The Traitor
Encyclopedia
The Traitor is a Caroline era stage play, a tragedy
written by James Shirley
. Along with The Cardinal
, The Traitor is widely considered to represent the finest of Shirley's efforts in the genre, and to be among the best tragedies of its period. "It is impossible to find a more successful drama of its type than Shirley's Traitor."
The Traitor was licensed for performance by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of the Revels
, on May 4, 1631
, and was acted by Queen Henrietta's Men
at the Cockpit Theatre
. The play was first published in 1635
, with a dedication by Shirley to William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle
.
In creating the character of Sciarrha, Shirley may have been influenced by Foreste in Sir William Davenant
's The Cruel Brother (1627
). Shirley's source for the play's subplot was the account of the murder of Buondelmonte in Le istoire fiorentine by Niccolò Machiavelli
.
The play was revived during the Restoration
era, in November 1660
. King Charles II
saw a public performance on October 10, 1661
, a performance witnessed by Samuel Pepys
. An adaptation of The Traitor was published in 1692
, under its original title, but with the authorship credited to a "Mr. Rivers." In 1819
, Richard Lalor Sheil
produced an adaptation of The Traitor called Evadne.
, cousin and favorite of Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence
. Because of his political ambition to supplant the Duke, Lorenzo sets up his own faction and begins two plots. One is to frustrate the fortunes of his rival Cosmo by impeding his marriage to the wealthy Oriana; the second is to bring down the Duke by imbroiling him in a quarrel with the violent nobleman Sciarrha.
At first, Lorenzo's schemes bear fruit. He defends himself successfully against accusations of conspiracy; and he encourages the Duke to take Sciarrha's sister Amidea as his lover, and incites Sciarrha's ire in response. When Sciarrha tells his sister that he plans to kill the Duke, Amidea prevails upon him to let her deal with their problem. The Duke comes to Amidea's apartments, not realizing that Sciarrha is hidden behind the arras of her bedchamber. Amidea tries to appeal to the Duke, but he is determined to have her; before he can force her to submit, Amidea draws a poniard, wounds her own arm, and threatens to kill herself. This forces to Duke to back down and turn penitent. Sciarrha emerges from hiding, admits he planned to kill the Duke, and tries to enlighten him as to Lorenzo's plotting. The Duke hides behind the tapestries to overhear Sciarrha's talk with Lorenzo. Lorenzo, however, is too crafty to fall into Sciarrha's trap, and feigns ignorance of the matter and pretends to call for the Duke's guards. The Duke decides to treat the matter as a misunderstanding, and has the two men reconcile.
Though one of his plots is frustrated, Lorenzo has better luck with his other scheme. Cosmo, fearful of Lorenzo as the Duke's favorite, surrenders his interest in Oriana to another nobleman, Pisano; Pisano, in turn, breaks his engagement with Amidea and wins the consent of Oriana's mother. Lorenzo manipulates Sciarrha's anger at Pisano's treatment of Amidea; Sciarrha kills Pisano on the morning of his marriage, and Lorenzo sets him up to murder the Duke as well. Sciarrha tells Amidea that she will have to yield to the Duke, if he does not kill her; playing for time, Amidea suggests that she will satisfy the Duke — and Sciarrha stabs her. Dying, she confesses that she was not serious in what she'd said.
Sciarrha places his sister's body in her bed; the Duke enters, kisses the corpse, and realizes that she is dead. As he raises an alarm, Lorenzo and a confederate enter and stab the Duke. Sciarrha enters, and Lorenzo and Sciarrha fight and kill each other.
The play's element of comic relief is supplied by the character Depazzi.
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
written by James Shirley
James Shirley
James Shirley was an English dramatist.He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of this period, not so much for any transcendent genius in himself, as that he was the last of a great race, all of whom spoke nearly...
. Along with The Cardinal
The Cardinal
The Cardinal is a 1963 film which was produced independently and directed by Otto Preminger, and distributed by Columbia Pictures. The screenplay was written by Robert Dozier, based on the novel by Henry Morton Robinson....
, The Traitor is widely considered to represent the finest of Shirley's efforts in the genre, and to be among the best tragedies of its period. "It is impossible to find a more successful drama of its type than Shirley's Traitor."
The Traitor was licensed for performance by Sir Henry Herbert, the Master of the Revels
Master of the Revels
The Master of the Revels was a position within the English, and later the British, royal household heading the "Revels Office" or "Office of the Revels" that originally had responsibilities for overseeing royal festivities, known as revels, and later also became responsible for stage censorship,...
, on May 4, 1631
1631 in literature
The year 1631 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*January 9 - Love's Triumph Through Callipolis, a masque written by Ben Jonson and designed by Inigo Jones, is staged at Whitehall Palace....
, and was acted by Queen Henrietta's Men
Queen Henrietta's Men
Queen Henrietta's Men was an important playing company or troupe of actors in Caroline era London. At their peak of popularity, Queen Henrietta's Men were the second leading troupe of the day, after only the King's Men.-Beginnings:...
at the Cockpit Theatre
Cockpit Theatre
The Cockpit was a theatre in London, operating from 1616 to around 1665. It was the first theatre to be located near Drury Lane. After damage in 1617, it was christened The Phoenix....
. The play was first published in 1635
1635 in literature
The year 1635 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*February 22 - In Paris, the Académie française is founded.*May 6 - The King's Men perform Othello at the Blackfriars Theatre.*Birth of René Descartes' daughter, Francine....
