The Relapse is a play written by John Vanbrugh. Released in 1696, it is a sequel to Colley Cibber's play Love's Last Shift and tells of the rakish protagonist being thrust into the throes of a marital crisis once again.
Characters[]
- Loveless
- Amanda
- Berinthia - Cousin of Amanda and a widow.
- Worthy - a "gentleman of the town" who becomes enraptured by Amanda.
- Young Fashion
- Novelty Fashion, Lord Foppington - The vain older brother of Young Fashion.
- Miss Hoyden Clumsey - Bride of Lord Foppington, fought over by the Lord and Young Fashion.
- Coupler - Father of Young Fashion and Lord Foppington, a matchmaker.
- Sir Turnbelly Clumsey - Father of Miss Hoyden.
- Nurse - Governant of Miss Hoyden.
- Bull - Sir Turnbelly's chaplain.
- Sir John Friendly - a neighbour of Sir Turnbelly's.
- Syringe - a surgeon seen briefly in Act I.
rest to be added
Publisher's summary[]
Written in defiance of Jeremy Collier and the budding fashion for sentimental drama, this late Restoration comedy exposes the reformed rake Loveless to the temptations of London and the charms of a merry widow, neither of which he is able to withstand. More memorable than the straying husband, however, is Restoration comedy's ultimate follower of fashion, Lord Foppington, who defends himself in the Epilogue by observing that no highwayman or Jacobite was ever well dressed. As the introduction to this edition argues, Sir John Vanbrugh - dramatist, architect and member of the influential Kit Cat Club - presents courtship and marriage not only with cynicism, but also with moral bravery and social impudence; qualities not much in evidence in his sentimental rivals.
Plot[]
Act One[]
After giving a brief speech about his philosophy, Loveless reveals to his wife Amanda that he is travelling to London. Though Amanda is worried that this will lead to a relapse in her husband's rakish behaviour, Loveless assures her that he has put his rakishness behind him for good.
Meanwhile, "Young Fashion" returns to London from France to visit his brother. He discovers that his brother (who is now known as Lord Foppington) has bought a lordship and has let it get to his head. Due to this, he plots with his father Coupler to knock Foppington down a peg.
Act Two[]
At Loveless' lodgings in London, Loveless briefly talks about a woman that he met at the theatre. Though Amanda is worried about this, Loveless assures her that he holds no feelings for the woman in question. The two are then visited by Berinthia (a cousin of Amanada's) and Lord Foppington. Foppington talks with Amanda and after flirting with her point-blank, he is stabbed by Loveless. Loveless summons a surgeon, who assures Foppington that the injury is severe (even though it is nothing more than a scratch). Amanda and Berinthia then talk about men.
Act Three[]
At Lord Foppington's house, he and Young Fashion argue. This argument becomes heated, and Young Fashion challenges his brother to a duel. Foppington declines the duel and leaves for a play.
At a garden, Loveless meets Berinthia and asks her about a "distemper", which turns out to be his love for Berinthia. Berinthia leaves Loveless' company and then meets with Worthy and the two begin plotting (largely driven by Worthy) to steal Amanda and Loveless. After they finish plotting, Berinthia meets with Amanda and begins sowing the seeds of doubt in her mind about Loveless' reformation.
Meanwhile, Young Fashion travels to the home of Lord Foppington's soon-to-be-bride, Miss Hoyden. He is nearly shot at but able to convince Hoyden's father (Sir Turnbelly) that he is Lord Foppington using a stolen letter.
Act Four[]
Amanda and Berinthia talk, with this talk serving to plant even more seeds in Amanda's mind. Worthy then arrives and takes Amanda away to play cards with her. Later that night, Loveless breaks into Berinthia's house and hides in her closet. Though he is found, he is able to convince Berinthia of his undying love and she stops a servant from discovering him. Loveless carries Berinthia away to a nearby couch.
Young Fashion is able to meet Miss Hoyden (who has been literally locked in her room) and her governor, Nurse. Their meeting is broken up by the arrival of the real Lord Foppington. Young Fashion is able to convince Sir Turnbelly that Lord Foppington is a fraud and (after scaring away Lord Foppington's men with pistol shots), he is arrested and thrown into a doghouse. Foppington is able to summon Sir Turnbelly's neighbour, leading to Young Fashion fleeing before he can be found out as the real fraud.
Act Five[]
The next day, Young Fashion and Coupler receive a letter revealing that Lord Foppington has courted Hoyden and will soon marry her. Young Fashion is able to convince Nurse and Bull (Sir Turnbelly's chaplain) that he should be married to Hoyden instead of Foppington.
Meanwhile, Berinthia is able to convince Amanda that her husband has failed to keep his vow of matrimony and has relapsed into his roguish way. Worthy then swoops in and tries to get Amanda to love him. This fails, with Amanda declaring her independence.
Amanda, Loveless, Worthy, and Berinthia then visit the marriage of Hoyden and Lord Foppington. After a masque featuring Cupid and "Hymen", Young Fashion crashes the wedding. Though Sir Turnbelly tries to have him arrested, Young Fashion is able to successfully plead his case for marrying Hoyden.
Notes[]
- Some editions of this play include a preface which serves as a joking "apology" to Vanbrugh's critics. Also included in some editions are two prologues to the play and an epilogue given by Lord Foppington.
Sources[]
- Goodreads
- Wikipedia