The Honest Whore

Roles

• Hipolito - Young Adult (20-35), Adult (36-50), Male

About this piece

Hipolito scolds a prostitute about her profession

Summary

The play is set in Milan and has 3 main storylines. In the first the Duke of Milan has feigned his daughter Infelice's death so that she can end her relationship with Hipolito, who he detests since he is the son of an old enemy. Hipolito however, can't get over it, and finally when he learns of the set up by the Duke of Milan, he is reunited with Infelice and they get married. Another storyline is about a prostitute, Bellafront, falling in love with Hipolito. She tries several times to seduce him but Hipolito scorns her and rejects her. She pretends to be mad and eventually helps Hipolito be reunited with Infelice. In this scene we are in Bellafront's brothel. Matheo, a friend of Hipolito, has taken him to the brothel to ease his pain about Infelice. Hipolito, however, is too depressed and leaves. When he comes back to get his friend, Matheo is gone. Bellafront is very attracted to Hipolito and tries to seduce him. Hipolito rejects her and delivers this long nasty monologue about the evils of prostitution and how miserable he thinks she is because she works as a prostitute.

Tone

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