; the quarrel between Alberto and Baptista is resolved, Cesario is restored to his rightful place as Alberto's son, and he and Biancha can marry, as can Mentivole and Clarissa.
236:(she's the "fair maid" of the title). Cesario protests that his connection with the girl is above reproach: Biancha, he says, is beautiful but chaste. By the scene's close, Mentivole expresses his love for Clarissa; she responds positively, and gives him a diamond ring as a token of her affection and commitment.
243:
Cesario is amenable to this arrangement—but
Mariana assures him that any marriage between them will never be consummated. Cesario proposes a marriage between himself and Clarissa, though both women reject the idea out of hand. And even Biancha turns against Cesario, when she comes to understand that
239:
Friends though they are, Cesario and
Mentivole have a falling-out over a horse race; they quarrel, lose their tempers, and draw their swords to fight. They are separated by other friends, but only after Cesario is wounded. The affair escalates into a major feud between the two families. Alberto is
235:
This situation is delineated in the play's long opening scene. At the scene's opening, Cesario warns
Clarissa to safeguard her virginity and her reputation; but Clarissa responds by reproving her brother about his rumored affair with Biancha, the thirteen-year-old daughter of a local tavernkeeper
227:
The plot of the play concerns the intertwined fortunes of two prominent
Florentine families. Alberto is the Admiral of Florence; he is married to Mariana; their children are Cesario and Clarissa. Baptista, another old sailor, is a friend of Alberto, and father of Mentivole; like their fathers,
228:
Cesario and
Mentivole are friends. Alberto's is a stable nuclear family; Mariana is a doting mother, especially in regard to Cesario. Baptista's situation is less happy: fourteen years earlier, he, a widower in his prime, contracted a secret marriage with Juliana, a niece of the Duke of
179:
and the Donati. The disputed origins of the factions were by some accounts rooted in the rivalry of two lovers of Bianca
Cancellieri; her name suggested the Biancha in this play. The factions are most famous for their role in the life of
103:
etc.) through much of the play, made early scholars realize that the play was, like the majority of the works in
Fletcher's canon, a collaboration. Individual critics argued in favor of a range of potential collaborators, including
135:, in his sweeping evaluation of authorship questions in Fletcher's canon, argued that the hands of Massinger, Fletcher, Ford, and Webster are all detectable in the extant text. He assigned shares this way:
131:
The play appears to have been a late work by
Fletcher, perhaps left unfinished at his death, that was later completed by others and perhaps revised during the two decades between 1625 and 1647.
120:. These arguments depend upon literary parallels and the distinctive textual preferences of the different authors; for example, Ford's pattern of unusual contractional forms (like
414:
536:
1125:
1115:
898:
232:. After a short three months of contentment, the Genoese duke discovered the marriage, exiled Baptista, and sequestered Juliana. He has not seen her since.
199:; others, however, have argued that the playwright(s) could have accessed the same historical material in other sources. Other possible sources include the
407:
71:). In his records, Herbert specifically attributes the play to Fletcher, who had died in August 1625. The play is thought to have been acted by the
255:
The play has a comic subplot centered on
Biancha, her supposed parents the Host and Hostess of the tavern, and their quests. The comedy features a
1130:
244:
he is not serious about marrying her. Eventually matters are set right when Alberto returns to Florence. Not dead, he was instead captured by the
159:. One scholar, Bertha Hensman, argued that an original comedy by Fletcher and Rowley was shifted into a tragicomic form by Massinger as reviser.
784:
400:
56:
75:, the company Fletcher served as house playwright—though firm data on its performance history are lacking. It was first printed in 1647.
1120:
1110:
529:
1034:
72:
1135:
262:
The play's storytelling is rough and rather inconsistent, most likely due to the multiple hands involved in its authorship.
