Characters
King John
King John stands as a figure of opposition to the Church of Rome, earning him a rare sympathetic treatment within English literature. Despite this, he is not consistently portrayed. He experiences turmoil upon hearing that his nephew Arthur has died following his orders. To protect his land from French invasion, he yields to Rome, only to be poisoned by a monk at Swinstead Abbey before learning that his country is ultimately saved.
Queen Elinor
Queen Elinor, King John's formidable mother, is known for her strength, arrogance, and domineering nature. She provides guidance and encouragement to her son, reinforcing his resolve. She takes pride in her blunt, illegitimate grandson Philip the Bastard and appears gentle and affectionate toward her small grandson Arthur. Her death significantly weakens the king's position.
Philip the Bastard
Philip the Bastard, the supposed elder son of Sir Robert Faulconbridge, is actually the child of King Richard the Lion-Hearted. Encouraged by Queen Elinor, he forsakes his name and inheritance and is knighted by King John, becoming Sir Richard Plantagenet. Philip embodies English manhood through his strength, loyalty, good sense, and humor. He taunts and later kills the Duke of Austria, who was believed to have slain his father. Acting as King John’s agent, he plays a crucial role in rifling the monasteries and delivers the play's final patriotic eulogy on England.
Constance
Constance, widow of Geoffrey Plantagenet and mother of Arthur, is driven by intense emotions and ambition for her son's career, striving to see him enthroned, which inadvertently leads to his demise. Her reaction to King Philip’s betrayal of her son’s cause is one of violent despair. King John is informed of her death in a state of frenzy following the news of Arthur's demise.
Arthur
Arthur, the Duke of Bretagne, is a gentle-hearted and bewildered child. His supposed execution, ordered by King John, proves ruinous for the king. In truth, Arthur's death is an accident resulting from an attempted prison escape.
Robert Faulconbridge
Robert Faulconbridge is the son of Sir Robert and Lady Faulconbridge, named heir in his father's will while disinheriting his elder brother. Eager for the property, Robert does not hesitate to shame his mother and besmirch his brother to secure his inheritance. His complaint to Queen Elinor and King John sets his brother Philip on a path to distinguished service.
Lady Faulconbridge
Lady Faulconbridge, mother of the contending half-brothers, is admired by her elder son for having been the mistress of Richard the Lion-Hearted. When challenged by her son Robert, she admits to her past indiscretions, revealing Philip's true paternity.
Hubert de Burgh
Hubert de Burgh, assigned as King John’s executioner, is portrayed as a hard man who cannot bring himself to harm Arthur by blinding or killing him. Despite fearing the king, he falsely reports Arthur's death. Initially mistrusted by Philip the Bastard, Hubert eventually proves his loyalty to King John.
Philip, King of France
Philip, King of France, is a character marked by ambition and fickleness, shifting allegiances for material gain. Supporting Constance and Arthur initially, he later allies with King John, only to eventually join forces with Cardinal Pandulph to pursue John’s downfall.
Lewis
Lewis, the Dauphin, is keen to marry Blanch, King John’s niece, to fortify an alliance between the English and French crowns. However, when Cardinal Pandulph excommunicates King John, Lewis becomes a fervent proponent of war, leading a coalition against John before being forced to make peace.
Cardinal Pandulph
Cardinal Pandulph is a cunning and ruthless papal legate who foresees Arthur’s death and instructs Philip to exploit this for political propaganda. Despite King John’s submission...
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to Rome, the cardinal unsuccessfully attempts to retract Lewis’s military actions.
Lymoges, Duke of Austria
Lymoges, traditionally called the Duke of Austria, is a composite of historical figures: the duke who imprisoned Richard the Lion-Hearted and Viscount Limoges, who killed Richard. In King John, he supports King Philip in Arthur’s cause but abandons it, incurring Constance’s scorn. He is eventually killed by Philip the Bastard.
Blanch of Spain
Blanch of Spain, King John’s niece and Queen Elinor’s granddaughter, becomes a political pawn. Despite her lack of affection for Lewis, she agrees to marry him due to her lack of choice. Her marriage becomes strained when Lewis supports reversing their alliance, leaving her torn between her uncle's loyalty and her new marital vows.
Prince Henry
Prince Henry, John’s son, ascends as King Henry III after his father’s death. He secures the support of both loyalists and those noblemen who had previously defected to France.
The Earl of Pembroke, The Earl of Salisbury, and Lord Bigot
The Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of Salisbury, and Lord Bigot are initially loyal to King John but desert him following Arthur's death. They later return to the English fold for self-preservation, pledging allegiance to the new King Henry III.
Count Melun
Count Melun, a French nobleman with English ancestry, reveals in his dying moments that Lewis plans to kill the English nobles post-conquest, advising them to reconcile with King John.
Peter of Pomfret
Peter of Pomfret, a prophet, accurately predicts King John's abdication. Brought before John, he is imprisoned and executed, fulfilling his own prophecy.
Chatillion
Chatillion, a French ambassador, initially delivers King Philip’s claim to the English throne. He reappears to inform Philip of the English forces' arrival in France.
A Citizen of Angiers
A citizen of Angiers attempts to prevent his city's destruction by proposing a marriage between Lewis and Blanch. His strategic suggestion leads to significant political developments.
The Earl of Essex
The Earl of Essex presents the feuding Faulconbridge brothers to King John for judgment, setting the stage for the exploration of legitimacy and inheritance.
James Gurney
James Gurney, a servant to Lady Faulconbridge, appears briefly, his interaction with Philip framed as a light-hearted moment amidst the play’s intricate plot.
