The play begins with a Prologue written by Philip Frowde, praising the literary genius of William Shakespeare. His talent is compared with the way plants grow, to the point where they touch the sky. Those who try to imitate his writing style are criticized because, as the author of the prologue explains, they are killing their own natural talent.
Act I, Scene I takes place at a Royal Palace where we find Duke Angelo and his son, Roderick. The Duke is old, feeling as if he is nearing the end of his life and so he tries to prepare his heir for the inevitable event which will take place. They talk about Henriquez, the older brother who instead of behaving as a man should, brought shame onto his name and his father. Roderick continues to have hope in his brother but the Duke points out that because of Henriquez’s behavior, the court became suspicious of them and their absence. To try and find more about Henriquez and what he plans to do with his life, they agree to accept the visit of Julio, one of his friends, who wants to ask for money to buy a horse.
The first scene is a short one, setting the background for the story. We find that for the characters involved, honor and their reputation is extremely important and thus they will do everything they can to try and maintain it.
In the next scene, Camillo shows his son, Julio, a letter, requesting him to go to court and serve as a horsemanship. Julio is not happy with the idea but agrees to go nevertheless, convinced by his father that it is the right thing to do. Julio is more interested in Leonora, a woman he is in love with but someone who it is implied does not feel the same about him.
When Leonora comes on stage and finds that Julio did talked with his father about their relationship, she tells Julio not to bother anymore and just follow his father’s orders. This scene shows the devotion children were expected to show for their families and also the obedience they needed to have. These qualities stopped them from revealing their true feelings and from admitting they do not always want to do what they are told. Julio urges Leonora to not give up hope so easily and instead to have patience and wait for him. Leonora refuses, claiming she needs to get married as long as she is still in her prime and in that moment Julio shows her the letter he received, being summoned by the Duke to court.
This scene presents the view many had about the court, seeing it as a dangerous place where a person with morals can easily be swayed to give up everything they believed in until then. The women at the court are also portrayed in a rather negative manner, as women who seduce everyone they come across. This may be an allusion made to the ladies at the court who would often agree to sleep with men who had power and wealth, thinking that they will advance on the social ladder in such way.
Julio promises to Leonora he will not be affected by the women at court and that he will return to her. Julio suggest that in the meantime, Henriquez take the part of the lover and in such way, no one will want to woo Leonora. Don Bernard, Leonora’s father, enters the scene and after Julio leaves, he tells his daughter that while he does not agree with the match, as long as Julio’s father is also on the same page, he will have nothing against it.
The third scene has at is center Henriquez, who, while sitting in his home, thinks about a woman who, despite possessing all of the qualities desired by a man, is not suitable for him to marry because she does not have the proper social status.
Despite this, Henriquez goes to her, to the young woman named Violante and tries to seduce her. The girl refuses him, fearing that Henriquez only wants to seduce her and make her give up her virtues. Seeing he was refused, Henriquez becomes more determined to win her, even if that would mean giving up his titles.
The action taking place in the second act, first scene, is set in a village. The characters in this scene are Fabian, Lopes and Henriquez but for the beginning of the scene, Henriquez stands on one side. Henriquez talks about the women who rejected him and how he would have done anything just to be accepted by her. The two man listen as Henriquez talks about his unrequired love and feeling as if he will do something which he will later regret, Fabian and Lopez decide to follow him from a distance.
In the second scene, Violante is alone in an apartment, feeling guilty about her actions and the way she treated Henriquez. Gerald, Henriquez’s servant enters the room with a letter from his master addressed to Violante. The young woman is told that Henriquez will be gone for two months and this news affects Violante who begins to panic thinking about the way her honor was tarnished and how she can no longer repair it. This scene shows an important thing about the times when the action took place, namely how for a woman, her honor was the most important thing she could possess. Once that was lost, a woman lost her value and her hopes of having a bright future dwindled.