68:
1039:
33:
1029:
735:
41:
874:
605:
338:
The Later Jacobean and Caroline Dramatists: A Survey and Bibliography of Recent Studies in English Renaissance Drama,
444:
29:
763:
756:
637:
83:
Inconsistencies in the play's internal evidence, notably the lack of Fletcher's highly distinctive pattern of
312:
The Plays of Beaumont and Fletcher: An Attempt to Determine Their Respective Shares and the Shares of Others,
155:
The possibility of revision has effected the question of the play's genre; some critics would define it as a
40:. Uncertainties of the play's date, authorship, and sources make it one of the most widely disputed works in
1067:
953:
791:
700:
172:
989:
208:
1005:
916:
850:
805:
484:
424:
109:
591:
392:
943:
881:
721:
644:
60:
1140:
888:
777:
707:
619:
464:
196:
167:
The play's plot derives from the historical feud of the Bianchi and Neri factions in late medieval
798:
728:
714:
651:
598:
584:
570:
64:
37:
563:
1049:
997:
933:
909:
819:
686:
612:
1076:
1044:
926:
857:
577:
474:
451:
437:
216:
105:
981:
665:
556:
181:
864:
812:
494:
479:
266:
245:
117:
1104:
770:
693:
672:
469:
176:
827:
499:
459:
113:
679:
386:
184:; when the Neri took power in Florence in 1301, Bianchi like Dante were exiled.
156:
489:
84:
256:
132:
380:
168:
142:
Webster – Act II; Act IV, 2; Act V, 1, 2, and 3b (from Host's entrance);
658:
25:
249:
229:
396:
287:"The Fair Maid of the Inn | Folger: Early Modern English Drama"
286:
269:
titled "Molly Mog" in subtitled "The Fair Maid of the Inn".)
340:
Lincoln, NE, University of Nebraska Press, 1978; pp. 79–80.
32:
and his collaborators, it was originally published in the
152:
Other scholars prefer their own divisions and analyses.
139:
Massinger – Act I; Act V, scene 3a (to Host's entrance);
248:, but rescued by Prospero, a captain in the service of
187:
Some critics believed that the source for the play was
1093:†= Not published in the Beaumont and Fletcher folios
175:
factions were in part family-based—respectively, the
327:, London, Oxford University Press, 1924; pp. 140–58.
128:) is present in some scenes but absent from others.
1058:
1020:
973:
837:
745:
629:
546:
521:
508:
314:
New Haven, Yale University Press, 1927; pp. 463–72.
259:and his clownish assistant, and their victims.
537:The Masque of the Inner Temple and Gray's Inn
408:
336:Terence P. Logan and Denzell S. Smith, eds.,
8:
899:Four Plays, or Moral Representations, in One
518:
415:
401:
393:
389:(1927), University of Oxford Text Archive.
278:
171:. The white (Bianchi) and black (Neri)
24:is an early 17th-century stage play. A
7:
1126:Plays by John Fletcher and Massinger
949:with Massinger, Chapman & Jonson
55:was licensed for performance by Sir
1116:Plays by John Fletcher (playwright)
959:with Massinger, Ford & Webster
385:– Online version of the text, ed.
14:
34:first Beaumont and Fletcher folio
530:The Knight of the Burning Pestle
325:Sidelights on Elizabethan Drama
1131:Plays by John Ford (dramatist)
148:Fletcher and Ford – Act IV, 1.
1:
1071:(Shakespeare & Fletcher?)
846:with Beaumont & Massinger
1040:Beaumont and Fletcher folios
1030:English Renaissance theatre
736:Rule a Wife and Have a Wife
349:Logan and Smith, pp. 144–5.
1157:
870:with Massinger & Field
367:Logan and Smith, pp. 38–9.
1121:Plays by Philip Massinger
1111:English Renaissance plays
1091:
785:The Custom of the Country
432:
42:English Renaissance drama
993:(Middleton & Rowley)
964:The Fair Maid of the Inn
875:The Honest Man's Fortune
764:The Little French Lawyer
638:The Faithful Shepherdess
382:The Fair Maid of the Inn
213:Excerpta Controversarium
189:The Illustrious Handmaid
53:The Fair Maid of the Inn
21:The Fair Maid of the Inn
1068:The History of Cardenio
954:Rollo, Duke of Normandy
701:The Humorous Lieutenant
358:Logan and Smith, p. 80.
