Hippolita Character Analysis in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore

Richardetto’s wife and lover to Soranzo, Hippolita also exemplifies society’s double standard against women. As he carried on an affair with Hippolita, Soranzo promised that he would marry her if her husband died. After her husband is believed to be dead, however, Soranzo refuses to fulfill his promise. When Hippolita becomes angry with him, Soranzo says she is too violent, which is hypocritical considering he reacts much more violently upon discovering Annabella’s infidelity. The abandoned and heartbroken Hippolita has a thirst for blood, but her plots against Soranzo ultimately backfire when Vasquez poisons her instead of poisoning Soranzo. Thus she becomes yet another example of the destructiveness of passion and the desire for revenge.

Hippolita Quotes in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore

The 'Tis Pity She's a Whore quotes below are all either spoken by Hippolita or refer to Hippolita. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Do you know me now? Look, perjured man, on her
Whom thou and thy distracted lust have wronged.
Thy sensual rage of blood hath made my youth
A scorn to men and angels;

Related Characters: Hippolita (speaker), Soranzo

Page Number and Citation: 2.2.25-29

Explanation and Analysis:

Burn, blood, and boil in vengeance. Oh, my heart!
My flame’s intolerable! – May’st thou live
To father bastards; may her womb bring forth
Monsters; and die together in your sins,
Hated, scorned and unpitied!

Related Characters: Hippolita (speaker), Annabella, Soranzo

Page Number and Citation: 4.1.60-61, 64-67

Explanation and Analysis:

Hippolita Character Timeline in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore

The timeline below shows where the character Hippolita appears in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Female Sexuality vs. Social Expectation Theme Icon

...nobleman, handsome, healthy, generous, loving, and sexually capable (she notes that he took the widow Hippolita as a mistress when her husband was still alive). Annabella blushes at this long list... (full context)

Vasquez interrupts Soranzo’s poetry, upsetting him. He asks what’s wrong, and Vasquez enters with Hippolita, who is dressed in mourning. Hippolita immediately launches into a tirade, telling Soranzo how much... (full context)

As Soranzo tries to argue with Hippolita, she tells him not to try to talk his way out of admitting to the... (full context)

Hippolita continues into a monologue explaining how Soranzo had wronged her. She asks him if he... (full context)

Soranzo argues that the vows he made to Hippolita were unlawful, and that it would be a greater sin to keep them than to... (full context)

Vasquez says that Soranzo is behaving like a scoundrel. Hippolita says that she will have vengeance and begins to leave. Vasquez stops her and tells... (full context)

Hippolita says that she no longer has an interest in Soranzo and goes on to try... (full context)

...on to explain how he wants to find out how extensive and shameful his wife’s (Hippolita’s) adultery will become following his death. Philotis worries that Richardetto means to get revenge, and... (full context)

...life is in danger. Vasquez says aside that Soranzo’s life is also in danger by Hippolita. Aloud he says that perhaps it is the “maid’s-sickness,” (a form of anemia which at... (full context)

Vasquez informs Hippolita that Soranzo and Annabella are going to be married in two days. Hippolita wishes that... (full context)

Vasquez reaffirms his commitment to Hippolita’s plot. She tells him she will be his even though he is a servant. She... (full context)

...of Parma wanted to perform a masque (a performance with music and dance) for Annabella. Hippolita (who is masked) and other ladies enter and dance. Soranzo asks which of them to... (full context)

Hippolita unmasks herself and reveals that the only thing she wants is to address the rumors... (full context)

Hippolita asks one more thing: that they will join her in a toast to symbolize absolving... (full context)

Hippolita is confused that Vasquez seems to be going against their plan. He reveals that he... (full context)

The guests at the wedding, including Richardetto, exclaim that there has been justice. As Hippolita succumbs to the poison, she curses Annabella’s womb and swears that Soranzo will father bastards.... (full context)

The guests remark at how vile Hippolita was. Soranzo thanks Vasquez for his loyalty and takes Annabella home. The Friar remarks to... (full context)

Richardetto and Philotis enter. Richardetto remarks that Hippolita died too soon, because he was not able to get his own revenge on her.... (full context)

...Soranzo of all the wrongs that have been done to him by Annabella, Giovanni, and Hippolita. He tells Soranzo to let Giovanni have Annabella once more so that he may be... (full context)

Hippolita Character Analysis

Hippolita Quotes in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore

Act 2, Scene 2 Quotes

Act 4, Scene 1 Quotes

Hippolita Character Timeline in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore