The Cardinal (play)
Encyclopedia
The Cardinal is a Caroline era
stage play, a tragedy
by James Shirley
. It was licensed for performance by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of the Revels
, on November 25, 1641
, and first published in 1653
. Nineteenth-century critics like Edmund Gosse
, and twentieth-century critics like Fredson Bowers, have considered it among his finest works. Arthur H. Nason judged it "first among Shirley's tragedies." Bowers called Shirley's play a "coherent Kydian revenge tragedy, polished and simplified in his best manner."
The play belongs to the final phase of Shirley's career as a London playwright, when he was no longer serving as the house dramatist of Queen Henrietta's Men
. The Cardinal was acted instead by the King's Men
at the Blackfriars Theatre
.
The play was published in Six New Plays, an octavo
collection of Shirley's works issued by the stationers Humphrey Moseley
and Humphrey Robinson
in 1653 — one of a series of Shirley collections that appeared in this era. Moseley and Robinson were the booksellers who published the first Beaumont and Fletcher
folio in 1647
.
The play was revived early in the Restoration
period, with an initial performance at the Theatre Royal in Vere Street on July 23, 1662. Samuel Pepys
saw the play on October 2, 1663, again on August 4, 1667, and a third time on April 27, 1668. At least the second of those three performances starred Becky Marshall as Rosaura.
Rosaura obtains the aid of a colonel named Hernando, who has his own reasons for hating both Columbo and the Cardinal. Hernando kills Columbo in a duel. The Cardinal plans revenge: he intends to rape Rosaura, then poison her. As he makes the attempt, however, Hernando stabs him, then commits suicide. The wounded Cardinal confesses his crimes to the King and his nobles; he claims to have poisoned Rosaura at dinner, and offers her what he says is the antidote. To prove his good faith, he samples the potion himself. Only after Rosaura has drunk is it revealed that the supposed antidote was in fact the poison; the Cardinal, thinking his wound is fatal, has determined to take Rosaura with him in death. The Cardinal is delighted with his revenge — then learns that the wound Hernando inflicted was not fatal. In poisoning Rosaura, he has also poisoned himself.
Shirley tells his story in "a succession of strong and brilliant scenes" that relate the plot "swiftly and vigorously."
Caroline era
The Caroline era refers to the era in English and Scottish history during the Stuart period that coincided with the reign of Charles I , Carolus being Latin for Charles...
stage play, a tragedy
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 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 November 25, 1641
1641 in literature
The year 1641 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Pierre Corneille marries Marie de Lampérière.*Sir William Davenant is convicted of high treason.*Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon becomes an advisor to King Charles I of England....
, and first published in 1653
1653 in literature
The year 1653 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* James Shirley's masque Cupid and Death is performed on March 26.* Pierre Corneille retires from the theatre for six years.* John Evelyn buys Sayes Court, Deptford....
. Nineteenth-century critics like Edmund Gosse
Edmund Gosse
Sir Edmund William Gosse CB was an English poet, author and critic; the son of Philip Henry Gosse and Emily Bowes.-Early life:...
, and twentieth-century critics like Fredson Bowers, have considered it among his finest works. Arthur H. Nason judged it "first among Shirley's tragedies." Bowers called Shirley's play a "coherent Kydian revenge tragedy, polished and simplified in his best manner."
The play belongs to the final phase of Shirley's career as a London playwright, when he was no longer serving as the house dramatist of 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:...
. The Cardinal was acted instead by the King's Men
King's Men (playing company)
The King's Men was the company of actors to which William Shakespeare belonged through most of his career. Formerly known as The Lord Chamberlain's Men during the reign of Queen Elizabeth, it became The King's Men in 1603 when King James ascended the throne and became the company's patron.The...
at the Blackfriars Theatre
Blackfriars Theatre
Blackfriars Theatre was the name of a theatre in the Blackfriars district of the City of London during the Renaissance. The theatre began as a venue for child actors associated with the Queen's chapel choirs; in this function, the theatre hosted some of the most innovative drama of Elizabeth and...
.
The play was published in Six New Plays, an octavo
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"...
collection of Shirley's works issued by the stationers Humphrey Moseley
Humphrey Moseley
Humphrey Moseley was a prominent London publisher and bookseller in the middle seventeenth century.Possibly a son of publisher Samuel Moseley, Humphrey Moseley became a "freeman" of the Stationers Company, the guild of London booksellers, on 7 May 1627; he was selected a Warden of the Company on...
and Humphrey Robinson
Humphrey Robinson
Humphrey Robinson was a prominent London publisher and bookseller of the middle seventeenth century.Robinson was the son of a Bernard Robinson, a clerk from Carlisle; other members of his family were important clergymen and church office-holders. Humphrey Robinson became a "freeman" of the ...
in 1653 — one of a series of Shirley collections that appeared in this era. Moseley and Robinson were the booksellers who published the first Beaumont and Fletcher
Beaumont and Fletcher
Beaumont and Fletcher were the English dramatists Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, who collaborated in their writing during the reign of James I ....
folio in 1647
1647 in literature
The year 1647 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* Thomas Hobbes becomes tutor to the future Charles II of England.* Plagiarist Robert Baron publishes his Deorum Dona, a masque, and Gripus and Hegio, a pastoral, which draw heavily on the poems of Edmund Waller and John Webster's...
.
The play was revived early in 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...
period, with an initial performance at the Theatre Royal in Vere Street on July 23, 1662. Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
saw the play on October 2, 1663, again on August 4, 1667, and a third time on April 27, 1668. At least the second of those three performances starred Becky Marshall as Rosaura.
Synopsis
The Cardinal begins with a conflict over an arranged marriage. The Cardinal has persuaded the King of Navarre to arrange a marriage between the duchess Rosaura and the nobleman Don Columbo, the Cardinal's nephew, who is away from court and serving in the war against Arragon. Rosaura writes to Columbo, demanding to be released from the contract; and Columbo, who thinks that Rosaura is merely hinting to have him return, replies with the desired response. Rosaura shows Columbo's letter to the King, and wins the King's permission to marry the man she wants, Count d'Alvarez. Columbo returns on their wedding night, and murders d'Alvarez; but through the Cardinal's influence and the prestige of his own victory over Arragon, Columbo escapes any consequence of his crime. Columbo rapes Rosaura, and vows that if she ever marries agan he will kill her new husband just as he killed the old. Rosaura is judged to have gone mad, and becomes the ward of the Cardinal.Rosaura obtains the aid of a colonel named Hernando, who has his own reasons for hating both Columbo and the Cardinal. Hernando kills Columbo in a duel. The Cardinal plans revenge: he intends to rape Rosaura, then poison her. As he makes the attempt, however, Hernando stabs him, then commits suicide. The wounded Cardinal confesses his crimes to the King and his nobles; he claims to have poisoned Rosaura at dinner, and offers her what he says is the antidote. To prove his good faith, he samples the potion himself. Only after Rosaura has drunk is it revealed that the supposed antidote was in fact the poison; the Cardinal, thinking his wound is fatal, has determined to take Rosaura with him in death. The Cardinal is delighted with his revenge — then learns that the wound Hernando inflicted was not fatal. In poisoning Rosaura, he has also poisoned himself.
Shirley tells his story in "a succession of strong and brilliant scenes" that relate the plot "swiftly and vigorously."