Publication Details | Synopsis | Secondary Commentary |Varieties & Dialects | Other
Publication details |
Author: Garrick, David
Author dates: 1717 - 1779
Title: The Male Coquette
First played: 1757
First published: 1757, for Paul Vaillant. 52p.
C18th availability: Not available.
Modern availability: Available from LION (1996)
http://lion.chadwyck.com/toc.do?action=new&divLevel=0&mapping=toc&area=Drama&id=Z000081578&forward=tocMarc&DurUrl=Yes
Genre: Comedy / Farce
Trend(s): Gender
Character types: Sophisticated; Class-crossing; Servant; Italian
Synopsis |
Sophia dresses as an Italian man to expose her suitor Daffodil's philandering. Daffodil's coquettish ways are exposed to many outraged married women, and Sophia marries her lover Tukely.
Prologue: Spoken by Garrick – explains why the play was originally titled “Seventeen Hundred Fifty-Seven”, and warns the audience members that they may find themselves abashed.
Act I.
Sophia, dressed as a man, discusses her plan to find out more about Daffodil’s character with Arabella. Sophia confesses a ‘whimsical attachment’ to Daffodil, which Tukely, his rival and another suitor, is attempting to stamp out by requesting that Sophia learn more about Daffodil. Sophia tells of an adventure of the night before: she introduced herself to Daffodil as an Italian nobleman. Tukely arrives, and speaks with Arabella without recognizing Sophia. Sophia taunts him, and he eventually draws his sword, at which point Sophia and Arabella reveal the former’s identity. Tukely is astounded, and approves greatly of Sophia’s plan to unmask Daffodil’s reputed infidelity to five of his mistresses. Sophia departs to meet with Daffodil, and Tukely follows her. Arabella reveals to the audience that Daffodil is her lover, and is in fact faithful; the other women act as a blind to conceal the real passion he holds for her. Daffodil and his servant Ruffle discuss Daffodil’s schemes. Ruffle chastises him for carrying on with both Sophia and Arabella at once, as well as with many other women in the town. Daffodil explains his philosophy of chasing many women to create a scandalous reputation for himself; if the women lose their reputations in the process, it is their business, not his! Many letters arrive, and Daffodil cuts off several of his lovers. His tailor’s bill is extravagant (three hundred pounds) and he claims to have ‘not lost over a thousand pounds’ by his horses, demonstrating his lavish lifestyle. A flustered Mrs. Dotterel arrives and demands to speak with Daffodil – he protests to Ruffle ‘this is so unlucky’. Mrs. Dotterel’s husband has found out about her affair with Daffodil. Wishing to drop her, Daffodil tries several tacks to change their conversation from Mrs. Dotterel’s passionate talk, finally aping violent passion himself and ordering her from the room: ‘if you stay, by Heav’n, I will not answer for the Consequences.’ She does not leave, accusing him of being false to her, when the Marquis of Macaroni (Sophia in disguise) is admitted. Mrs. Dotterel screams ‘I am betrayed!’ Daffodil claims she is his sister; the Marquis asks if Daffodil can introduce him to some of his belles. A letter arrives from Sophia to say she is in the country; Daffodil confides to the Marquis that he has been seeing both sisters, but that because matters have grown too serious, he will have to expose the double affair. Sophia is livid, but maintains her persona. Daffodil and Sophia prepare to go to a gentleman’s club together. Sophia tells the audience that she has all the proof she needs, and that she wishes she were a man so she could call Daffodil out.
Act II.
Sophia and Arabella converse; Sophia does not reveal that she knows about Arabella’s secret affair with Daffodil, but commends her on having the character to resist such allurements. Arabella is guilty and confounded. Tukely returns, and Sophia tells him that she is now willing to do whatever he tells her; he has been proven right about Daffodil’s character. Sophia says that if Tukely needs a ‘second’, she is his ‘Man’; he responds with ‘from this moment I take you as my Second – nay, my First’. Still dressed as a man, Sophia goes to meet the five ladies to whom Tukely has revealed Daffodil’s true character. Daffodil makes ridiculous bets with his friends in the club. His sick cousin Dizzy arrives; nauseated by the mere mention of pork, he quickly leaves. Daffodil’s friends agree that Dizzy won’t live a month and Daffodil will inherit £2000. News comes that Dizzy has fallen down the stairs, and the men bet that he won’t live the night. In order to maintain proper disinterest to the outcome of the bet, the men decide against calling a doctor. Daffodil receives a letter from a mysterious woman, Incognita, who, unable to resist his charms, will meet him in the dark Bird-Cage Walk at night. All the men plan to attend. Cousin Dizzy has recovered, and is eating chicken and jellies with two ladies. The men leave; the waiters take bets on the outcomes of Daffodil’s bets. The night-time meeting takes place: Tukely is dressed in women’s clothes, and the five hidden ladies watch the scene as it unfolds. Daffodil describes each of the women who is hidden unflatteringly, and finally begins to discuss Tukely himself. Sophia, dressed as Tukely’s husband, emerges from the forest. Tukely detains Daffodil, who is trying to run away; Sophia draws against him. Daffodil hears his friends’ voices, and runs over to them; he pretends half a dozen men have fought against him in the meantime. Still disguised as a woman, Tukely attacks Daffodil, and the five spurned ladies emerge from the shadows, to Daffodil’s astonishment. Each taunts him with the description he has given them, and he is humiliated. Finally, the Marquis of Macaroni and Incognita are revealed to be Sophia and Tukely. Daffodil runs off to the Opera, pursued by his friends, who bet that he will never ‘intrigue’ again. Tukely and Sophia declare their love for one another.
