Esmoreit

Esmoreit is a Middle Dutch drama. It is one of the four abele spelen that are contained in the Hulthemse handschrift and consists of 1018 lines in rhyme.

The other abele spelen are: Gloriant, Lanseloet van Denemerken and Vanden Winter ende vanden Somer

The play is named after the masculine leading character Esmoreit, crown-prince of the Kingdom of Sicily. It deals with the love between two people of different social class and is followed by the sotternie, the farce, Lippijn.

One of its sources is the 14th-century chanson de geste Baudouin de Sebourc.[1]

Roles

Plot

Esmoreit is the crown-prince of Sicily. His birth is a concern for his cousin Robbrecht, until then the successor to the throne. He decides to kill Esmoreit.

At the court of Damascus a prophecy tells that a foreign prince will kill the king (of Damascus) and marry his daughter Damiët. The king then decides to look for this prince to take him to his court and raise him as his son to avoid the murder. He sends out Platus to look for the prince.

In Sicily Platus meets Robbrecht, trying to kill Esmoreit by drowning him in a well. Platus buys the child (‘om dusent pont van goude ghetelt’: for one thousand pounds in gold) and brings him to Damascus. Robbrecht accuses the queen of the murder on her son and she is imprisoned by the king, who is raged with grief.

The king of Damascus leaves Esmoreit in the care of Damiët, telling her he is an abandoned child.

After many years… Esmoreit discovers Damiët is not his sister and that she has fallen in love with him. Esmoreit has fallen in love with Damiët but she can’t respond to his love because she considers him of lower class.

He also finds out that he is not abandoned and goes to look for his parents. When Esmoreit comes to Sicily he finds out his real identity: the cloth he was found in is recognized by the queen, still locked up. While the king and queen are united, Robbrecht still isn’t punished.

In the meantime Damiët can’t stand being without Esmoreit and she decides to go after him. She leaves with Platus, dressed as a pilgrim. Meeting him in Sicily gives great joy: Esmoreit introduces Damiët to his father who resigns his throne in behalf of Esmoreit. Platus recognizes Robbrecht as the man he bought Esmoreit from. Robbrecht is hung. Esmoreit and Damiët marry.

References

  1. ↑ Claassens, G. H. M. (2000). "Baudoin de Sebourc". In Willem Pieter Gerritsen. A Dictionary of Medieval Heroes: Characters in Medieval Narrative Traditions and Their Afterlife in Literature, Theatre and the Visual Arts. Anthony G. van Melle, Tanis Guest. Boydell & Brewer. pp. 53–54. ISBN 9780851157801.

Original Middle Dutch text

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