Title: The Scornful Lady.
Authors: Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher.
Date: c. 1609-1610.

Genre: City Comedy.
Language Difficulty Rating: 8 (more difficult – much slang).
Setting: London.

The Scornful Lady is an almost plotless investigation into the driving force some people have to control and manipulate the emotions of others. The characters are all “everyday” people, and the language reflects the everyday speech of London’s 17th century citizens. You may wish to note the extensive use of animal-related insults and imagery.

Our Story: The scornful lady (who is given no name) is a cold-hearted manipulator, requiring her lover Elder to travel to France for a year to punish him for some indiscreet behavior on his part. Elder fakes his own death, and plans revenge.

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