Secondary commentary |
A) Thomson, Peter. ‘Garrick, David (1717–1779)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 27 May 2008. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/10408
"Though light-hearted, its attack on male effeminacy reflects a constant prejudice of Garrick's."
B) White, Douglas H. ‘David Garrick: February 19, 1717-January 20, 1779.’ Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 89: Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Dramatists, Third Series. A Bruccoli Clark Layman Book. Edited by Paula R. Backscheider, University of Rochester. The Gale Group, 1989. Literature Resource Center. 27 May 1008. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC?vrsn=3&OP=contains&locID=utoronto_main&srchtp=athr&ca=1&c=1&ste=6&tab=1&tbst=arp&ai=U13678826&n=10&docNum=H1200002859&ST=garrick+david&bConts=15023
"The Modern Fine Gentleman, later known as The Male Coquette, hardly warrants Pedicord and Bergmann's comparison of it with the comic plays of the Restoration. Daffodil has no claim to being a Restoration rake, being, indeed, a contrary type of character. This particular flirt wants the reputation of a womanizer without the exertion."
Varieties & Dialects |
Overview of varieties / dialects
Sophia dresses up as an Italian man, using both Italian and 'manly' (aggressive) terms. Mrs. Dotterel and a servant each make one grammar error.
Varieties / dialectsVariety: Sophia’s ‘manly’ language
a. Sample of dialect
Sophia.
Never fear me; you don't know what a mad, raking, wild young Devil I can be, if I set my Mind to it, Bell .
[Laying hold of her.
Arabella.
You fright me!---you shall positively be no Bed-fellow of mine any longer.
Sophia.
I am resolv'd to ruin my Woman, and kill my Man, before I get into Petticoats again.
Arabella.
Take Care of a Quarrel tho'---a Rival may be too rough with you.
Sophia.
No, no, Fighting is not the Vice of these Times; and as for a little Swaggering---damn it, I can do it as well as the best of 'em.
--
[page 8]
Sophia.
I presume, Sir, you never was out of England. [Picking her Teeth.
b.1 Orthography
b.2 Grammar: “you never was”
b.3 Vocabulary: “damn it”, “fighting”, “swaggering”, “ruin my Woman and kill my Man”
c. Nationality: English
d. Character profile: noblewoman dressed up as a man
e. Consistency of representation: inconsistent
Variety: Servant
a. Sample of dialect
[page 18]
Servant.
No, your Honour; but she look'd quite flustrated.
b.1 Orthography
b.2 Grammar
b.3 Vocabulary: neologism: “flustrated”
c. Nationality: English
d. Character profile: servant
e. Consistency of representation: this instance only
Variety: Mrs Dotterel
a. Sample of dialect
Mrs. Dotterel .
Let your Bell alone
[Stopping him]
You'r always calling for Assisistance, I think---you never give one Time to come to ones self---Mr. Dotterel has seen your Letter, and vows Vengeance and Destruction--- Why wou'd you be so violent and imprudent?
b.1 Orthography
b.2 Grammar
b.3 Vocabulary: “Assisistance” – an attempt at sophistication, or a typo?
c. Nationality: English
d. Character profile: middle-class woman engaged in an extramarital affair with Daffodil
e. Consistency of representation: this instance only
Variety: Sophia’s fake Italian
a. Sample of dialect
Sophia.
Mi dispiace infinamente ---it tisplis me, tat I haf interrumpato, gli Affari of you Famili.
Daffodil.
It is the old Family-business, my Lord; and so old, that, by my Honour, I am quite tir'd of it.
Sophia.
I hate him already.
[Aside.]
---Signor Daffodillo , she is una belissima Sorella in Verità , a very prit' Siss' [550] intit.
Daffodil.
I must confess to you, my Lord, that my Sister is a young distress'd Damsel, married to an old Gentleman of the Neighbourhood, Ha, ha, ha.
Sophia.
O Cara Inghilterra ! vat a fortunata Contreé is tis!
[page 24 ]
te olt Men marri de yong fine Girl, and te yong fine Girl visite te yong Signors--- O, preciosa Libertà !---
b.1 Orthography
b.2 Grammar
b.3 Vocabulary
c. Nationality: English
d. Character profile: Englishwoman in the persona of an Italian man
e. Consistency of representation: consistent
Widow Damply 's spelling:
Daffodil.
[Opens Letters]
This is from the Widow Damply ---I know her Scrawl at a Mile's Distance---she pretends that the Fright of her Husband's Death hurt
[page 16 ]
her Nerves so, that her Hand has shook ever since--- ha, ha, ha---It has hurt her Spelling too, for here is Joy with a G; ha! ha! poor Creature.
Other points of interest |
None.
©2009 Arden Hegele