A Mad World, My Masters


A Mad World, My Masters is a Jacobean stage play written by Thomas Middleton, a comedy first performed around 1605 and first published in 1608. The title had been used by a pamphleteer, Nicholas Breton, in 1603, and was later the origin for the title of Stanley Kramer's 1963 film, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
The play was entered into the Stationers' Register on 4 October 1608, and first published in quarto later that year by the bookseller Walter Burre. In the play's final two Acts in the 1608 text, some characters have different names than in the prior three Acts —which suggests that the extant text is a revised version. A second quarto appeared in 1640, issued by the bookseller James Becket; the title page of Q2 states that the play had been "often acted" by Queen Henrietta's Men at the Salisbury Court Theatre. The play was revived at least twice in the Restoration era, and was adapted for other productions in the later 18th century.

Genre

The play belongs to the special subgenre known as city comedy; it provides a satirical and rather cynical view of life, as an amoral and fairly ruthless battle of wits in the urban metropolis of early 17th-century London. It was premiered sometime around the middle of the first decade of the century by the Children of Paul's, a company of boy actors popular at the time—a troupe that tended to specialise in a drama for an elite audience of gentlemen rather than the more broad-based theatre of the large public playhouses like the Globe or Fortune Theatres.
Middleton likely drew upon a wide range of contemporary literature for the play's plot and atmosphere, including a chapbook titled The Merry Conceited Jests of George Peele that was registered in 1605. The play is generally considered one of the best of the satirical city comedies that Middleton wrote in the early 17th century, along with A Trick to Catch the Old One. It has been praised for having "the most skillfully constructed plot" of any of the playwright's London comedies, and also for its liveliness and its "details of local color."

Characters

  • Sir Bounteous Progress, an old rich country knight
  • Gunwater, steward to Sir Bounteous
  • Richard Follywit, grandson to Sir Bounteous
  • Lieutenant Mawworm & Ancient Hoboy, Follywit's cohorts
  • Another cohort disguised as a Footman
  • Other Comrades to Follywit
  • Master Shortrod Harebrain, a jealous husband
  • Wife to Master Harebrain
  • Rafe, servant to Master Harebrain
  • Master Penitent Brothel, in love with Harebrain's Wife
  • Jasper, servant to Master Penitent
  • Courtesan, mistress to Sir Bounteous, bawd to Master Penitent
  • Mother to the Courtesan, an old gentlewoman, bawd to her daughter
  • Man, servant to the Courtesan
  • Master Inesse & Master Possibility, two eldest brothers and heirs, suitors to the Courtesan
  • Two Knights, visitors to Sir Bounteous
  • Constable
  • Two or three Watchmen, hired by Master Harebrain
  • Servants to Sir Bounteous
  • Neighbours to Sir Bounteous
  • Succubus, a devil in the likeness of Harebrain's Wife