990:Wit at Several Weapons
1136:Plays by John Webster
917:The Two Noble Kinsmen
851:Thierry and Theodoret
425:Beaumont and Fletcher
944:The Maid in the Mill
882:The Queen of Corinth
792:The Lovers' Progress
722:The Wild Goose Chase
61:Master of the Revels
1080:(possibly based on
889:The Knight of Malta
778:The Double Marriage
708:The Island Princess
620:The Noble Gentleman
465:William Shakespeare
310:E. H. C. Oliphant,
209:Niccolò Machiavelli
197:Miguel de Cervantes
85:textual preferences
799:The Spanish Curate
729:A Wife for a Month
599:A King and No King
592:The Maid's Tragedy
323:H. Dugdale Sykes,
205:Istorie fiorentine
201:Florentine History
193:La ilustre fregona
1098:
1097:
1050:Humphrey Robinson
1016:
1015:
998:The Laws of Candy
934:Wit Without Money
820:The Elder Brother
687:The Loyal Subject
645:The Woman's Prize
613:The Scornful Lady
606:Love's Pilgrimage
1148:
1077:Double Falsehood
1045:Humphrey Moseley
927:The Night Walker
904:with Shakespeare
519:
475:Thomas Middleton
452:Philip Massinger
438:Francis Beaumont
417:
410:
403:
394:
368:
365:
359:
356:
350:
347:
341:
334:
328:
321:
315:
308:
302:
301:
299:
297:
283:
217:Seneca the Elder
106:Philip Massinger
63:, on 22 January
28:in the canon of
1156:
1155:
1151:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1146:
1145:
1101:
1100:
1099:
1094:
1087:
1054:
1023:and publication
1022:
1012:
982:The Nice Valour
969:
839:
833:
747:
741:
666:Monsieur Thomas
625:
564:Cupid's Revenge
557:The Woman Hater
548:
542:
514:
512:
510:
504:
428:
421:
377:
372:
371:
366:
362:
357:
353:
348:
344:
335:
331:
322:
318:
309:
305:
295:
293:
291:emed.folger.edu
285:
284:
280:
275:
225:
182:Dante Alighieri
165:
145:Ford – Act III;
81:
50:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1154:
1152:
1144:
1143:
1138:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1103:
1102:
1096:
1095:
1092:
1089:
1088:
1086:
1085:
1072:
1062:
1060:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1026:
1024:
1018:
1017:
1014:
1013:
1011:
1010:
1006:The Coronation
1002:
994:
986:
977:
975:
971:
970:
968:
967:
960:
957:
950:
947:
940:
937:
930:
923:
920:
913:
905:
902:
895:
892:
885:
878:
871:
868:
861:
854:
847:
843:
841:
835:
834:
832:
831:
823:
816:
813:The Sea Voyage
809:
806:The Prophetess
802:
795:
788:
781:
774:
767:
760:
751:
749:
743:
742:
740:
739:
732:
725:
718:
711:
704:
697:
690:
683:
676:
669:
662:
655:
648:
641:
633:
631:
627:
626:
624:
623:
616:
609:
602:
595:
588:
581:
574:
567:
560:
552:
550:
544:
543:
541:
540:
533:
525:
523:
516:
506:
505:
503:
502:
497:
495:George Chapman
492:
487:
482:
480:William Rowley
477:
472:
467:
462:
456:
455:
448:
441:
433:
430:
429:
422:
420:
419:
412:
405:
397:
391:
390:
376:
375:External links
373:
370:
369:
360:
351:
342:
329:
316:
303:
277:
276:
274:
271:
267:Jonathan Swift
224:
221:
164:
161:
150:
149:
146:
143:
140:
118:William Rowley
80:
77:
49:
46:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1153:
1142:
1139:
1137:
1134:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1090:
1083:
1079:
1078:
1073:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1063:
1061:
1057:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1043:
1041:
1038:
1036:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1019:
1008:
1007:
1003:
1000:
999:
995:
992:
991:
987:
984:
983:
979:
978:
976:
972:
966:
965:
961:
958:
956:
955:
951:
948:
946:
945:
941:
938:
936:
935:
931:
929:
928:
924:
921:
919:
918:
914:
