Anonymous
MUCEDORUS, or MUCEDORUS AND AMADINE
[Shakespeare Apocrypha]
1588–1598
revised 1610
a synoptic, alphabetical character list
AMADINE
Amadine is the daughter of the King of Aragon. The King of Valencia proposes Amadine as a bride for his son, Mucedorus, and Mucedorus decides to travel to Aragon disguised as a shepherd and make an informed decision about her. Mucedorus arrives just in time to save Amadine from a bear and to displace Segasto as her favoured suitor. Mucedorus is banished from Aragon and Amadine agrees to run away with him, but their rendezvous in the forest is prevented when Amadine is captured by Bremo, the wild man of the forest. Bremo intends to kill and eat her, but a magical power prevents him and he decides to make her his mate instead. Bremo soon captures Mucedorus as well, who is now disguised as a hermit, and even though Amadine does not recognize him she persuades Bremo not to kill him. Eventually Mucedorus and Amadine escape, return to Aragon, and obtain her father's consent to their marriage. Mucedorus' father arrives just in time to help celebrate the match.
ANSELMO
Anselmo helps his friend Mucedorus disguise himself as a shepherd so that he can travel to Aragon and meet Amadine. Eventually, moved by the grief of Mucedorus' father (King of Valencia), Anselmo tells the king where his son has gone. Anselmo and the king travel to Aragon with other Valencian courtiers, arriving just in time to celebrate Amadine and Mucedorus' wedding.
ARIENA
Ariena is Amadine's maid.
BOY
When Amadine is trying to persuade her father (King of Aragon) to spare Mucedorus' life, she has a boy bring in the head of the bear Mucedorus slew. This visual prop is instrumental in saving Mucedorus' life.
BREMO
When Amadine and Mucedorus decide to run away together, their rendezvous in the forest is prevented by Bremo, a wild man, who captures Amadine. He plans to kill and eat her, but a mysterious power prevents him from acting and he decides to make her his mate instead. Later, Bremo captures Mucedorus, who is disguised as a hermit. Mucedorus and Amadine escape Bremo and return to Aragon, where they are married.
CATALONIAN PRINCE
The King of Aragon rewards Tremelio's services by giving him a prisoner, the Catalonian prince.
CLOWN
An alternative designation for Mouse, a rustic who is the clown of the play.
COLLIN
Collin is the King of Aragon's faithful advisor.
COMEDY
The play is framed by an induction and epilogue in which Comedy and Envy vie for control of the play. Comedy triumphs, and the play ends happily.
ENVY
The play is framed by an induction and epilogue in which Comedy and Envy vie for control of the play. Comedy triumphs, and the play ends happily.
HERMIT
One of Mucedorus' disguises. When Amadine fails to meet Mucedorus in the forest, he decides to disguise himself as a hermit and live in the woods. As the hermit, he is captured by Bremo, who has already taken Amadine prisoner, and even though she does not recognize the hermit as her shepherd-lover she persuades Bremo not to kill him.
KING OF ARAGON
The King of Aragon, Amadine's father, favors Segasto as a future son-in-law and heir. Eventually, after Mucedorus saves Amadine from Bremo, the king agrees to let Mucedorus marry Amadine if Segasto will relinquish his claim. He does, and the play ends happily.
KING OF VALENCIA
Mucedorus' father, the King of Valencia, proposes Amadine as a potential bride for his son. When Mucedorus disguises himself as a shepherd and travels to Aragon to see if Amadine would be a good match for him, the king's grief at his son's absence finally persuades Anselmo to reveal Mucedorus' whereabouts. Anselmo and the king arrive in Aragon just as Mucedorus has received the King of Aragon's consent to marry Amadine.
MESSENGER
A messenger tells Mucedorus that the King of Aragon has decided to banish him. Later, a messenger announces that the King of Valencia has arrived.
MOUSE
Mouse, also sometimes called 'the clown,' is the rustic of the play who becomes Segasto's servant. At the end of the play, Mouse arrives at court to tell the King of Valencia that his daughter Amadine is safe, and the king promises to reward him with silver and gold for being the bearer of good news.
MUCEDORUS
Mucedorus, Prince of Valencia, disguises himself as a shepherd in order to see whether he can love Amadine, the Princess of Aragon. They do fall in love after Mucedorus rescues her from an attacking bear, but their plan to run away together is foiled when Amadine is captured by Bremo, the wild man of the forest. Mucedorus, not knowing why Amadine has failed to meet him, decides to live in the forest as a hermit. When he, too, is captured by Bremo, Amadine convinces the wild man to make the hermit a slave rather than a meal. Eventually, Mucedorus and Amadine manage to escape and return to Aragon. When Amadine's father (King of Aragon) hears the whole story he agrees to their marriage, but only if Segasto will relinquish his claim to Amadine. Segasto concedes, and Mucedorus' father (King of Valencia) arrives just in time to celebrate his son's marriage.
OLD WOMAN
An old woman pursues Mouse, whom she accuses not only of failing to pay his bill in her alehouse, but also of stealing the pot from which he has been drinking. After a physical skirmish, the old woman exits in triumph with the pot.
RUMBELO
Segasto's servant.
SEGASTO
Lord Segasto, Amadine's suitor, is a coward who fails to protect her when they are attacked by a bear. After Mucedorus slays the bear and seems likely to displace him in Amadine's affections, Segasto asks Tremelio to kill Mucedorus. The plot fails and Mucedorus kills Tremelio, although Segasto eventually manages to rid himself of Mucedorus by having him banished. Later, when Mucedorus has rescued Amadine from Bremo and revealed his true identity as the Prince of Valencia, Segasto relinquishes his claim to Amadine, thus eliminating her father's only objection to a match between Mucedorus and Amadine. Segasto's capitulation allows the play to end happily with the marriage of Mucedorus and Amadine.
SHEPHERD
Mucedorus is disguised as a shepherd throughout most of the play. He first dons the disguise in order to travel to see Amadine. He later adopts a hermit's attire, but whichever disguise he wears the audience is always aware that he is Mucedorus.
TREMELIO
The King of Aragon rewards Tremelio's services as a captain by giving him the Catalonian prince who has been captured in battle. Later, Segasto bribes Tremelio to kill Mucedorus, but instead Mucedorus kills Tremelio.