Antonio’s Revenge: THE SECOND PART OF THE HISTORY OF ANTONIO AND MELLIDA
By John Marston
()
About this ebook
John Marston was born to John and Maria Marston née Guarsi, and baptised on October 7th, 1576 at Wardington, Oxfordshire.
Marston entered Brasenose College, Oxford in 1592 and earned his BA in 1594. By 1595, he was in London, living in the Middle Temple. His interests were in poetry and play writing, although his father's will of 1599 hopes that he would not further pursue such vanities.
His brief career in literature began with the fashionable genres of erotic epyllion and satire; erotic plays for boy actors to be performed before educated young men and members of the inns of court.
In 1598, he published ‘The Metamorphosis of Pigmalion's Image and Certaine Satyres’, a book of poetry. He also published ‘The Scourge of Villanie’, in 1598.
‘Histriomastix’ regarded as his first play was produced 1599. It’s performance kicked off an episode in literary history known as the War of the Theatres; a literary feud between Marston, Jonson and Dekker that lasted until 1602.
However, the playwrights were later reconciled; Marston wrote a prefatory poem for Jonson's ‘Sejanus’ in 1605 and dedicated ‘The Malcontent’ to him.
Beyond this episode Marston's career continued to gather both strength, assets and followers. In 1603, he became a shareholder in the Children of Blackfriars company. He wrote and produced two plays with the company. The first was ‘The Malcontent’ in 1603, his most famous play. His second was ‘The Dutch Courtesan’, a satire on lust and hypocrisy, in 1604-5.
In 1605, he worked with George Chapman and Ben Jonson on ‘Eastward Ho’, a satire of popular taste and the vain imaginings of wealth to be found in the colony of Virginia.
Marston took the theatre world by surprise when he gave up writing plays in 1609 at the age of thirty-three. He sold his shares in the company of Blackfriars. His departure from the literary scene may have been because of further offence he gave to the king. The king suspended performances at Blackfriars and had Marston imprisoned.
On 24th September 1609 he was made a deacon and them a priest on 24th December 1609. In October 1616, Marston was assigned the living of Christchurch, Hampshire.
He died (accounts vary) on either the 24th or 25th June 1634 in London and was buried in the Middle Temple Church.
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Antonio’s Revenge - John Marston
Antonio’s Revenge by John Marston
THE SECOND PART OF THE HISTORY OF ANTONIO AND MELLIDA
Antonios Reuenge. The second part. As it hath beene sundry times acted, by the children of Paules.
John Marston was born to John and Maria Marston née Guarsi, and baptised on October 7th, 1576 at Wardington, Oxfordshire.
Marston entered Brasenose College, Oxford in 1592 and earned his BA in 1594. By 1595, he was in London, living in the Middle Temple. His interests were in poetry and play writing, although his father's will of 1599 hopes that he would not further pursue such vanities.
His brief career in literature began with the fashionable genres of erotic epyllion and satire; erotic plays for boy actors to be performed before educated young men and members of the inns of court.
In 1598, he published ‘The Metamorphosis of Pigmalion's Image and Certaine Satyres’, a book of poetry. He also published ‘The Scourge of Villanie’, in 1598.
‘Histriomastix’ regarded as his first play was produced 1599. It’s performance kicked off an episode in literary history known as the War of the Theatres; a literary feud between Marston, Jonson and Dekker that lasted until 1602.
However, the playwrights were later reconciled; Marston wrote a prefatory poem for Jonson's ‘Sejanus’ in 1605 and dedicated ‘The Malcontent’ to him.
Beyond this episode Marston's career continued to gather both strength, assets and followers. In 1603, he became a shareholder in the Children of Blackfriars company. He wrote and produced two plays with the company. The first was ‘The Malcontent’ in 1603, his most famous play. His second was ‘The Dutch Courtesan’, a satire on lust and hypocrisy, in 1604-5.
In 1605, he worked with George Chapman and Ben Jonson on ‘Eastward Ho’, a satire of popular taste and the vain imaginings of wealth to be found in the colony of Virginia.
Marston took the theatre world by surprise when he gave up writing plays in 1609 at the age of thirty-three. He sold his shares in the company of Blackfriars. His departure from the literary scene may have been because of further offence he gave to the king. The king suspended performances at Blackfriars and had Marston imprisoned.
On 24th September 1609 he was made a deacon and them a priest on 24th December 1609. In October 1616, Marston was assigned the living of Christchurch, Hampshire.
He died (accounts vary) on either the 24th or 25th June 1634 in London and was buried in the Middle Temple Church.
Index of Contents
STORY OF THE PLAY
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
THE SCENE—VENICE
ANTONIO’S REVENGE
THE PROLOGUE
ACT I
SCENE I - A Corridor in the Palace of Piero
SCENE II - Precincts of the Palace of Piero
ACT II
SCENE I - A Dumb Show
SCENE II - Before the palace of Piero
ACT III
SCENE I - A Dumb Show
SCENE II - Chamber of Maria
ACT IV
SCENE I
SCENE II
ACT V
SCENE I – The Dumb Show
SCENE II
SCENE III - A Banqueting-Hall
JOHN MARSTON – A SHORT BIOGRAPHY
JOHN MARSTON – A CONCISE BIBLIOGRAPHY
STORY OF THE PLAY
Piero had been a suitor for the hand of Maria, daughter of the Duke of Ferrara, but his addresses had been rejected and Maria had married Andrugio, the offspring of the union being Antonio. When Piero, dissembling his hatred, affects to be reconciled to Andrugio, Lucio is despatched to bring Maria to the Venetian Court. Piero, at a banquet given on the eve of his daughter’s marriage with Antonio, instils in Andrugio’s cup a poison which has no immediate effect but works fatally after a few hours. With the help of a base creature, Strotzo, he proceeds in the night to murder Antonio’s friend, Feliche, whose body is carried by Strotzo to Mellida’s chamber. At sunrise Maria and Lucio arrive at Venice. Antonio, whose sleep has been troubled by hideous dreams, is abroad early, and is met by his mother as he paces disquietly in front of Mellida’s chamber. Presently the window-curtain is drawn aside and there is exposed the body of Feliche, stabbed thick with wounds. While Antonio is distractedly calling upon Mellida to rise, Piero advances and proclaims himself the author of Feliche’s death, protesting that he had found his daughter in the embraces of the murdered man. The scene of confusion is heightened by the entrance of Strotzo, who announces that Andrugio has died from excess of joy at his sudden change of fortunes. Mellida is put in close confinement, and a day is appointed for her trial. Strotzo is instructed by Piero to come forward at the trial and accuse Antonio of having instigated the murders of Andrugio and Feliche. But before the trial Andrugio’s ghost appears to Antonio, discloses Piero’s villainy, and bids Antonio take vengeance on the murderer. Antonio stabs Piero’s young son Julio at Andrugio’s shrine; he then disguises himself as Maria’s fool and watches his opportunity for further vengeance. The trial of Mellida is held: Strotzo enters the court with a cord round his neck, declaring that he had been suborned by Antonio to commit the crimes; and officers are despatched to arrest Antonio, who in his fool’s habit is watching the proceedings. It had been part of the plot that Strotzo, after making his confession, should break into passionate outbursts of sorrow and implore Piero to rid him of a dishonourable life; whereupon Piero was to spring forward, grasp the cord round Strotzo’s neck as with intent to strangle him, then suddenly to relax his hold, moved by Strotzo’s penitent conduct. Strotzo goes through his part of the performance; but Piero, grasping one end of the cord while Castilio (a courtier) grasps the other, is careful not to loose his hold before