ABSTRACT
Previous chapters have discussed how the cockered humanum genus successfully evolved from morality play protagonist to stock figure of early modern comedy. This chapter considers the perhaps unique appearance of the character in tragedy, John Ford’s bloody play ’Tis Pity She’s a Whore (1630). The character in question, Bergetto, closely accords to the cockered child stereotype and provides, as usual, the comedic focus of the play. However, while Bergetto follows the same standard path as many of his peers and appears to be on the verge of gaining maturation and redemption, his journey is abruptly terminated when he is murdered on his way to his wedding. The chapter contends that this still shocking and powerful scene was deliberately intended to subvert the audience’s expectations and was used by Ford to emphasise his view that early modern society had abandoned virtue.
