The Effeminate Prodigal

Abstract

This thesis proposes the existence of a stereotypical character in early modern drama that, having failed to mature, is defined by effeminate, immature, and prodigal behaviour. The figure, labelled the Effeminate Prodigal, reflects a wider cultural concern with divergent youth, and the desire to promote patriarchal values. During the Renaissance, gender was considered through the oppositional lens of humoral theory. Masculinity was associated with humoral heat which led to positive outcomes, whilst feminine coldness led to negative attributes: male/female, reasoning/emotional, strong/weak, courageous/cowardly, and so on. This misogynistic foundation created an especial interest in the process of male maturation. Young boys, who inherently lacked mature masculine qualities, were placed in the feminine sphere and thought humorally cool and effeminate. Great importance was placed upon raising boys in a manner that encouraged their humoral heat to develop as they matured, and thus allow them to become masculine men. However, during adolescence, this heat could rage out of control, and result in licentious, hyper-masculine behaviour. Attaining adult maturity meant tempering this heat, and was seen as a median between effeminacy and hyper-masculinity. Aristotle’s philosophy of the golden mean, which literally made a virtue of moderation, encouraged maturity to be understood as a state of virtue that lay between two vices: defect and excess. Socio-cultural changes during the early modern period resulted in an undermining of traditional patriarchal forms of authority, and led to concern that young men were not achieving virtuous maturity. This led to a cultural focus on their behaviour, and an obsession with the parable of the prodigal son that was used to promote conformance to patriarchal standards. The dramatic sub-genre known as ‘prodigal son plays’ reflect this interest and present profligate youths as allegorical representations of the prodigal son. However, the characters in these plays are licentious and hyper-masculine, reflecting excess heat and vice. The Effeminate Prodigal characters that I detect are equally related to the prodigal son, but offer the opposite cool extreme and therefore exemplify immature and effeminate behaviour. These traits are made more apparent by the presence of hyper-masculine foils that gull, bully, and torment the weaker men. Thus, Effeminate Prodigal plays contain allegorical elements of three dominant and intertwined cultural paradigms: humoral theory, the parable of the prodigal son, and Aristotle’s golden mean. The characters examined in this thesis appear in four plays, three comedies and a tragedy. Chapter One focuses upon Sir Andrew Aguecheek from Twelfth Night (1602) and discusses the cultural association between cold humoral complexions, effeminacy, and prodigality, as well as the dualistic nature of Sir Andrew and Sir Toby’s relationship. Chapter Two considers Bartholomew Cokes from Ben Jonson’s Bartholomew Fair (1614) and examines the negative connotations associated with over-indulged children. Chapter Three features Lucio from Love’s Cure (c. 1606) and considers the ethical hierarchy between effeminate and hyper-masculine characters. Chapter Four explores John Ford’s tragedy, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (1629), and suggests that he innovatively manipulates the Effeminate Prodigal stereotype so as to emphasise the immorality of society.