This play is one of the first of comedies showing directly the influence of
classical (Latin and Greek) models; it is certainly
the first we ave that has come down to us intact (in the English language). In it we see the "miles gloriosus" (the braggart warrior), the
trickster-parasite, and several other stock
classical comedic
characters. It also maintains the classical unities of time, place and
action, the division into acts and scenes, and the simple setting.
These are all united with native English comedy to form something
unique up to that point in English literature.
The play begins with Matthew
Merrygreek, a hanger-on and trouble maker
and flatterer of Ralph Roister Doister. He introduces the play and the
themes in it. Ralph has fallen "in love" with a widow, Dame Christian
Custance, and is determined to marry her. She is engaged to a sailor,
Gawin Goodluck, a thoroughly nice man. Ralph insists on courting her,
despite her determination to have nothing to do with him, shown by her
open insults and rejections. (She says she'd rather die than marry
him.) She goes along with Merrygreek in teasing him, however, and this
causes some trouble with her fiance when he returns home to her.
Ralph is an extremely boastful, and somewhat cowardly, bully. When she
refuses him, he threatens to kill her whole household and destroy her
home. Merrygreek eggs him on, and they wind up attacking her and her
three (3) maids
him while creating laughter at his expense, as he (a trickster)
pretends to be aiming at Dame Custance.> Ralph's men are all driven
off, and after a suitable round of blustering, and Gawin's discovery of
Dame Custance's loyalty and trueness after all, all become friends
again, and all ends well.
It is a really funny play, and although it is a full five acts long, it
seems short in the reading because it is so amusing and full of action.
There are several absolutely unforgettable characters in the play,
which go far beyond the stock characters they would seem to be at first
glance. They live. An excellent play, and a great read.