, with a dedication by Shirley to William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle
William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle
William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne KG KB PC was an English polymath and aristocrat, having been a poet, equestrian, playwright, swordsman, politician, architect, diplomat and soldier...
.
In creating the character of Sciarrha, Shirley may have been influenced by Foreste in Sir William Davenant
William Davenant
Sir William Davenant , also spelled D'Avenant, was an English poet and playwright. Along with Thomas Killigrew, Davenant was one of the rare figures in English Renaissance theatre whose career spanned both the Caroline and Restoration eras and who was active both before and after the English Civil...
's The Cruel Brother (1627
1627 in literature
The year 1627 in literature involved some significant events.-New books:*Jean-Pierre Camus - Hyacinthe*George Hakewill - An Apologie or Declaration of the Power and Providence of God*Marin Mersenne - Traité de l'harmonie universelle...
). Shirley's source for the play's subplot was the account of the murder of Buondelmonte in Le istoire fiorentine by Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò Machiavelli
Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli was an Italian historian, philosopher, humanist, and writer based in Florence during the Renaissance. He is one of the main founders of modern political science. He was a diplomat, political philosopher, playwright, and a civil servant of the Florentine Republic...
.
The play was revived during the Restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
era, in November 1660
1660 in literature
The year 1660 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* January 1 - Samuel Pepys starts his diary.* February - John Rhodes reopens the old Cockpit Theatre in London, forms a company of young actors and begins to stage plays...
. King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
saw a public performance on October 10, 1661
1661 in literature
The year 1661 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* The Book of Kells is presented to Trinity College, Dublin.* Controversial author James Harrington is arrested on a charge of conspiracy....
, a performance witnessed by Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
. An adaptation of The Traitor was published in 1692
1692 in literature
The year 1692 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*Nahum Tate becomes Poet Laureate.*Thomas Rymer is made Historiographer Royal, and mounts a major effort to preserve and publish historical documents....
, under its original title, but with the authorship credited to a "Mr. Rivers." In 1819
1819 in literature
The year 1819 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:* In England, Richard Carlile is convicted of blasphemy and sent to prison for publishing The Age of Reason by Thomas Paine ....
, Richard Lalor Sheil
Richard Lalor Sheil
Richard Lalor Sheil , Irish politician, writer and orator, was born at Drumdowney, Slieverue, County Kilkenny, Ireland...
produced an adaptation of The Traitor called Evadne.
Synopsis
The protagonist of the play is Lorenzo, a character based on the historical figure Lorenzino de' MediciLorenzino de' Medici
Lorenzino de' Medici , sometimes called Lorenzaccio de' Medici, was an Italian writer remembered primarily as the assassin of Alessandro de' Medici, duke and ruler of Florence.-Biography:...
, cousin and favorite of Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence
Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence
Alessandro de' Medici called "il Moro" , Duke of Penne and also Duke of Florence , ruler of Florence from 1530 until 1537...
. Because of his political ambition to supplant the Duke, Lorenzo sets up his own faction and begins two plots. One is to frustrate the fortunes of his rival Cosmo by impeding his marriage to the wealthy Oriana; the second is to bring down the Duke by imbroiling him in a quarrel with the violent nobleman Sciarrha.
At first, Lorenzo's schemes bear fruit. He defends himself successfully against accusations of conspiracy; and he encourages the Duke to take Sciarrha's sister Amidea as his lover, and incites Sciarrha's ire in response. When Sciarrha tells his sister that he plans to kill the Duke, Amidea prevails upon him to let her deal with their problem. The Duke comes to Amidea's apartments, not realizing that Sciarrha is hidden behind the arras of her bedchamber. Amidea tries to appeal to the Duke, but he is determined to have her; before he can force her to submit, Amidea draws a poniard, wounds her own arm, and threatens to kill herself. This forces to Duke to back down and turn penitent. Sciarrha emerges from hiding, admits he planned to kill the Duke, and tries to enlighten him as to Lorenzo's plotting. The Duke hides behind the tapestries to overhear Sciarrha's talk with Lorenzo. Lorenzo, however, is too crafty to fall into Sciarrha's trap, and feigns ignorance of the matter and pretends to call for the Duke's guards. The Duke decides to treat the matter as a misunderstanding, and has the two men reconcile.
Though one of his plots is frustrated, Lorenzo has better luck with his other scheme. Cosmo, fearful of Lorenzo as the Duke's favorite, surrenders his interest in Oriana to another nobleman, Pisano; Pisano, in turn, breaks his engagement with Amidea and wins the consent of Oriana's mother. Lorenzo manipulates Sciarrha's anger at Pisano's treatment of Amidea; Sciarrha kills Pisano on the morning of his marriage, and Lorenzo sets him up to murder the Duke as well. Sciarrha tells Amidea that she will have to yield to the Duke, if he does not kill her; playing for time, Amidea suggests that she will satisfy the Duke — and Sciarrha stabs her. Dying, she confesses that she was not serious in what she'd said.
Sciarrha places his sister's body in her bed; the Duke enters, kisses the corpse, and realizes that she is dead. As he raises an alarm, Lorenzo and a confederate enter and stab the Duke. Sciarrha enters, and Lorenzo and Sciarrha fight and kill each other.
The play's element of comic relief is supplied by the character Depazzi.