{"id":7,"date":"2018-02-01T16:25:50","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T16:25:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/?p=7"},"modified":"2018-06-20T14:46:28","modified_gmt":"2018-06-20T13:46:28","slug":"plot-summary-of-the-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/2018\/02\/01\/plot-summary-of-the-play\/","title":{"rendered":"Plot Summary"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mary Pix\u2019s 1698 play Queen Catharine: Or, The Ruins Of Love, A Tragedy <\/em>is an historical adaptation of the War of the Roses, that fictionalises Edward IV\u2019s plot for revenge against Queen Catharine, the wife of the late Henry V.<\/p>\n

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A visual diagram of the play’s military and romantic relationships.<\/em><\/p>\n

Edward opens the play with a speech to his council, describing their impending meeting with Catharine\u2019s army in battle. He discusses with his brother, the Duke of Gloucester, why he still seems forlorn at the sound of Catharine\u2019s name, recalling his brief courtship with Catharine when he was a young man at Court. He recounts how she rejected his love, finding out that she was, in fact, in love with Owen Tudor. When asked why he had not taken his revenge on Tudor, Edward admits that in is youth he was outdone in combat, however, now that he is older and wiser, he desires vengeance. The Duke offers up his services in that regard, offering to kill Tudor in front of Catharine. As Edward leaves, Malavill- a spy for Gloucester- informs Gloucester that he witnessed his brother, the Duke of Clarence, meeting with Catharine\u2019s maid, Isabella, in secret, attempting to persuade her to flee the country with him.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Act II opens with Queen Catharine in Ludlow Castle, surrounded by her advisors and ladies. She praises her officers who, after her husband and their King died prematurely, continued to pledge their allegiance to her. She asks for their advice, and Lord Dacres advises her to lose the guards at her chamber doors, and place them elsewhere, persuading her of her safety behind the impenetrable walls of the castle. As Dacres exits, Catharine\u2019s lady, Isabella, enters with a letter from her old love, Owen Tudor, requesting to meet in secret in the castle vault. Catharine also advises Isabella against her love for the Duke of Clarence, asking that her safety may persuade her to desist her relationship with the disloyal Duke. Catharine leaves, with Lord Thyrrold entering, begging Isabella to return his love for her. Isabella refuses, rejecting him once more, leading Thyrrold to curse her love with the Duke of Clarence.<\/p>\n

The next scene opens with Clarence waiting for Isabella to meet him, proclaiming that he would relinquish his title and his status to be with her. When Isabella arrives, warning him of the threats to separate them, Clarence tells Isabella of his plans to run away with her to France, to start a new life together. After much persuasion, Isabella agrees to run away with Clarence, leaving her Queen behind. They agree to meet one another at midnight, as Clarence instructs Isabella to give Malavill the outer key to the castle in order for him to sneak in.<\/p>\n

In another scene change, Gloucester tells King Edward of the courtship between their brother (the Duke of Clarence), and Isabella. Edward is adamant that it must be prevented, so Gloucester hatches a plan to make Clarence jealous of the fictitious relationship between Isabella and Thyrrold. Edward exits and Clarence enters on stage. Gloucester questions his love for Isabella, as she is supposedly married to Thyrrold. Clarence threatens his brother to stay away from Isabella, before exiting. Malavill then enters, and updates Gloucester that his plan is prepared: Thyrrold has agreed to raise further doubts in Clarence\u2019s mind about Isabella\u2019s love for him.<\/p>\n

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A visual diagram of the play’s military and romantic relationships.<\/em>
\n<\/p>\n

Act III sees the entrance of Owen Tudor, who instructs his colonel to leave him alone to see Catharine. The Colonel expresses his concern at leaving Tudor alone, however follows his orders and leaves. Catharine then enters, and the two lovers reunite. Elsewhere, Isabella reluctantly gives over the outer key to the castle to Malavill, believing it to be for Clarence to enter.<\/p>\n

Clarence receives a letter from Thyrrold, threatening to fight him over his courtship with his supposed wife, Isabella. This confirms Clarence\u2019s suspicions given to him by his brother, that Isabella has deceived him. The third act ends with Gloucester reporting to Edward that his plan for vengeance against Owen Tudor is set in motion, and they set out to enter Ludlow Castle.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A visual diagram of the play’s military and romantic relationships.<\/em>
\n<\/p>\n

Act IV opens with Clarence and Malavill discussing the deceitful Isabella. Clarence becomes suspicious of Malavill, questioning him on how Thyrrold had come to find out about his and Isabella\u2019s plans to flee the country. Thyrrold enters, causing an altercation between the two as Thyrrold claims that Isabella begged for his forgiveness for coercing Clarence. Clarence threatens Thyrrold so he leaves, saying in parting that he will be joining Isabella in her bed. Suddenly, a group of villains enter, grab Malavill\u2019s sword and stab him with it. On his death bed, Malavill begins to tell Clarence the truth regarding Isabella\u2019s relationship with Thyrrold, however, he dies beforehand.<\/p>\n

