Podcast
Questions and Answers
What significant event does the play take place on?
What significant event does the play take place on?
Who is the character pursuing Dame Purecraft?
Who is the character pursuing Dame Purecraft?
What happens to Cokes during the play?
What happens to Cokes during the play?
What role does Justice Adam Overdo take on during the fair?
What role does Justice Adam Overdo take on during the fair?
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What ultimately happens to Justice Overdo during his investigation?
What ultimately happens to Justice Overdo during his investigation?
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What does the play feature as part of its final act?
What does the play feature as part of its final act?
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What theme is debated between a puppet and Zeal-of-the-Land in the final act?
What theme is debated between a puppet and Zeal-of-the-Land in the final act?
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How does Justice Overdo feel about the fair by the end of the play?
How does Justice Overdo feel about the fair by the end of the play?
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Study Notes
Setting
- The play takes place on St. Bartholomew's Day, August 24th, in Smithfield.
Characters and Conflicts
- Zeal-of-the-Land Busy: A hypocritical Puritan who pursues Dame Purecraft.
- Cokes: A wealthy, naive character who loses his fiancée, Grace Wellborn, to Winwife.
- Justice Adam Overdo: Disguises himself to investigate the "enormities" of the Fair, ultimately ending up in the stocks.
Plot Structure
- The play features numerous intertwining plots, centered around colorful characters and rapid setting changes.
- Two primary narrative strands: Zeal-of-the-Land Busy’s pursuit of Dame Purecraft and Cokes's loss of Grace Wellborn to Winwife.
- Cokes not only loses his betrothed but also his worldly possessions.
Humor and Entertainment
- Humor arises from the play's colorful characters and rapid setting changes.
Themes and Significance
- The play explores the morality of theater and play-acting through a puppet show referencing Christopher Marlowe's "Hero and Leander".
- Justice Overdo's investigation highlights the absurdity and misplaced concern surrounding the perceived "enormities" of the Fair.
Key Concepts
- The play highlights the complexities of human relationships, the pursuit of love and wealth, and the challenges of social order and morality.
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Description
This quiz delves into the characters and plot of the play set on St. Bartholomew's Day in Smithfield. Key figures like Zeal-of-the-Land Busy and Cokes face comedic yet tragic situations. Explore themes of morality in theater and the consequences of hypocrisy.
