PARASITASTER, or
1604–1606
I.i The play opens as Hercules, in the guise of Faunus, is following Tiberio into Urbin. His true intent is to see if he can influence Tiberio to marry Dulcimel.
I.ii It is Dulcimel's birthday, her fifteenth, and a fireworks display is in progress. News of Tiberio's mission has disheartened a foppish gallant, Nymphadoro, who views Dulcimel as his favorite mistress. He bemoans her loss to his friend, the braggart Herod. Herod's brother, Sir Amoroso, is married to Garbetza, but he prefers to be "yet still the ladies' common-or the common ladies'-servant."
Gonzago enters with his favorite, one Granuffo. Gonzago apparently loves to listen to the sound of his own voice. Granuffo never utters a word, but only nods his agreement when the Duke speaks.
Tiberio meets with the Duke and Dulcimel. The young lady is not at all pleased with the prospect of marrying an old man. From the start it is apparent that she fancies Tiberio. Gonzago, on the other hand, is most solicitous, and encourages Dulcimel to cast a favorable eye upon Hercules' proposal. All this is done in the hearing of the court, including Faunus/Hercules, who pretends to be attached to Tiberio's train. When the meeting is over Faunus/Hercules is left with Nymphadoro and Herod. They form a liking for each other. Nymphadoro enlists Faunus' aid in trying to win Dulcimel's love for him and in return promises to have Faunus preferred at court. A post in court would be all the better to insinuate him into the counsel of Dulcimel. After the two fops leave, Faunus/Hercules sees that flattery is the order of the day in Urbin and swears to undermine the deceit in the court with still greater deceit practiced on the deceivers.
II.i finds Herod and Nymphadoro congratulating themselves for having successfully placed Faunus in court. They are amazed, however, at how quickly Faunus has ingratiated himself with the Duke Gonzago, becoming almost immediately a right-hand-man to the Duke. He is also a favorite of all the court-including the princess Dulcimel and Ferraro's Prince Tiberio. Faunus enters and tells them that Duke Hercules' suit is as good as rejected, but before Nymphadoro can rejoice, Faunus informs them that the rejection is due to Dulcimel's love for Tiberio.
They suggest that they hire Faunus to poison Tiberio. When Faunus asks if they have money to hire him, Herod informs him that, because Amoroso-his brother-is without heir, he [Herod] stands to inherit all upon his brother's death. Herod further brags that he is even now cuckolding his brother.
Zuccone enters and we learn that he is suspicious of his wife, Zoya, fearing that she is cuckolding him. Because of his suspicions, Zuccone has not slept with his wife in four years. As Zuccone bemoans his supposed horns, Donaldo enters, swears Nymphadoro to secrecy, and tells him that Zuccone's wife is pregnant. Nymphadoro immediately swears Herod to secrecy and tells him of Zoya's condition. Herod then swears Faunus to secrecy and passes along the gossip. Herod then swears Zuccone to secrecy and tells him that his wife is pregnant. Zuccone flies into a jealous rage, swearing he will turn tyrant.
After Zuccone storms out, Zoya enters and asks Donaldo if her trick has worked. She is not pregnant, but wishes to teach her mean husband a lesson. When Zuccone is perceived eavesdropping upon her, Zoya changes her tone and pretends that she wants everyone present-Donaldo, Herod, Nymphadoro, and Faunus-in her bed. After she leaves Zuccone comes out and swears he will be divorced.
Dulcimel tells Gonzago that Tiberio has begun to sue for love on his own behalf. Gonzago sends her to her room and upbraids Tiberio for deceiving Hercules. He tells Tiberio that he will not have him courting his daughter. After Gonzago leaves, Tiberio is obviously astonished; he has not been courting Dulcimel. In reality it is Dulcimel's trick to entice Tiberio. Faunus tells Tiberio he might want to try to court the lady for himself, but Tiberio insists upon being loyal to his father's wishes.
III.i opens upon Nymphadoro telling Faunus that he loves all women-all ages, colors, complexions, etc. for each of their unique qualities. He especially loves Dulcimel because she is both beautiful and rich, but he is willing to love Donetta, Garbetza, or any other woman, and he uses the same line on each. Dulcimel and Philocalia enter as Nymphadoro and Faunus exit.
Dulcimel confesses her love for Tiberio to Philocalia. She has decided, as her self-proclaimed wise father will not allow the two to meet, converse, or send messages that she will use her father as go-between. This she intends to do by gulling him into believing that he is keeping them apart. When Gonzago enters she shows him a scarf with an embroidered message, saying that Gonzago can be duped into setting up a tryst. She commends Gonzago for his strength and wisdom and tells him that the scarf is from Tiberio. Gonzago sends her off to her room, calls for Tiberio, and upbraids him for his effrontery. He gives Tiberio "back" the scarf and tells him to avoid Dulcimel.