The next scene opens on Isabella and her lady, Esperanza, whom Isabella instructs to get their disguises ready for her departure with the Duke of Clarence, just as Catharine enters with her lover Tudor. Catharine notices Isabella\u2019s pale face and trembling hands and asks her what is wrong. Racked with guilt, she replies that she is ill, and Catharine instructs her ladies to lead her away, admitting to Tudor that she is overcome with an ominous feeling of terror. The play reaches its frenzied pinnacle when Esperanza suddenly enters, crying out that there has been a break-in by a group of men, who are pursuing her and killing guards as they go. In response, Tudor hides in a closet as Catharine locks her door, preparing to negotiate with the intruders. Edward, Gloucester, Thyrrold and their officers enter Catharine\u2019s chamber, and Edward immediately orders a search of Catharine\u2019s rooms for Tudor. On hearing Edward accuse him of cowardice for hiding from him, Tudor leaves his hiding place to face Edward and his men. Isabella suddenly enters, demanding to stay with her Queen, however, Gloucester instructs Thyrrold to do with her what he wishes. Despite Catharine\u2019s appeals to spare Tudor, Gloucester stabs him, and he falls to the floor. Catharine sinks upon Tudor as he dies, begging for death herself. Edward instructs that no harm should come to Catharine, and orders Tudor\u2019s body to be taken away. Despite refusing to let go of Tudor\u2019s body, Catharine is eventually led away from the scene.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A visual diagram of the play’s military and romantic relationships.<\/em>
\n<\/p>\n

Act V opens with a fanfare, as Edward professes victory at Ludlow Castle. He congratulates his men on their fighting and implores that, now that he has taken his vengeance upon Owen Tudor, he is willing to offer peace between himself and Catharine.<\/p>\n

The following scene sees Isabella having been forced to marry Thyrrold. She questions the priest about the validity of the marriage, however, he insists it is lawful. After the priest leaves, Isabella finds out about Tudor\u2019s death. Thyrrold insists that, as his wife, Isabella must submit to him, however, Isabella orders him not to touch her. Thyrrold then threatens that she will never see Clarence again. As she is lamenting her position, Clarence and his men burst in, fighting their way through the guards. In the chaos of the sword fight, Isabella is stabbed and falls to the floor. After chasing Thyrrold out of the room, Clarence falls to Isabella\u2019s side. As they converse, they realise that they were both betrayed by Malavill. As she makes her final request for her body to be brought to Catharine, Isabella dies in Clarence\u2019s arms. In his grief, Clarence attempts to fall on his own sword, however, Warwick enters and strikes it away. He convinces Clarence not to commit suicide, instead persuading him to fulfil Isabella\u2019s request of carrying her body to the Queen.<\/p>\n

The scene cuts to Catharine attended by her ladies, making a garland for her deceased lover. Catharine is mad with grief, telling Dacres that she cannot live without Tudor. In response, Dacres leads her children in in mourning. He instructs them to kneel in front of their mother, reminding Catharine of the promise that she made to Tudor, that she would live for them. Dacres then tells Catharine that he has found her a monastery, where she can live the rest of her days in peace, and she accepts this fate. Suddenly, Esparanza enters, lamenting that Isabella has been killed in the chaos of combat. Esparanza tells Catharine that Isabella\u2019s last wish was her forgiveness, which Catharine gives. Catharine then orders her immediate march to the monastery. The play closes with Edward ordering his men to march on London, where he will attempt to continue the war to claim the English throne.<\/p>\n

As the final scene closes, the audience is left with an atmosphere of pessimism, as they reflect on the emotionally charged storyline of Queen Catharine<\/em>. Their heroine, Catharine, has a defeatist outlook on her impending confinement to the monastery, juxtaposing with what has been a play\u00a0of frenzied passion and emotion. The play initially takes its impetus from a scorned lover – Edward – and his desire for vengeance and continues to build tension, until it peaks with the entry of Edward\u2019s men into Catharine\u2019s bed chamber in act IV. As Edward looks to his future battles in his closing speech, driven by his momentous victory over Tudor and Catharine, and Catharine begins the \u2018dismal journey\u2019 to the monastery, the audience is reminded of the famous sentiment \u2018all is fair in love and war\u2019.[1]<\/a> To have such jubilation from one character contrasted with such misery from another reflects that this clich\u00e9, for Pix’s work at least, rings true.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A visual diagram of the play’s military and romantic relationships.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Mary Pix, Queen Catharine: or, The Ruins of Love, a Tragedy<\/em>\u00a0(London, 1698), p. 52.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mary Pix\u2019s 1698 play Queen Catharine: Or, The Ruins Of Love, A Tragedy is an historical adaptation of the War of the Roses, that fictionalises Edward IV\u2019s plot for revenge against Queen Catharine, the wife of the late Henry V. A visual diagram of the play’s military and romantic relationships. Edward opens the play with … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Plot Summary”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6002,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sophie-chatterton"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6002"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":343,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7\/revisions\/343"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/sel3392-queen-catharine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}