Jacobean and Caroline Drama: Middleton and Ford
Jacobean Drama: Plays of Thomas Middleton
Dramatic Considerations
- The sense of defeat: A marked characteristic of the Jacobeans, reflecting a pessimistic view of life.
- Apprehensions and disillusionment: Pervasive in political and social life.
- Impending fate: A constant presence in the plays.
- Preoccupation with death: A contrast to the Elizabethan love of life.
- Spiritual uncertainty: A key element in understanding Jacobean drama.
Thomas Middleton
Biographical Profile
- Active playwright for over 20 years (1602-1624).
- Co-inventor of “City Comedy” with Jonson.
- Notable tragedies: *Women Beware Women*, *The Changeling*, and the political *A Game at Chess*.
A Game at Chess (1624)
A Game at Chess is a political allegory using chess pieces to represent the strained relationship between Spain (black pieces) and Great Britain (white pieces). King James I of England is the White King; King Philip IV of Spain is the Black King. The play was a massive success, but was shut down after nine performances due to its controversial political content. The Privy Council prosecuted the actors and Middleton, as it was illegal to portray any modern Christian king on stage. The Globe Theatre was closed, further performances were forbidden, and Middleton and the actors were fined. Middleton never wrote another play.
Critical Interpretations of Jacobean Plays
Twentieth-century audiences have found Jacobean plays relevant, possibly due to the plays’ exploration of sexuality and violence, mirroring contemporary life. The events in *The Changeling*, for example, are comparable to sensational news stories. Modern audiences, aware of the inner life and human sexuality, appreciate the play’s intuitive understanding of human psychology, even before Freud.
Modern critics focus on the psychological exploration of the Beatrice-De Flores relationship. The sub-plot’s thematic relation to the main plot is debated, with some arguing that it presents the triumph of virtue, contrasting with the main plot’s depiction of vice, sin, and temptation.
Radical Politics in *The Changeling***
The play features rebellions: Beatrice-Joanna against her father’s marriage plans, De Flores against his master to be with Beatrice-Joanna, and in the subplot, Lollio against his master to be with Isabella, and Isabella against her husband and his servant to protect her freedom.
Sexual Politics in *The Changeling***
The play engages with the contemporary debate about women, showing that women are not inherently evil. Their moral character is complex. A morally weak woman like Beatrice-Joanna can become monstrous, while a strong woman like Isabella can protect her integrity. The play also portrays repressive fathers and husbands. Vermandero’s citadel represents not only his castle but also Beatrice-Joanna herself, with the threat of invasion symbolizing the father’s loss of control over the female body.
Caroline Drama: John Ford
The Caroline Age
The Caroline Age refers to the reign of Charles I of England (1625-1649), derived from the Latin “Carolus.” It ended with Charles I’s execution and the Interregnum. The term “Cavalier Age” is also used, referring to the nobility who supported the king. During the 1630s and 1640s, political problems increased, and the Puritans gained power. The Cavaliers supported Charles I against the Puritans (the Roundheads).
Caroline Drama
The theatre was struggling during the early years of Charles’s reign. Many Jacobean dramatists had died or retired, requiring a revitalization of the theatre. While previously considered a Cavalier drama aimed at a courtly audience, most new plays were influenced by the preceding age and often presented uncourtly attitudes. Plays offered an escape from the political situation.
The Plays of John Ford (1586-1639?)
John Ford was a complex dramatist. Despite his late start, his eight surviving plays, likely written after 1625, follow older dramatic models, often reworking Shakespearean themes. A major playwright during Charles I’s reign, Ford’s plays explore the conflict between individual passion and conscience versus societal laws and morals. He had a strong interest in abnormal psychology. Ford is the best-known Caroline dramatist, and *’Tis Pity She’s a Whore* is the most frequently performed Caroline play today. Once considered a sign of theatrical decline after Shakespeare, Ford’s plays are now recognized for anticipating modern preoccupations. He experimented with dramatic structure and themes, combining traditional ideas with innovation.
Sensationalism and Radical Subversion
The morally shocking nature of Ford’s plays stems from his re-examination of social institutions and values concerning religion, sexuality, and morality. Incest, a prominent Fordian topic, challenged moral and religious beliefs.