The Successful Pyrate
The Successful Pyrate | |
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Written by | Charles Johnson |
Date premiered | November 7, 1712 |
Place premiered | Theatre Royal, Drury Lane |
Original language | English |
Genre | Comedy |
The Successful Pyrate is a
Plot
In the play, Avery goes under the name Arviragus, and has made himself a king in Madagascar. He captures the Indian princess Zaida and tries to force her to marry him, but she is in love with a young man named Aranes. There is an offstage fight and Aranes is reported killed; meanwhile, De Sale, who has confided to the audience that he plots to overthrow Arviragus and make himself king, ingratiates himself with Zaida.
De Sale's fellow plotters are bumbling incompetents and their plans are easily thwarted, followed by a comic trial scene. It is revealed that Aranes is Arviragus' long lost son, whom he recognizes from a bracelet, and that he is still alive, his friend Alvarez having died in his place. The plotters are executed and Aranes and Zaida marry.
Characters
- Arviragus, king of the island of St. Laurence, or Madagascar
- Aranes, an Omrah in Zaida's train
- Boreal, admiral to Arviragus
- De Sale, lieutenant to Arviragus
- Richardo, captain of the guards
- Piracquo, De Sale's creature
- Sir Gaudy Tulip, master of the ceremonies
- Chicane, a broken lawyer
- Jollyboy, treasurer to Arviragus
- Judge Bull
- Serjeant Dolt
- Counsellor Smooth
- Herring
- Porpoise
- Shark
- Codshead
- Zaida, Aurengzebe's granddaughter, contracted to and in love with Aranes
- Samanthe, her chief attendant
- Lydia, Piracquo's wife
- Lesbia, Tulip's wife
Dramatic analysis
The Successful Pyrate is a romanticised dramatisation of two episodes contained in a
The play is primarily a comedy. The pirates are mostly fools, in particular Sir Gaudy Tulip, an aged and cowardly London beau; the Gang-i-sawai is, for no reason other than comic effect, carrying two European ladies, Tulip's ex-mistress and another pirate's ex-wife, who exchange tart comments with the men; the drunken conspirators and outrageously partial court are played entirely for laughs.
Reception
John Dennis condemned the play for "encouraging Villany".[2]
References
- ISBN 978-1-349-46458-6.
- ISBN 978-1-349-46458-6.