    Synopsis

Act I

Scene 1: A London street
Richard Follywit enters with his cohorts, Mawworm, Hoboy, and other hangers-on. He jokes with his companions about their wild ways and sarcastically repents and says he is now a man who "swears without number, gulls without mercy and drinks without measure." He tells his cohorts of a plan he has hatched to get some more money: His grandfather, Sir Bounteous Progress has left him everything in his will, but refuses to give him as much as ten pounds while he is still alive. Despite his frugality concerning Follywit, Bounteous loves to entertain noble guests with extravagant feasts. Follywit therefore plans to disguise himself as a great lord so that he can capitalize on his grandfather's hospitality.
As Follywit & co. exit, Penitent Brothel, a country gentleman, enters. Penitent remarks on Follywit's reputation as a wild prankster, but notes that he is not so much better because he is subject to "wild passions and deadly follies himself": he is in love Mistress Hairbrain, who is extremely difficult to get to because she is kept under strict guard by her obsessively jealous husband, Mr. Hairbrain. In order to get to Mistress Hairbrain, Penitent says he has contracted the services of 'The Courtesan', a prostitute who poses as Mistress Hairbrain's friend and moral instructor but is in fact working to corrupt her.
The Courtesan enters and tells Penitent that Mistress Hairbrain's corruption is going very well; the only problem is Mr. Hairbrain, whose excessive jealously is likely to make the project very difficult. Penitent frets, but the Courtesan tells him not to worry: she won't take any money unless the project is a success. Penitent praises the Courtesan's business ethic and exits.
The Courtesan's Mother brings the Courtesan a token from Sir Bounteous Progress. Luxuriating in the subtlety of her own craftiness, the Mother tells how she has prostituted the Courtesan fifteen times in order to save up enough money for a good marriage dowry. She tells the Courtesan it is all worthwhile if, by sinning, she can secure a good name for herself: "Who gets the opinion of a virtuous name, / May sin at pleasure and never think of shame." The Courtesan exits.
Inesse and Possibility enter. They are the eldest brothers from two different families; the former holds his lands "in esse", and the latter holds his lands "in posse" —either of these men could be a prime source of revenue for the Courtesan. Inesse and Possibility ask the Mother where the Courtesan is; the Mother tells them she is studying the Bible. They ask if they can see her. The Mother says she will only grant permission after they have sworn to refrain from using coarse language.
Scene 2: A room in Hairbrain's house in London
Obsessing over the possibility that his wife might cheat on him, Harebrain hires two watchmen to guard his house, telling them that he has heard a rumor that he might be robbed; in an aside, he reveals that the 'jewel' he really intends to guard is his wife. The Courtesan enters. Hairbrain tells her that he is very worried about his wife's chastity, and mentions that he has taken away all of her erotic literature. He asks the Courtesan to read some religious literature to Mistress Hairbrain: "There's a good chapter on Hell that will terrify her in this cold weather. So read to her the horrible punishments for itching wantonness." The Courtesan exits. Talking to himself, Hairbrain says that, with the help of the Courtesan, he will keep his wife honest, only performing sexual favors for her husband.
Mistress Hairbrain and the Courtesan enter. The Courtesan instructs Mistress Hairbrain in the art of appearing chaste and avoiding any traps her husband might set for her. Mistress Hairbrain gives the Courtesan a jewel to present to Penitent Brothel as a promise of her love, which she says she will demonstrate as soon as she manages to escape from her husband's strict guard. When Hairbrain joins them, the Courtesan tells him that Mistress Hairbrain believes that every sin is damnable—an opinion that the Courtesan has been trying to refute. Hairbrain laughs at his wife's alleged moral strictness. He says that sins such as usury, bribery, sloth, pride and gluttony are permissible—the only truly damnable sin is adultery. When the Courtesan exits, Hairbrain orders his wife to follow her instructor's advice faithfully.

Act II

Scene 1: Sir Bounteous' home outside London
Sir Bounteous bids farewell to a pair of visiting noblemen who thank him for his generous hospitality. Follywit enters, disguised as 'Lord Owemuch' and accompanied by his cohorts, who are disguised as servants. Sir Bounteous greets 'Owemuch' warmly. After a bit of small talk, he asks him if he would give his nephew a job, noting that he has left his entire estate to Follywit in his will. 'Owemuch' says that he has heard many good things about Follywit and agrees to take him under his wing.
Scene 2: A London street
Bounteous leads 'Owemuch' to his lodgings for the night, promising first-rate luxury in everything. As soon as Bounteous leaves, Follywit and his cohorts change into other costumes.
Scene 3: A room in the Courtesan's house, London
The Courtesan sends a servant to tell Penitent Brothel that she has hatched a plan to make Mistress Hairbrain his.
Scene 4: Sir Bounteous' home
Disguised in their masquing outfits, Follywit and his cohorts tie up Bounteous' servants and proceed to rob the place. Bounteous seems most worried that his guest, 'Owemuch' might be disturbed by the robbery. Follywit tells him that they have tied 'Owemuch' up and left him in his room. After Bounteous is carried off, Follywit orders his cohorts to hide the loot in his suitcase, change out of their masquing outfits and tie each other up so it will look like they have been assailed by the robbers as well.
Scene 5: A room in the Courtesan's house, London
The Courtesan tells Penitent of her plan to help him seduce Mistress Hairbrain: She will pretend to be violently ill, and beg Hairbrain to allow his wife to visit her. When Mistress Hairbrain visits, Penitent can pose as her doctor, and thus sneak off with Mistress Hairbrain to an adjoining room while the 'visit' is supposedly taking place. The Courtesan says that her plan will be profitable as well because the two elder brothers Innes and Possibility will undoubtedly visit to enquire about her health; disguised as a doctor, Penitent will be in a perfect position to squeeze cash for 'medicine' out of them.
Scene 6: Follywit's bedchamber in Sir Bounteous' house
One of Follywit's cohorts unties Bounteous, who is primarily concerned for 'Owemuch's' welfare. 'Owemuch' enters. Bounteous asks 'Owemuch' what the thieves took from him. Feigning gentlemanly bravado, 'Owemuch' insists that they robbed him of nothing other than a good night's sleep. Believing that 'Owemuch' is merely trying to be honorable, Bounteous asks his 'servant' what the thieves got from him. The 'servant' 'reluctantly' tells him that the thieves got away with nearly two hundred pounds worth of valuables. Bounteous gives the 'servant' money to replace the stolen goods, but tells him to keep it a secret from 'Owemuch'.