The Renegado

by Philip Massinger, Gordon McMullan (Series Editor), John Jowett (Series Editor)

The Renegado is one of the most shamelessly entertaining plays of its age, fetching its inspiration from a number of works by Cervantes, based on his own experiences as a captive in Algiers. Introducing the eroticized captivity narrative to the English stage, Massinger's tragicomedy combines it with the long-popular romance motif of a Christian hero's conquest of an exotic princess. But even as it indulges in romantic fantasy, The Renegado engages with contentious issues of national and international politics, offering a provocative response to the sectarian feuds dividing England in the 1620s, while exploiting wider European fears of the expansionist Muslim empire of the Ottomans. Through its treatment of religious confrontation and conversion, Massinger's play offers important insights into early modern constructions of the Islamic world, and emerges as a piece with unexpected resonances for our own time.

This is the first major single-volume edition of The Renegado, making it properly available to all students and teachers of early modern drama. With detailed on-page commentary notes and an illustrated introduction assessing its impact on the Renaissance stage as well as its particular relevance to our contemporary multi-cultural society, it is a stimulating and original teaching edition.

An extract from Cervantes' The Prisons of Algiers, a key source for the play, is given in an appendix and the whole Cervantes text is available on the Arden website as an additional resource.

Genres: Plays, Classics, Drama, 17th Century, Fiction, Read For School, Theatre

274 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1630

About the author

Philip Massinger (born 1583) was an English dramatist. His finely plotted plays, including A New Way to Pay Old Debts, The City Madam and The Roman Actor, are noted for their satire and realism, and their political and social themes.

Reviews

[Bill Kerwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This entertaining late Jacobean play holds a special interest for the post 9/11 reader, broadly because of the clash between Islamic civilization and Christian culture, but more precisely because of the play's exploration of the theme of the renegade: what does it mean to renounce your religion and--perhaps of greater concern for Massinger--to deny your very self, with all the representations and assumptions that come with that denial?

In addition to the secondary character "the Renegado" (Grimaldi, a pirate converted to Islam), the play features as hero and heroine the Venetian gentleman Vitelli and Donusa, the Turkish princess who loves him. At some time in the play, each of these three characters is called upon to convert, and since each of them is a proud, imperious Massinger egoist, the question of what they will do becomes even more interesting.

Also noteworthy about The Renegado is its sympathetic portrayal of the Jesuit Francisco. Given the English Renaissance stereotype of the false "equivocating" Jesuit, this positive portrait by Massinger is seen by some critics as evidence that he was a professing Catholic, or at the least a Protestant not unsympathetic to Rome.(Or--perhaps--could Massinger himself have been a "renegado"?)

[Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply fabulous play.

Grimaldi the Venetian "turns Turk" -- abandoning his Christian roots to become a Barbary Corsair in the employ of the Muslim Viceroy of Tunis, Asambeg.

He kidnaps the beautiful and virtuous Paulina and sells her to Asambeg, who falls in love with her but, disarmed by her beauty, refuses to force her to submit.

Paulina's brother Vitelli travels to Tunis in disguise to rescue his sister, accompanied by his Jesuit confessor Francisco and his comical, materialist servant Gazet.

Mustapha, a Muslim general, courts Donusa, niece of the Turkish Sultan. But she prefers Vitelli, who she seduces, threatening both his masculinity and his faith.

This tragicomedy about seventeenth-century English fantasies about the Ottoman Empire is made up of equal parts terror and fascination, and it reveals how European anxieties over religious, economic, and gender identities were bound up with one another. And not only is it rather well written, with a few really excellent speeches, but its pretty damn funny too, and especially topical in today's political climate.

[Noura · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Islamophobia jumped out. Gross.

[Lu · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is really problematic! I get that it was written in a very different time but still it is just extremely problematic!
The Islamophobia!
Also the hate against and the degrading of anything female/feminine!
Had to read it for a class in university.. but yeah thanks, I hate it!

[Gabi Leoncini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this over Teams because #lockdownlife. It was actually a lot funnier than I thought!

[Jamison Stoike · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-crafted play that is still funny and intriguing today. Interesting in its depictions of the bodily manifestations of religion and conversion, as well as it’s representations of female sexuality and its interactions with Christianity and Islam. Many of the play’s comedic elements still play very well today — which can’t be said for much of Renaissance comedy.

