''The Fatal Constancy'' is a 1723

tragedy Tragedy (from the grc-gre, τραγῳδία, ''tragōidia'', ''tragōidia'') is a genre of drama based on human suffering and, mainly, the terrible or sorrowful events that befall a main character. Traditionally, the intention of tragedy ...

by the British writer

Hildebrand Jacob Hildebrand Jacob (1692 or 1693–1739) was a British poet and playwright, whose major works include the epic poem ''Brutus the Trojan'' and the tragic verse drama ''The Fatal Constancy''. His collected works (entitled ''The Works of H. Jacob, Esqr. ...

.Black p.77 The original cast included

Barton Booth Barton Booth (168210 May 1733) was one of the most famous dramatic actors of the first part of the 18th century. Early life Booth was the son of The Hon and Very Revd Dr Robert Booth (priest), Robert Booth, Dean of Bristol, by his first wife ...

as Omphales,

John Mills Sir John Mills (born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills; 22 February 190823 April 2005) was an English actor who appeared in more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades. He excelled on camera as an appealing British everyman who often portray ...

as Zimon,

Colley Cibber Colley Cibber (6 November 1671 – 11 December 1757) was an English actor-manager, playwright and Poet Laureate. His colourful memoir ''Apology for the Life of Colley Cibber'' (1740) describes his life in a personal, anecdotal and even rambling ...

as Tryphon, Charles Williams as Ammon and Mary Porter as Hesione.

Plot Summary

In Ancient Greece, a man, Ammon, is upset that his adopted sister, Hesione, whom he is in love with, is getting married to a soldier, Omphales. Ammon decides to blackmail a priest, Zimon, who is officiating the wedding of Omphales and Hesione, into delivering a bad omen that will prevent the two from getting married to one another. Tryphon, Hesione's father, believes Zimon's falsehood, and refuses to let his daughter wed Omphales. Omphales leaves the city and conjures up an army of soldiers to overtake Tryphon, but is, along with his allies, defeated and killed. As a result, Hesione, who has been in a state of madness since Omphales's departure, dies. Ammon feels guilty and bemoans his actions.

Influences

The prologue to the play states that ''The Fatal Constancy'' resembles Ancient Greek drama in its structure; the play takes place over a 24 hour period, and all the deaths take place offstage.

References

Bibliography

* Black, Jeremy. ''Culture in Eighteenth-Century England: A Subject for Taste''. A&C Black, 2007. * Burling, William J. ''A Checklist of New Plays and Entertainments on the London Stage, 1700-1737''. Fairleigh Dickinson Univ Press, 1992. * Hildebrand, Jacob. ''The Fatal Constancy.'' Printed for J. Tonson at Shakespear's Head over against Katherine Street, 1723. 1723 plays West End plays Tragedy plays Historical plays Plays by Hildebrand Jacob {{18thC-play-stub