Old Fortunatus: Analysis of Major Characters
"Old Fortunatus" is a dramatic work that explores the themes of wealth, wisdom, and the consequences of choice through its major characters. The central figure, Fortunatus, transitions from a destitute man to one favored by Fortune after he acquires a magical purse that grants endless wealth. However, he ultimately regrets his choice of material wealth over wisdom and hopes for a better fate for his sons, whom he leaves with his magical possessions and unsolicited advice. His younger son, Andelocia, squanders his inheritance and meets a tragic end, while the virtuous older son, Ampedo, also faces a grim fate despite his restraint.
Key figures include Athelstane, the greedy king of England, who seeks to exploit Fortunatus’s magic for his gain, and his daughter Agripyne, who uses her charm to deceive Andelocia. The story also features the Soldan of Babylon, who loses his wishing hat due to his own greed. Additionally, the play introduces personified concepts such as Fortune, who bestows gifts but teaches hard lessons, and Virtue, whose presence contrasts sharply with Vice, the embodiment of temptation. The interplay of these characters emphasizes the moral complexities surrounding the pursuit of wealth and the often-overlooked value of wisdom.
Old Fortunatus: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Thomas Dekker
First published: 1600
Genre: Play
Locale: Cyprus, Babylon, and England
Plot: Allegory
Time: Tenth century
Fortunatus (fohr-tew-NAH-tuhs), a shabby, miserable man who becomes for a time Fortune's darling. He acquires from her a magic purse that is never empty when he wishes to draw out money, and he steals for himself a wishing hat owned by the Soldan of Babylon, whose greed for the purse makes him careless. Fortunatus lives to regret his choice of wealth rather than wisdom and pleads that his sons may have the better choice. He dies, leaving the magic objects and much advice—largely disregarded—to his sons.
Andelocia (an-deh-LOH-chee-ah), Fortunatus' prodigal younger son. He wastes his inheritance foolishly and dies miserably.
Ampedo (ahm-PAY-doh), Fortunatus' virtuous older son. He gains nothing from his father's gifts and nothing for his own abstinence, dying as miserably as his reckless brother.
Athelstane (ATH-ehl-stan), the greedy and treacherous king of England. He acquires and loses the magic purse and hat with his daughter's aid. Fortune grants the purse to him again at the end of the play. The hat has been burned by Ampedo.
Agripyne (a-GRIH-pee-nuh), Athelstane's selfish, beautiful daughter. She plays the role of Delilah to trick Andelocia out of the magic objects. Her punishment is negligible and short-lived.
The Soldan of Babylon, who loses his wishing hat in his eagerness to acquire a magic purse. The wishing hat will transport its wearer to wherever that person wishes to be.
Longavile (LAWN-gah-vihl) and Montrose, two noblemen made ridiculous by Andelocia. They gain revenge by causing the deaths of Andelocia and Ampedo. They also gain exile and remorse.
Fortune, the fickle and powerful goddess. She gives Fortunatus a choice of various qualities including wisdom. When she learns that his choice is wealth, she grants his wish, but she lets him know the foolishness of his choice. When he realizes his error and requests that his sons be given wisdom instead of his wealth, she denies him.
Virtue, the goddess who appears always with Fortune and Vice. She wears a fool's cap, and the author does little in the play to indicate that the emblem is unjust. She does offer small, bitter apples that counteract the effect of Vice's luscious ones. At the end of the play, an address to Queen Elizabeth gives Virtue some lip service and announces her triumph as Vice flees.
Vice, a purveyor of tempting apples that cause horns to grow on those who eat them. She ridicules Virtue and usually has the better of their struggles. Her flight from Virtue comes after the play proper is concluded.