[Lydia Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the better plays from my Renaissance Literature class. Interesting insight into racist period beliefs, exciting story, perfect example of tragicomedy. Extremely anti-Islamic though, and Donusa’s willingness to abandon her religion was unrealistic considering her previous strength of spirit. Enjoyed it considerably.

[Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pity it can't realistically be staged today, as it's quite a strong play. Themes of Islam are not exactly handled subtly, however, with the seventeenth century assumption all Muslims are evil and corrupt. Old Phil was not acquainted with political correctness.

[Rachel Goodrich Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting look at conversion - are identities exchangeable, perform-able, how invested are our identities in material symbols and outward costume? Are we merely walking collections of objects that act out ourselves on our behalf?

[Ellise · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's lots of humor and sass, a great plotline, and some strong characters here. While still hugely problematic, the racism and xenophobia are less active in the plot than in contemporary texts.

[Thekla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite interesting Early Modern playwright...Would recommend it if you are up for literature like that ;)

[katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far for this course, this play's been the most fun.

[emma]

…wow. If I could stop reading early modern drama, I would, but unfortunately it is required for my course

[Lou Elusiveink]

reading this for my course has sent me down a rabbit hole about Mediterranean piracy and I do not think I'll ever be the same again

[jules · Rating 2 out of 5]

one star for how much i love donusa before she gets christian-ified by the narrative, and a second star because at least it's not the island princess.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

The opening of The Renegado introduces the audience to the protagonist, Vitelli, and a seemingly straightforward quest to rescue his sister from her abductors. However, as the story plays out, the central conflict is not one between lovers, kingdoms, or heroes and villains; the true conflict is between two religions. This can be seen in the climax, which is not a daring escape or a courtroom revelation, but an attempted conversion that converts the tempter.
Of this play’s two titles The Renegado and The Gentleman of Venice the latter seems, at first, to be the most appropriate. It focuses on the central character, addressing him in a way that emphasizes his foreignness. The Renegado, on the other hand, refers to Grimaldi, a character of much lesser importance to the central plot. It would seem as appropriate as naming Twelfth Night as “Malvolio” or re-titling King Lear as “Edgar.” However, it is the concept of the renegado that is important, rather than the character.

The Arden edition notes the particular significance of the word: “A renegado was a renegade, or apostate; however, the Spanish form seems to have been used with a more specific reference to Christians who gave their allegiance to Islam and turned Turk” (235). Grimaldi is less vilified for his abduction of Paulina than for is allegiance with the Turks and his rejection of the Christian faith. His rejection is literal as well as figurative with his destruction of the Eucharist. In that moment he becomes a destroyer of Christ. His conversion and redemption after his eventual downfall emphasizes the forgiving nature of the Christian faith. This continues the theme of forgiveness so prevalent in tragicomedy.

Paulina, whose name is a female derivative of Paul, the former persecutor of Christians turned saint and missionary. Francisco reminds Vitelli that it is not just saving Paulina’s body that should be their concern: “We come hither / To learn Paulina’s faith and redeem her” (1.1.144-5). Their worry is that she has become a renegado, a conversion she counterfeits later in the play: “I am turned Turk” (5.3.152). This declaration is met with Gazet’s comment, “Most of your tribe do so/ When they begin in whore” (5.3.153-4). Her chastity is so linked to her Christianity; to relinquish one is to relinquish the other. Through her cunning and virtue Paulina is able to hold on to both and thereby avoid becoming a renegado.
Vitelli is also tempted. While Donusa is able to seduce him to sins of the flesh, she is unable capture his soul. Her attempts at conversion are so strongly rebuffed that Vitelli converts her. This is culminated in the baptism of Donusa in the final act. At that moment Vitelli has become a missionary as opposed to a possible renegado.
It is no wonder that the final escape is underplayed. The deliverance of their bodies from Muslim control is of little consequence in a play much more concerned with the deliverance of their souls.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

My education in Jacobean drama continues. The Renegado is set in North Africa, and involves themes which I learned from the other play I read in the past 24 hours are typical of this era--captivity, conversion, love with elite non-European women in foreign places. Happy endings all round.