912:
911:
906:
903:
901:
900:
896:
893:
891:
890:
886:
884:
883:
879:
877:
876:
872:
869:
867:
866:
862:
860:
859:
858:Beggars' Bush
855:
853:
852:
848:
845:
844:
842:
836:
830:
829:
824:
822:
821:
817:
815:
814:
810:
808:
807:
803:
801:
800:
796:
794:
793:
789:
787:
786:
782:
780:
779:
775:
773:
772:
771:The False One
768:
766:
765:
761:
759:
758:
753:
752:
750:
744:
738:
737:
733:
731:
730:
726:
724:
723:
719:
717:
716:
712:
710:
709:
705:
703:
702:
698:
696:
695:
694:Women Pleased
691:
689:
688:
684:
682:
681:
677:
675:
674:
673:The Mad Lover
670:
668:
667:
663:
661:
660:
656:
654:
653:
649:
647:
646:
642:
640:
639:
635:
634:
632:
628:
622:
621:
617:
615:
614:
610:
608:
607:
603:
601:
600:
596:
594:
593:
589:
587:
586:
582:
580:
579:
575:
573:
572:
568:
566:
565:
561:
559:
558:
554:
553:
551:
545:
539:
538:
534:
532:
531:
527:
526:
524:
520:
517:
507:
501:
498:
496:
493:
491:
488:
486:
483:
481:
478:
476:
473:
471:
470:James Shirley
468:
466:
463:
461:
458:
457:
454:
453:
449:
447:
446:
445:John Fletcher
442:
440:
439:
435:
434:
431:
426:
418:
413:
411:
406:
404:
399:
398:
395:
388:
384:
383:
379:
378:
374:
364:
361:
355:
352:
346:
343:
339:
333:
330:
326:
320:
317:
313:
307:
304:
292:
288:
282:
279:
272:
270:
268:
263:
260:
258:
253:
251:
247:
241:
237:
233:
231:
222:
220:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
185:
183:
178:
177:Cerchi family
174:
170:
162:
160:
158:
153:
147:
144:
141:
138:
137:
136:
134:
129:
127:
123:
119:
115:
111:
107:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
78:
76:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
57:Henry Herbert
54:
47:
45:
43:
39:
35:
31:
30:John Fletcher
27:
23:
22:
1081:
1075:
1066:
1004:
996:
988:
980:
963:
962:
952:
942:
932:
925:
922:with Shirley
915:
908:
897:
887:
880:
873:
863:
856:
849:
828:A Very Woman
826:
818:
811:
804:
797:
790:
783:
776:
769:
762:
755:
746:Fletcher and
734:
727:
720:
713:
706:
699:
692:
685:
678:
671:
664:
657:
650:
643:
636:
618:
611:
604:
597:
590:
583:
576:
569:
562:
555:
549:and Fletcher
535:
528:
515:conjectural)
513:attributions
500:John Webster
460:Nathan Field
450:
443:
436:
381:
363:
354:
345:
337:
332:
324:
319:
311:
306:
294:. Retrieved
290:
281:
264:
261:
254:
242:
238:
234:
226:
212:
204:
200:
192:
188:
186:
166:
154:
151:
130:
125:
121:
114:John Webster
100:
96:
92:
88:
82:
52:
51:
20:
19:
18:
1021:Performance
985:(Middleton)
939:with Rowley
865:Love's Cure
715:The Pilgrim
680:The Chances
652:Valentinian
585:The Captain
571:The Coxcomb
387:F. L. Lucas
265:(A poem by
157:tragicomedy
1141:1626 plays
1105:Categories
1035:King's Men
910:Henry VIII
894:with Field
840:and others
490:Ben Jonson
296:10 January
257:mountebank
79:Authorship
73:King's Men
1009:(Shirley)
757:Barnavelt
748:Massinger
578:Philaster
485:John Ford
133:Cyrus Hoy
110:John Ford
69:new style
1082:Cardenio
838:Fletcher
630:Fletcher
547:Beaumont
522:Beaumont
223:Synopsis
211:and the
169:Florence
1059:Related
659:Bonduca
427:" Canon
273:Sources
163:Sources
1001:(Ford)
974:Others
173:Guelph
126:to ye,
116:, and
59:, the
26:comedy
511:(some
509:Plays
423:The "
250:Malta
246:Turks
230:Genoa
207:) by
195:) by
101:them,
298:2023
124:for
122:t'ee
99:for
93:you,
91:for
65:1626
48:Date
38:1647
16:Play
215:of
36:of
1107::
289:.
219:.
112:,
108:,
97:em
89:ye
44:.
1084:)
1074:â€
1065:â€
907:â€
825:â€
754:â€
416:e
409:t
402:v
300:.
203:(
191:(
95:'
87:(
67:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.