Women on Trial: Power, Gender and Performance in Shakespeare's England
Institution
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen (RuG)
Book
The Witch of Edmonton
This summary contains a scene-by-scene summary of The Witch of Edmonton, preceded by a list of characters, a quick plot overview and information about the play.
The scene-by-scene summary is followed by a summary of the secondary article 'Interrogating the Devil: Social and Demonic Pressure in The...
Women on Trial: Power, Gender and Performance in Shakespeare's England
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The Witch of Edmonton 1
Contents
The Witch of Edmonton.....................................................................................................................2
characters......................................................................................................................................2
quick plot overview........................................................................................................................2
about.............................................................................................................................................3
actual play......................................................................................................................................3
Interrogating the Devil: Social and Demonic Pressure in The Witch of Edmonton.............................8
scepticism......................................................................................................................................8
elizabeth........................................................................................................................................8
frank...............................................................................................................................................8
social vs devil.................................................................................................................................8
cuddy.............................................................................................................................................9
conclusion......................................................................................................................................9
The Witch in History: Early Modern and Twentieth-Century Representations................................10
Chapter 4.....................................................................................................................................10
Chapter 5.....................................................................................................................................12
Chapter 6.....................................................................................................................................13
Lecture.............................................................................................................................................15
play..............................................................................................................................................15
macbeth.......................................................................................................................................15
witches.........................................................................................................................................15
speech act....................................................................................................................................15
witch/scapegoat..........................................................................................................................15
other............................................................................................................................................15
Seminar Notes.................................................................................................................................16
mirror...........................................................................................................................................16
frank.............................................................................................................................................16
don’t fear the witch?...................................................................................................................16
anne ratcliffe................................................................................................................................16
historical sawyer..........................................................................................................................16
tom..............................................................................................................................................17
Questions to Think About................................................................................................................17
, The Witch of Edmonton 2
The Witch of Edmonton
characters
Sir Arthur Clarington
o A wealthy knight, employer of Frank Thorney and Winifred
Mother Sawyer
o The Witch
Old Thorney
o A gentleman, Frank Thorney’s father
Carter
o A rich Yeoman
Susan
o Carter’s daughter
Katherine
o Carter's Daughter
Winnifred
o Sir Arthur’s maid
Warbeck
o Suitor to Carter’s daughter Susan
Somerton
o Suitor to Carter’s daughter Katherine
Frank
o Thorney’s son
Old Banks
o A countryman
Cuddy Banks
o His son
Ratcliffe
o Countryman
Ann
o Ratcliffe’s wife
Hamluc
o A countryman
Morris-dancers
Sawgut
o An old Fiddler
A dog
o A familiar
A spirit
Countrymen, Justice, Constable, Officers, Serving-men and Maids
quick plot overview
Elizabeth Sawyer turns to witchcraft after being accused of it, having nothing to lose. A talking devil-
dog named Tom becomes her familiar, and he helps her to make one of her neighbours go mad and
kill herself. She does not achieve much else. Frank is secretly married to Winnifred, but his father
forces him to marry Susan. He agrees but then tries to flee the county with Winnifred in disguise, but
Susan follows him. He stabs her, but since Tom is present on stage it is unsure if this is completely
, The Witch of Edmonton 3
out of his own free will. He inflicts wounds on himself and accuses Warbeck and Somerton, but
Katherine guesses the truth and tells her father. Frank is executed at the same time as Elizabeth
Sawyer, but he is forgiven by all and Winnifred, pregnant, is welcomed into the Carter family.
about
The play is based on supposedly real events that took placed in the parish of Edmonton, where
Elizabeth Sawyer was executed for witchcraft on 19 th of April 1621. It was written and acted in 1621,
but not published until 1658. The title page of the play attributes it to William Rowley, Thomas
Dekker, John Ford etc., although most critics leave out the etc and just go for the 3 named poets.
actual play
Act 1 Scene 1
Frank and the pregnant Winnifred have married. They can, however, not live together, since Frank’s
father will not agree to the match and he wants to stay in his father’s good graces. Winnifred tells
him that his father will be angry if they keep their marriage secret too, because he will find out
eventually. Frank promises to slowly win his father’s favour. In the meantime, Winnifred is to live
with her uncle, who knows about her situation. He will visit her there every month. Winnifred
worries he will meet someone else during that time, but Frank reassures her he will keep to his
wedding vows, and stay true to her.
After Winnifred leaves, Sir Arthur Clarington confronts Frank with the rumours that he has gotten a
girl pregnant. They discuss a dowry for Winnifred, and after it is agreed Frank reveals he has already
married her and sent her to her uncle. Sir Arthur praises his honesty and tells him to hold on to
Winnifred, love and cherish her. Frank does ask Sir Arthur to tell Frank’s father that Frank is not
married, because his father has threatened to disinherit him if he married Winnifred. Only after
Frank is sure he will inherit his father’s lands is the marriage to be made public. Frank leaves, and
Winnifred enters, prepared for her journey. It is revealed that Frank is not the father of Winnifred’s
child, instead it is Sir Arthur. He is planning on meeting her when she is staying with her uncle, but
Winnifred refuses. She is married now, and will not continue her relationship with Sir Arthur. This
frustrates him, and he sends her away.
Act 1 Scene 2
Old Thorney and Old Carter are discussing a potential match between Thorney’s son Frank and Old
Carter’s daughter Susan. Susan and Katherine, Old Carter’s other daughter, enter with their suitors.,
Warbeck and Somerton. Old Carter chastises them for being so free together, but Susan quickly
makes it clear she will not marry Warbeck. He is too scholarly. Somerton wonders if he has a chance
with Katherine, and she says she is still thinking about it. She will test his love first. Old Carter tells
Old Thorney that he is not opposed to a match between Somerton and Katherine, since Somerton is
relatively rich. The only reason he is kind to Warbeck is because he is friends with Somerton, but he
thinks him a knave.
Frank enters. Warbeck takes Somerton aside and shares his worries about him competing with Frank
for Susan’s hand. Everyone leaves for dinner with Old Carter, except for Old Thorney and Frank. Old
Thorney shares his plans of marrying Frank to Susan, who is rich. If the two marry, Old Thorney can
keep his land and Frank can inherit it, but if he does not the land has to be sold. Frank promises to
marry Susan but this angers his father. He believes that Frank has married Winnifred 1, so he is
disappointed that is son is willing to enter a bigamous marriage. Frank promises he has not married
Winnifred, shows letters from Sir Arthur as proof. Old Thorney believes these, and apologises to his
son for mistrusting him. It is arranged that Frank and Susan will marry the following day.
1
Turns out that secret marriage was far from secret, everyone in the village knows about it.
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