''The Spanish Friar, or the Double Discovery'' is a
tragicomedy
Tragicomedy is a literary genre that blends aspects of both tragedy, tragic and comedy, comic forms. Most often seen in drama, dramatic literature, the term can describe either a tragic play which contains enough comic elements to lighten the ov ...
by
John Dryden
''
John Dryden (; – ) was an English poet, literary critic, translator, and playwright who in 1668 was appointed England's first Poet Laureate.
He is seen as dominating the literary life of Restoration England to such a point that the per ...
, produced and published in 1681.
[Birch, ed. 2009.]
Characters
* Torrismond, ''Son of'' Sancho, ''the deposed King, believing himself Son of'' Raymond.
* Bertran, ''a Prince of the blood.''
* Alphonso, ''a general Officer, Brother to'' Raymond.
* Lorenzo, ''his Son.''
* Raymond, ''a Nobleman, supposed Father of'' Torrismond.
* Pedro, ''an Officer.''
* Gomez, ''an old Usurer.''
* Dominick, ''the Spanish Friar.''
* Leonora, ''Queen of Arragon.''
* Teresa, ''Woman to'' Leonora.
* Elvira, ''Wife to'' Gomez.
[Scott 1808, p. 371.]
Plot
The tragic part of the plot concerns a usurpation. Torrismond is, unknowingly, the rightful heir to the Spanish throne. He secretly marries Leonora, the unlawful queen, under whose reign Torrismond's father, the true king, has been killed in gaol.
The comic sub‐plot is commanded by the presence of Father Dominic, the eponymous friar, a corpulent and corrupt official who speaks the language of Dissenters and procures women for the hedonistic and politically liberal Lorenzo. Ironically, it is only through Lorenzo's agency that Torrismond is restored. The girl Lorenzo has been pursuing is revealed to be his sister.
History
The ''Spanish Friar'' appears to have been brought out shortly after
Thomas Thynne's murder, which is alluded to in the Prologue, probably early in 1681–2. The whimsical caricature, which it presented to the public, in Father Dominic, was received with rapture by the prejudiced spectators, who thought nothing could be exaggerated in the character of a Roman Catholic priest. Yet, the satire was still more severe in the first edition, and afterwards considerably softened.
It was, as Dryden himself calls it, a Protestant play;
Jeremy Collier
Jeremy Collier (; 23 September 1650 – 26 April 1726) was an English theatre critic, non-juror bishop and theologian.
Life
Born Jeremiah Collier, in Stow cum Quy, Cambridgeshire, Collier was educated at Caius College, University of Cambrid ...
says it was rare Protestant diversion, and much for the credit of the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
. Accordingly, the ''Spanish Friar'' was the only play prohibited by
James II James II may refer to:
* James II of Avesnes (died c. 1205), knight of the Fourth Crusade
* James II of Majorca (died 1311), Lord of Montpellier
* James II of Aragon (1267–1327), King of Sicily
* James II, Count of La Marche (1370–1438), King C ...
after his accession.
After the
Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
, the ''Spanish Friar'' was the first play represented by order of
Mary II
Mary II (30 April 166228 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, William III & II, from 1689 until her death in 1694.
Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, and his first wife ...
, and honoured with her presence; a choice, of which she had abundant reason to repent, as the serious part of the piece gave as much scope for malicious application against herself, as the comic against the religion of her father.
An account of the public reaction, with some other particulars, is contained in a letter from the
Earl of Nottingham
:''See also Earl of Winchilsea''
Earl of Nottingham is a title that has been created seven times in the Peerage of England. It was first created for John de Mowbray in 1377, at the coronation of Richard II. As this creation could only pass to ...
, published by
Sir John Dalrymple, from a copy given him by the Bishop of Dromore:
Notes
References
Bibliography
* Birch, Dinah, ed. (2009)
"Spanish Friar, The" In ''The Oxford Companion to English Literature''. Oxford University Press. Oxford Reference.
* Coltharp, Duane (1999).
"Patriarchalism at Risk in "The Spanish Fryar"". ''SEL: Studies in English Literature 1500–1900'', 39(3): pp. 427–441.
*
Scott, Walter, ed. (1808). ''The Works of John Dryden, Now First Collected in Eighteen Volumes''.
Vol. 6. Edinburgh: Printed for William Miller by James Ballantyne and Co. pp. 365–486.
*
The Spanish fryar, or, The double discovery acted at the Duke's Theatre / written by John Dryden …'. London: Printed for Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson ..., 1681.
{{Authority control
Tragicomedy plays
1681 plays
Plays by John Dryden