The Witty Fair One
Encyclopedia
The Witty Fair One is a Caroline era stage play, an early comedy
by James Shirley
. Critics have cited the play as indicative of the evolution of English comic drama from the humors comedy of Ben Jonson
to the Restoration
comedy of Wycherley
and Congreve
, and the comedy of manners
that followed.
, on 3 October 1628
. It was acted by Queen Henrietta's Men
at the Cockpit Theatre
, as were most of Shirley's plays in this era. It was first published in quarto
in 1633
, printed by Bernard Alsop and Thomas Fawcet for the bookseller William Cooke
. The play was revived during the Restoration
era, in 1666
, shortly after the poet's death.
In the subplot, Violetta's cousin Penelope is in love with Fowler, even though she knows him to be a libertine who will use her and abandon her if he can. Penelope schemes to lead him to the altar instead. She manipulates Fowler into attending his own false funeral, where he hears his sordid life recounted; and he imagines how it would be if the funeral were real. Penelope confronts him, as a man "dead" to his nobler nature; as she seems about to renounce him, Fowler repents and promises to reform if she will accept him as her husband.
derive their titles from comic subplot characters; Blurt Master Constable and Grim the Collier of Croydon
are two examples.)
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
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...
. Critics have cited the play as indicative of the evolution of English comic drama from the humors comedy of Ben Jonson
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
to 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...
comedy of Wycherley
William Wycherley
William Wycherley was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for the plays The Country Wife and The Plain Dealer.-Biography:...
and Congreve
William Congreve
William Congreve was an English playwright and poet.-Early life:Congreve was born in Bardsey, West Yorkshire, England . His parents were William Congreve and his wife, Mary ; a sister was buried in London in 1672...
, and the comedy of manners
Comedy of manners
The comedy of manners is a genre of play/television/film which satirizes the manners and affectations of a social class, often represented by stock characters, such as the miles gloriosus in ancient times, the fop and the rake during the Restoration, or an old person pretending to be young...
that followed.
Date, performance, publication
The play was licensed for performance by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of the RevelsMaster 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 3 October 1628
1628 in literature
The year 1628 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Ben Jonson is appointed city chronologer of London.*Ten-year-old Abraham Cowley produces his Tragicall History of Piramus and Thisbe....
. It 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. It was first published in 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"...
in 1633
1633 in literature
The year 1633 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*On May 21, Ben Jonson's masque The King's Entertainment at Welbeck is performed....
, printed by Bernard Alsop and Thomas Fawcet for 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....
. The play was revived 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, in 1666
1666 in literature
The year 1666 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*2 September - Samuel Pepys begins recording details of the Great Fire of London in his diary.*Aphra Behn goes to Antwerp to work as a government spy.-New books:...
, shortly after the poet's death.
Synopsis
The play's heroine, Violetta, is determined to avoid an arranged marriage with the suitor of her father's choice, Sir Nicholas Treedle, and marry her beloved, Aimwell, instead. But to do so she must outwit her father's watchful servant, Brains. After a complex back-and-forth of misdirected and intercepted letters, Violetta manages to communicate with Aimwell through her maidservant Sensible, to prepare a plan of action. Through Sir Nicholas, she gains her father's permission to go shopping — with Brains as her escort. She has deluded Sir Nicholas's vain Tutor into thinking that she will elope with him; but when the Tutor attempts to abscond with her, he receives a beating from Brains. As this happens, however, Sensible takes Violetta's place in disguise. The Tutor brings officers to arrest Brains for assault, and seizes the disguised Sensible — only to be intercepted in turn by Sir Nicholas and his servants, who carry off Sensible under the same mistaken impression that she is Violetta. Meanwhile, Violetta and Aimwell have married. Learning that he has actually married Sensible, Sir Nicholas decides to make the best of the matter (which seems a better bargain for him than for Sensible).In the subplot, Violetta's cousin Penelope is in love with Fowler, even though she knows him to be a libertine who will use her and abandon her if he can. Penelope schemes to lead him to the altar instead. She manipulates Fowler into attending his own false funeral, where he hears his sordid life recounted; and he imagines how it would be if the funeral were real. Penelope confronts him, as a man "dead" to his nobler nature; as she seems about to renounce him, Fowler repents and promises to reform if she will accept him as her husband.
Critical response
The Witty Fair One has been praised as "a model of its type, for its novel and inventive plotting...seldom has the principle of climax and surprise been so cleverly employed as in this comedy." The identity of the "witty fair one," however, has been disputed; while the title has been assumed to apply to Violetta, the heroine of the main plot, a case has also been made for the "ingenious maiden" Penelope, the heroine of the subplot. (Some English Renaissance playsEnglish Renaissance theatre
English Renaissance theatre, also known as early modern English theatre, refers to the theatre of England, largely based in London, which occurred between the Reformation and the closure of the theatres in 1642...
derive their titles from comic subplot characters; Blurt Master Constable and Grim the Collier of Croydon
Grim the Collier of Croydon
Grim the Collier of Croyden; or, The Devil and his Dame: with the Devil and Saint Dunston is a seventeenth-century play of uncertain authorship, first published in 1662. The play's title character is an established figure of the popular culture and folklore of the time who appeared in songs and...
are two examples.)