'Tis Pity She's a Whore

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Extract from Act V - Scene VI.

'Tis Pity She's A Whore was written by John Ford in the early 17th century. It was originally performed between 1623 and 1631 by The Queen's Men at the Cockpit private theatre and published in 1633. In 1894 it was translated into French by Maurice Maeterlinck under then name of Annabella, and represented at the Theatre de l'Ouvre^[1]

The play is about an incestuous relationship between a brother and a sister, Giovanni and Annabella. It is set in Parma, Italy and in typical Jacobean Tragedy style, most of the characters die at the end.

John Ford explores the way in which the women are treated in this play, throughout the men take a dominant role. Also corrupt clergymen are attacked in the person of the greedy cardinal.

[edit] Characters

Ford tended to order his characters hierachically. Here in the list of characters form the 1633 quarto we have churchmen at the top and women the bottom. Within this three factors determine their positioning; social standing, age and moral worth.^[2] As well as listed below there are Officers of the Watch, Ladies and attendants.

• Men
  • Bonaventura - A Friar
  • A Cardinal - Nuncio to the Pope
  • Soranzo - A Nobleman (Annabella's suitor)
  • Florio - A citzen of Parma
  • Donado - Another Citzen
  • Grimaldi - A Roman Gentleman (Annabella's suitor)
  • Giovanni - Son of Florio (pronounced with four syllables)
  • Bergetto - Nephew of Donado (Annabella's suitor)
  • Richardetto - A suspposed Physican
  • Vasques - Servant to Soranzo
  • Poggio - Servant to Bergetto
  • Banditti
• Women
  • Annabella - Daughter of Florio
  • Hippolita - Whife of Richardetto (Soranzo's former paramour)
  • Philotis - Niece of Richardetto
  • Putana - Tutoress of Annabella

[edit] Plot Summary

Giovanni has developed an incestuous passion for his sister, Annabella, despite knowing their blood relationship. She, meanwhile, is being courted by a number of suitors, Bergetto, Grimaldi and Soranazo among them. She is not interested in them, however, and when Giovanni lies and tells her their love is permitted by the church, she tells him she loves him. They consummate the relationship, but Annabella becomes pregnant.

To save them being found out, Giovanni's friar advises Annabella she must marry. She marries Soranazo, who is in love with her, but comes to despise her when he realizes she was already pregnant. He has his man Vasques find out the father of her child from Annabella's servant, Putana, who then has her blinded by Banditti. When Vasques finds out about the incest, both he and Soranzo are revolted. They resolve to have Annabella put to death.

Annabella meanwhile has repented of her incest, being advised by the friar that it has been wrong, and sends a letter to advise her brother. He then comes to see her, possibly aware that Soranzo is intending to kill her. He instead kills her and cuts out her heart.

Giovanni then bursts in upon the Cardinal, Florio, Soranzo and Vasques. He carries Annabella's heart on his dagger, and admits to the adulterous relationship. His father, Florio, dies in shock or horror at this announcement. Giovanni stabs Soranzo in contempt and fatally injures him. However Vasques takes up the fight, and with the help of Banditti Giovanni is killed. The play ends with the Cardinal ordering Putana be burned alive and Vasques banished for murder.

[edit] The Death Count

• Bergetto - mistakenly stabbed by Grimaldi
• Hippolita - poisoned by Vasques
• Annabella - murdered by her brother, Giovanni
• Florio - possible heart attack at finding out about Giovanni's crimes
• Soranzo - stabbed by Giovanni
• Giovanni - stabbed by Banditti
• Putana - ordered to be burnt at the stake by the Cardinal having had her eyes poked out at Vasques' orders (the text is slightly ambiguous and could refer to Annabella's body being burnt)

[edit] In Popular Culture

• Midsomer Murders, Pilot Episode, “The Killings at Badger's Drift” (1997) - Cully Barnaby rehearses for the role of Annabella throughout the episode, and this detail ties up a loose end at the conclusion of the episode.

[edit] External links

• CurtainUp Review of 'Tis Pity - review of a modern performance of this play
• Times Online Review - another review of a modernized performance

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/John_Ford
2. '^ Tis Pity She's a Whore, John Ford, edited Martin Wiggins, New Mermaids, Second edition, 2003 ISBN 0393900677

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