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Overview

Synopsis

A Woman Killed With Kindness, a critically acclaimed Renaissance drama by the renowned playwright Thomas Heywood, centers around the marriage between John Frankford and his new wife, Anne. The couple have a seemingly perfect marriage, until Frankford invites Wendoll into their home to stay as his companion. Increasingly ignoring his wife, to spend time with Wendoll, Frankford is unaware of his new companion’s growing attachment to Anne. Anne is overwhelmed and seduced by Wendoll, against her better judgement. However their affair is brought to light by Frankford’s faithful servant, Nicholas, and the Frankford household is in disarray. Appalled and angered by his wife’s betrayal, Frankford chooses to punish her by shunning her and refusing to acknowledge or pay any attention to his wife. Anne’s plight is contrasted in the play with the virtuous Susan Mountford, sister of Sir Charles Mountford. After Charles unintentionally kills the servants of Sir Francis Acton (Anne’s brother) in a heated argument, Charles goes to prison. He manages to buy his way out of jail but, without a penny to his name, foolishly accepts an overly generous sum of money from an untrustworthy and false friend. When Charles cannot repay the debt, he is plunged back into prison once more, only to be rescued by Francis. In desperation, Charles tries to offer his sister to Francis, to pay off his debt to him. However, Susan’s virtue remains intact and Francis proves his good character by discharging Charles’ debts and marrying Susan of his own free will. However, Anne’s fate is not so favorable. Alone and distraught, she starves herself in misery until, at death’s door, Frankford reunites with his wife as she dies in his arms.

Hotly debated and frequently re-envisioned, Heywood’s tragedy explores marriage, women’s sexuality and social position in the seventeenth century.

Show Information

Category
Play
Age Guidance
Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
Number of Acts
5
First Produced
1603
Genres
Drama
Settings
Period, Multiple Settings
Time & Place
england, seventeenth century
Cast Size
medium
Licensor
None/royalty-free
Ideal For
Large Cast, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Young Adult, Mature Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Context


Plot


Characters

Name Part Size Gender Vocal Part

John Frankford

Lead

Male

Spoken

Anne Frankford

Lead

Female

Spoken

Sir Charles Mountford

Lead

Male

Spoken

Susan Mountford

Lead

Female

Spoken

Sir Francis Acton

Lead

Male

Spoken

Wendoll

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Nicholas

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Jenkin

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Jack Slime

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Sisly Milk-pail

Supporting

Female

Spoken

Shafton

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Malby

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Cranwell

Supporting

Male

Spoken

Ensemble

Ensemble

Either Gender

Spoken

Songs

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A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

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Scenes

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Key Terms

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Guide Written By:

Alexandra Appleton

Alexandra Appleton

Writer, editor and theatre researcher