Tiberio, clearly confused, reads the scarf's message. It is really a message from Dulcimel to him rather than vice versa. He sees what she is doing but thinks that she is too devious ever to make a good wife. He determines to keep his loyalty to his father. When Faunus suggests that Tiberio tell Gonzago what's going on, Tiberio balks. Tiberio begins to be intrigued by Dulcimel.
IV.i opens with Faunus suggesting that Garbetza cuckold Amoroso. She rather likes the idea. She says that she will cuckold him with Herod. She believes that, although Herod says he loves many women, he really loves her, so it is just and fitting that she bed with him. They overhear Herod's page pleading with Puttota, the laundress, to agree to Herod's suit and sleep with Herod. She refuses. The laundress swears to be true to her husband and to refuse Garbetza's leavings. The page shows her a letter from Herod denouncing Garbetza. Puttota still refuses. She and the page exit but not before Faunus steals the letter from the page. Garbetza, furious, swears she will undo Herod, who, she says, has impregnated her and has thus lost his inheritance. His child will be passed off as Amoroso's and will inherit all that Herod had hoped would come to him.
Faunus observes that "here are two perfect creatures. The one, Nymphadoro, loves all (women), and my Herod enjoys all (women)." Herod brags that he has that day bedded four women. He shows letters from various women to him, pledging love. They are undoubtedly forgeries. Faunus teases him by reading the letter to Puttota he has stolen. After reading it (to Herod's chagrin), Faunus flatters him saying that lying about loving is a good thing. Herod is satisfied.
Donaldo enters with the news that after the evening's supper the Duke will seek Dulcimel's answer to Hercules and provide an entertainment-but not a "comedy, masque, or barriers" but rather "a session, a general council of love summon'd in the name of Don Cupid." He has further news that Zuccone has separated from Zoya.
Zuccone enters, followed by Zoya pleading on her knees to be taken back. He refuses her. He sends her away. Faunus pricks his conscience that he drove her to be untrue with all of his suspicions. He remains resolute. Zoya enters with a train of men admiring her. After she passes, Herod tells Zuccone that the whole pregnancy story was a trick to teach Zuccone a lesson. The child was nothing but "feathers" (a pillow under her dress). Zuccone recognizes his mistake and asks Faunus for help. He is sure Zoya will not take him back after he has defamed her. Faunus suggests that he hang himself. Zuccone says that is too good and determines to marry again to torment himself. Faunus says he knows an old, hideous hag, who is wealthy, but that even she won't marry a man who has defamed a woman wrongly. Zuccone decides to "creep upon my knees to my wife."
Dulcimel runs to Gonzago and tells him that Tiberio has promised to climb the tree outside her window and have a priest waiting in her room to marry them. She begs her father to forbid it. Gonzago sends her to her room and calls for Tiberio. He tells Tiberio that he cannot meet Dulcimel in her room in order to marry her. Gonzago then storms out. Tiberio sees that she means them to marry that night and has arranged for a priest, but he laments to Faunus that he doesn't know how to sneak into her bedchamber. Gonzago returns and tells him that he can just forget about climbing up the tree outside of her window. Dulcimel thereby successfully communicates her plan to Tiberio through her unwitting father.
V.i opens with Faunus helping Tiberio to the tree outside of Dulcimel's room. After Tiberio climbs up to her, Faunus/Hercules prays that their bed be blessed with issue and Ferraro will not have its line ended by cursed barrenness. Donaldo enters to tell Faunus that the entertainment is ready, the Duke supped, and all are to gather. Zoya enters followed by Zuccone on his knees, begging to be forgiven and taken back (in a perfect reversal of the last time we saw Zoya). She repeats to him his own tyrannous words and swears to remain separated from him.
In the entertainment, apparently scripted by Faunus, Cupid holds court to pass judgment on all that have taken his realm of love in vain. The guilty are to be taken off to the "ship of fools."
Tiberio and Dulcimel appear above, hand-in-hand. Gonzago, furious, orders them bound and carted off to Ferrara. They say the priest has already bound them. Hercules unmasks and gives the couple his blessing. Gonzago is then able to laugh at how he has been gulled.
Gonzago embodies Marston's love for commenting upon his own rhetoric. Marston often has one of his characters spout unrealistically elevated speeches, but he nearly always checks such flights by having another character flout such rhetoric-often to highly comic, metadramatic effect. Here Gonzago holds forth only to stop himself mid-sentence in order to appreciate his own words.
Granuffo is Gonzago's "silent" minion to whom Gonzago addresses all of his self-appreciating commentary. His greatest asset is his silence, which Gonzago mistakes for wisdom.
Tiberio is flat. He is little more than a tennis ball to be batted unwittingly between Hercules/Faunus, Gonzago, and Dulcimel. He is slow to understand what is happening and often needs Faunus's explanation to make Dulcimel's plans clear to him.
Dulcimel is a bright, scheming woman who sees what she wants and knows how to get it.