In the third scene, Henriquez goes to Don Bernard’s house, lamenting his love for Violante. At the same time, Henriquez admits that he is attracted by Leonora, Don Bernard’s daughter. Leonora does not manifest any type of interest for Henriquez but her father is extremely pleased with him, thinking him to be more than suitable for Leonora, mainly because of his high social status. Leonora refuses Henriquez who tries to convince her that Julio did not love her and only used her as a distraction and as a plaything.
Leonora tries to convince her father not to force her to marry by reminding him how his own wife, Leonora’s mother, married Don Bernard out of love, even if that meant going against her family’s wishes. After Leonora exits the stage, Camillo enters to talk with Don Bernard about his own son, Julio. Don Bernardo tells Camillo how he already knows about the love between their children but implies that many things can change in a few days. Don Bernard also tells Camillo that her daughter changes her mind and now is in love with another man, namely with Henriquez.
The second act ends with Leonora giving a letter and some money to a man on the streets, asking him to deliver the letter to Julio. The letter finds Julio in the beginning of the third act where he realizes just how little he can trust Henriquez. Upon reading the letter, Julio is convinced he must return home so he decides to do just that, wasting no time and leaving at one.
The second scene takes place in Don Bernard’s house where Julio arrives at least. Leonora is not sure she can be saved from her fate but Julio urges her to be patient and have faith. Julio claims he is ready to kill Henriquez but Leonora urges him to have patience and trust in her and not react in any way or form. When Henriquez comes on stage, Leonora tries to make him leave her, pointing out just how unstable she is and how there is a possibility that in the future she will leave him for another man as well. Henriquez and Don Bernard are not influenced by Leonora’s words and when Don Bernard tries to give Leonora away, Julio comes on stage, stating that he has the ‘’older claim’’ and thus he should be the one to marry Leonora. The man refuse to listen to him and the servants are ordered to throw Julio out. Upon hearing this, Leonora faints and the men present realize that she tried to kill herself and to avoinf being married to Henriquez.
Roderick arrived in the village at the beginning of the third scene, after Julio left the village, afraid for his life. Roderick meets with Camillo who tells Roderick about his brother’s actions and the shame it had brought on his family. Roderick tries to calm down Camillo, telling him how his purpose it to find the truth about what happened. Don Bernard enters as well, lamenting the way in which his actions made his daughter kill herself. Camillo and Don Bernard try to men their friendship, relizing how they both suffered because of Henriquez.
The action in the fourth act takes place on a field, where Violante comes disguised as a man. In the field there are also shepherds who talk about Julio who is in a most wretched state, lamenting the loss of his love. It becomes clear that Julio is not mentally well but despite this, he recognizes that Violante is a woman, dressed as man. The other men recognize Violante as being a woman as well and try to seduce her. Violante is saved when Roderick comes and she is able to escape.
Henriquez enters as well, wanting to talk with Roderick. Henriquez asks Roderick for help to get into the cloister where Leonora was sent.
The second scene starts with Julio, meeting with two gentlemen about with whom he talks about Leonora. During their conversation, Julio hears Violante singing in the distance about love and loss. Henriquez is stunned by what he hears while Violante continues to talk about men and how they can’t be trusted, no matter what.
In Act I, Scene I, Roderick takes Leonora in the mountains. She meets with Roderick there and they are reunited once more. Violante comes as well and she tells Roderick the truth about who she is and how she was treated by his brother. Violante then tells Roderick that she can lead him to where Julio.
In the next scene, Roderick goes to see the Duke, Don Bernard and Camillo. Leonora and Henriquez enter as well and their parents are happy to see them alive and well. Violante enters the room as well who still pretends to be a boy in front of the people in the room. Violante, still dressed as a boy, claims to have proof of Henriquez’s wrongdoings and exits the room to bring the witness. When she returns, Violante is dressed in women’s clothes. Upon seeing her, Henriquez expresses his desire to make Violante his wife while also insisting that Leonora and Julio should get married. Julio then enters the room and it is agreed that he and Leonora are to be married.
