Beatrice
Beatrice (sometimes called “Beatrice Joanna” by her loved ones) is Vermandero’s daughter. After her father arranges for her to marry Alonzo de Piracquo, the beautiful Beatrice conspires with her father’s servant DeFlores to…
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DeFlores
DeFlores is Vermandero’s long-time servant and trusted companion. Having been born into nobility, DeFlores blames “hard fate” for his fall from the top of the social hierarchy; similarly, he feels that his uneven skin…
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Alsemero
Alsemero is a Valencian nobleman and the object of Beatrice’s affections. Even as Alsemero falls quickly and passionately in love with Beatrice, he is able—more than any other character in the show—to remain calm…
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Vermandero
Vermandero is the most prominent nobleman in Alicante. Though his friends and courtiers like and respect him, he is not always able to see the true natures of the people around him. In addition to…
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Alonzo de Piracquo
Alonzo de Piracquo is the wealthy Valencian nobleman that Vermandero chooses to marry his daughter Beatrice. Though Beatrice finds Alonzo deeply unappealing, the play doesn’t depict him as particularly ugly or particularly charmless. Unfortunately…
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Tomazo de Piracquo
Tomazo de Piracquo is Alonzo de Piracquo’s brother and close friend. After initially (and unsuccessfully) advising Alonzo to stay away from Beatrice, Tomazo becomes suspicious of Alonzo’s disappearance. As Tomazo tries to determine…
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Isabella
Isabella is Alibius’s much-younger, beautiful wife. After Alibius locks her inside the madhouse out of jealousy, Isabella grows to resent her husband’s possessive nature; she critiques him not only for the way he guards…
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Alibius
Alibius the doctor that runs Alicante’s madhouse. Fearing that his much-younger wife Isabella will betray him, Alibius asks his assistant Lollio to guard her, not realizing that Lollio himself is interested in Isabella. In addition…
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Lollio
Lollio is Alibius’s second-in-command at the madhouse; while Alibius focuses his energy on managing the madmen, Lollio generally works with the fools. Lollio is characterized by his clever wit and his adept wordplay, which…
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Antonio
Antonio is one of Vermandero’s courtiers. Hoping to seduce Isabella, Antonio and his friend Pedro work together to disguise Antonio as the goofy fool “Tony.” But though Antonio quickly confesses his true identity…
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Franciscus
Franciscus is one of Vermandero’s courtiers. He disguises himself as a violent madman because (like Antonio) he hopes to gain access to Isabella. Eventually, he reveals his true nature through a verbose…
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Diaphanta
Diaphanta is Beatrice’s charming, impulsive lady-in-waiting. Though she is still a maid (virgin) at the beginning of the play, Diaphanta is clearly interested in sex: she flirts with and kisses Jasperino, and she…
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Jasperino
Jasperino is Alsemero’s employee, advisor, and trusted friend. At first, Jasperino takes advantage of his friend’s sudden desire for Beatrice to pursue Diaphanta. But after Jasperino begins to suspect Beatrice of dishonesty and…
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Minor Characters
Pedro
Pedro is Antonio’s friend and conspirator. Pedro helps Antonio disguise himself as a madman in order to seduce Isabella, dropping Antonio off at Alibius’s madhouse with the promise that Antonio’s family will pay a great deal for his care.
