Philip Massinger, a noted dramatist of the early 17th century, intricately explores themes of passion and will in his works, capturing the complexities of human nature through characters and their moral struggles. While lacking the revolutionary psychological depth of contemporaries like John Webster or John Ford, Massinger's plays often present vivid depictions of conventional attitudes towards will, testing his characters through various trials of emotion and morality. Notably, in plays like The Virgin Martyr, The Maid of Honour, and A New Way to Pay Old Debts, Massinger delves into the anatomy of human will, examining how it influences actions and interactions.

The Themes of Passion and Will

Massinger's exploration of will in his plays addresses various trials: religious demands, greed, jealousy, and infatuation. This thematic investigation is most pronounced in four of his significant works: The Virgin Martyr, The Maid of Honour, The Picture, and A New Way to Pay Old Debts. These plays underpin the dramatist’s reputation as a serious artist while spotlighting the criticisms concerning his reliance on conventional motifs.

The Virgin Martyr

In The Virgin Martyr, co-authored with Dekker, Massinger presents a hagiographic tale colored with Roman Catholic nuances. Dorothea, the protagonist, wields the power of prayer and moral adherence to influence her world profoundly. Through her steadfast commitment to Christian virtues, she affects the conversion of Antoninus, a pagan admirer, and Theophilus, her prosecutor. However, the narrative extends beyond Dorothea, exploring the wills of Antoninus and Artemia, both of whom grapple with conflicting desires and societal pressures.

Antoninus, consumed by an irrational love for Dorothea, struggles with the expectations of society and his unrequited affection. Artemia, the emperor's daughter, exhibits an admirable self-control, choosing rationality over impulsive desires. The play further examines will through Theophilus’s daughters and Dorothea’s servants, Hircius and Spungius. While the daughters succumb to paternal pressure, the servants provide a satirical commentary on free will, driven by necessity rather than choice.

The Unnatural Combat

Massinger revisits themes from The Virgin Martyr in The Unnatural Combat, a dark tale of a father’s incestuous desires. Malefort, the protagonist, is an ambitious military leader whose unchecked appetites lead to familial tragedy. His resemblance to Theophilus and the possessive Duke of Milan underscores Massinger’s recurring focus on the dangers of undisciplined will.

The Renegado

In The Renegado, the transformative power of will manifests through conversion, as a Christian hero sways a pagan heroine using ceremonial means. This theme of will's influence recurs in Massinger’s mature works, where the playwright examines how steadfastness can inspire change in others, a theme that resonates in A New Way to Pay Old Debts, The Picture, and The Maid of Honour.

A New Way to Pay Old Debts

Massinger's A New Way to Pay Old Debts is lauded as his masterpiece, a comedy energized by the malevolence of Sir Giles Overreach. The play combines elements of Jacobean double-plot comedy with a character-driven narrative, where the schemes and ambitions of Overreach drive the plot. His relentless pursuit of social ascent through wealth and manipulation leads to madness, offering a critique of unchecked ambition and greed.

The play's plots revolve around Frank Wellborn's attempt to recover his inheritance and Tom Allworth's courtship of Overreach’s daughter, Margaret. Both plots utilize deception and social maneuvering, ultimately seeing virtuous characters triumph over vice. Overreach’s character, akin to Shakespeare's Shylock, embodies the era’s anxieties about social mobility and moral corruption.

The Picture

The Picture shifts the examination of will to the realms of jealousy and trust. Here, Massinger suggests that loyalty breeds loyalty, while suspicion...