The Roaring Girl by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker

PRIMARY SOURCE: The Roaring Girl (1611)
Context

• Publication: Written by Decker and Middleton for Prince Henry's Men; performed in 1611. Printed by Nicholas Okes for Thomas Archer. The title-page features an illustration of Moll. EEBO link.
• Scholarship: Scholars are interested in the gender-epistemology invoked by a character like Moll. Is she a proto-feminist, or an exceptional character that rather reaffirms the norm (as per Greenblatt)? Her Amazonian nature resembles established stereotypes, as well as Spenser's Brittomart.
• Why I'm reading it: The counter-canon, social satire.

Content

• Form: Iambic pentameter couplets. Five acts.
• Genre: Comedy.
• Conceit: 
• The titular character, Moll Cutpurse, is modeled on Mary Frith. She famously wore men's clothing, roared, associated with criminals, and came before the court many times for theft.
• In the main plot, Sir Alexander Wengrave prevents his son, Sebastian, from marrying Mary Fitzallard, because of her small dowry. Sebastian pretends to love Moll Cutpurse, to make Mary look acceptable in comparison. Moll gently rebuffs Sebastian and confirms her chastity. Sir Alexander falls for Sebsatian's trick, but hates Moll as a thief and so hires a spy, "honest Ralph" Trapdoor, to defame Moll. Moll takes on Trapdoor as a servant, but then learns of Sebastian's plot and agrees to help. Moll diverts Trapdoor's plots with cunning, but defends him from a gang nevertheless. In the end, Trapdoor confesses his plot and apologizes. Moll and Sebastian create one final ruse for Sir Alexander and Sir Fitzallard, showing them the value of the Mary-Sebastian match. Sir Alexander sees the true virtue in Moll, and Sebastian may marry Mary.
• In one subplot, Laxton seduces Mrs. Gallipot for thirty pounds from Mr. Gallipot. Mrs. Gallipot becomes disillusioned with Laxton and confesses to her husband, denouncing Laxton.
• In another subplot, Goshawk tries to Mrs. Openwork, but Mr. and Mrs. Openwork outmaneuver Goshawk and expose him.
• Other notes:
• In the closing soliloquy, Moll anatomizes her own face and then relates it to the plot.
• Mneumonic: Wen(grave) Seb(astian) Mar(y) Moll Tra(pdoor) La(xton) Gal(lipot) Go(shawk) Op(enwork).
• When sybarite marriages mollify a transvestite lad, gallantry guards obedience.