Zuccone is probably the character most ill-treated by Faunus, but he is also the most deserving of ill-treatment, being the wife-abuser that he is.
Zoya is the dutiful wife who is, nevertheless, witty enough to know when enough is enough.
Amoroso Debile-Doso is, as his name suggests, an amorous man who has a "weak back" when it comes to loving his wife. His weak back is probably meant as a comparison to Hercules, who is often given the epithet "strong-backed" in deference to the legend of his ability to beget fifty children in a single night. Amoroso's inability to get children has nearly assured that his brother, Herod, will inherit from him.
Garbetza, Amoroso's wife, as her name suggests, is "sour" or "tart." She, too, is strong-willed enough to go after what she wants. But, unlike Dulcimel, her desires are base.
Herod Frappatore is the braggart. He wants people to believe he is a great lover of women. His last name suggests his boastfulness, his first suggests his volubility (cf. "out-Herod Herod"-Herod being a morality play character known, as was Hercules, for his fustian).
Nymphadoro is a Nymph-chaser, or so he fancies himself. Unlike Herod, he does not brag about conquests, rather, he is inconstant, loving all women equally for whatever qualities they happen to possess.
In this play Marston has pulled two popular traditions together. The "Ship of Fools" tradition comes from a book by Sebastian Brandt, the Narrenschiff (1494), which was translated by Alexander Barclay in 1509 (with woodcuts by Holbein). The other tradition is that of "Cupid's Parliament" by which the god of eros sits in judgment of those who have wronged his realm. The latter was a popular entertainment at court. The commingling of traditions was a commonplace in the entertainment presented at the Inns of Court. The Inns of Court were a part of Marston's background.
One strong theme throughout the play is that of blocked communication-especially noticeable where Gonzago forbids communication between Tiberio and Dulcimel. Other blocked communications can be seen between other characters as well:
The theme of pregnancy also runs throughout the play.
Morris Allen has called this play "an inferior Malcontent" and others have called it a "saturnalia" (orgiastic revelry). J. S. Colley identifies this play (along with most of Marston's other plays-Jack Drum's Entertainment, The Dutch Curtezan, What You Will) as "Jonsonian comedy". That is, Colley believes it to be a comedy of gulls and humor characters. Colley's other category-"violent satires"-includes the Antonio plays and The Malcontent.
Two problems that may require some comment are, first, the comment at III.i.156-59 that Philocalia is an apt match for Hercules. The problem is that the comment is never acted upon, and some commentators have perceived this to be a loose end in the play. The possible rebuttal is that Hercules' response (in the guise of Faunus) at l. 160, "I cannot tell-my thoughts grow busy", might be a dismissal of the proposed alliance. He does describe himself earlier as a "contented widower." The second problem falls at V.i.353-66 when Granuffo is adjudged guilty in the eyes of Cupid for abusing "ladies with counterfeit faces, courting only with signs" when he has not been involved in any form of amorous dalliance, his only real guilt is "seeming wise only by silence." The rebuttal here is that the "Cupid's Parliament" is a piece of light fluff-not only to the audience, but to the characters themselves. It could well be that Faunus is merely bootstrapping a complaint against Granuffo in order to make an ass of him for the sake of the entertainment. That he is not a sinner in the Cupid's eyes is unimportant-indeed, this may be the way actual "Parliaments of Cupid" were run. Any trumped-up charge was allowed if it led to merriment in the court, and so long as it was somehow—no matter how tenuously—connected to the theme of "the wrongs done to love." Another possibility (wholly unsupported by the text) is that Granuffo engages in mise en scéne throughout the play, flirting silently with women à la Harpo Marx.
Synopsis:
Background: Hercules, the Duke of Ferrara, has sent his son, Tiberio, to the Dukedom of Urbin. Tiberio's mission is to woo Dulcimel, who is daughter to Gonzago, the Duke of Urbin. Hercules, a contented widower, had once attempted to interest Tiberio in Dulcimel, but found Tiberio disinterested in marriage-now it seems that Hercules wants to marry Dulcimel himself.
Characterization:
Hercules is a saturnine figure, winning the woman for his son. In Marston the figure of Hercules is always used to suggest one of two themes-either he is the cleaner of filth (see the Twelfth Labor, the cleaning of the Agean stables), or he is the begetter of children (note the aprocyphal Thirteenth Labor wherein Hercules is supposed to have impregnated fifty women in one night.) Here he seems to be used to both effects. He, like Malevole from The Malcontent, cleans up the corruption in the Dukedom, but he also is interested in seeing his line continue through the begetting of more children (this time by his son rather than by himself.)
Notes of Interest:
The role of Hercules is Herculean. He is on stage throughout Acts II, IV, and V and is present in much of Acts I and III.
first when he will not sleep with her (failure of martial communication),
next when he refuses to hear her pleas,
and finally when she refuses to hear his: