THE SCENE
PARMA
THE ACTORS’ NAMES
Bonaventura, |
A Friar |
A Cardinal, |
Nuncio to the Pope |
Soranzo, |
A Nobleman |
Florio, |
A Citizen of Parma |
Donado, |
Another Citizen |
Grimaldi, |
A Roman Gentleman |
Giovanni, |
Son to Florio |
Bergetto, |
Nephew to Donado |
Richardetto, |
A supposed Physician |
Vasques, |
Servant to Soranzo |
Poggio, |
Servant to Bergetto |
Banditti |
|
WOMEN |
|
Annabella, |
Daughter to Florio |
Hippolita, |
Wife to Richardetto |
Philotis, |
His Niece |
Putana, |
Tutoress to Annabella |
This list is authorial: it shares its distinctive layout with similar lists in four other Ford Quartos (The Broken Heart, Love’s Sacrifice, Perkin Warbeck, and The Lady’s Trial) from various different printers and publishers. Ford tended to order his characters hierarchically, here with churchmen at the top and women at the bottom. Within this structure three factors determine the characters’ precise positioning: social standing (so that Soranzo, an aristocrat, is above the gentlemen, who are in turn above the servants); age (so that Florio and Donado are above Giovanni); and moral worth (so that the Friar, though technically junior to the Cardinal, stands at the head). Richardetto’s lowly place is especially intriguing.