Ben Jonson is primarily known for his comedies which often depicted characters with exaggerated obsessive traits. One such character is Morose from his play Epicoene or The Silent Woman. This play was set in London and it was first performed in 1609 by the Blackfriar’s Children, a group of boy actors. The title character is Epicene, a young woman. So it is a play in which a boy played the role of a woman. While it was very common during those days, yet there is a twist in the play which makes it quite interesting. This play was a moderate success during the age of Jonson. However, it became a huge hit during the age of Restoration.
Samuel Pepys mentioned in his diary that this play was among the first which was legally performed after the accession of Charles II. All theaters and performances of dramas in London were banned in 1642 and the situation remained till 1660. Samuel Pepys mentioned the performance of Epicene on 6th July 1660. This play was hugely approved and appreciated during the Restoration age. John Dryden mentioned it as “the pattern of a perfect play.” The twist of the play is itself indicated by the title Epicene which means someone belonging to both sexes, male and female.
During those times, male actors used to play the part of female characters too. So it was possible to fool the audience and create a situation of suspense.
Ben Jonson wrote three major comedies, Volpone, Epicoene, and The Alchemist. We have discussed Volpone and Epicoene. We will discuss The Alchemist in the next video. We tend to go through a thorough course of English literature for the preparation of UGC NET English Literature, GATE English Literature, PG TRB English, TGT PGT English, Set English literature, and other competitive exams. Please stay connected with the Discourse!
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24 мар 2021
