The Changeling

by

Thomas Middleton and William Rowley

Alonzo de Piracquo Character Analysis

Alonzo de Piracquo is the wealthy Valencian nobleman that Vermandero chooses to marry his daughter Beatrice. Though Beatrice finds Alonzo deeply unappealing, the play doesn’t depict him as particularly ugly or particularly charmless. Unfortunately, unlike his brother Tomazo, Alonzo is not perceptive: he fails to notice Beatrice’s distaste for him (even though Tomazo spots it immediately), and he expresses a great deal of trust and comfort with DeFlores, who later murders him. Before his death, therefore, Alonzo is emblematic of the way that love can turn people into “fools,” as his passion for Beatrice skews all his judgments.

Alonzo de Piracquo Quotes in The Changeling

The The Changeling quotes below are all either spoken by Alonzo de Piracquo or refer to Alonzo de Piracquo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Appearance vs. Reality Theme Icon
).
Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes

BEATRICE: Methinks I love now with the eyes of judgment
And see the way to merit, clearly see it.
A true deserver like a diamond sparkles,
In darkness you may see him, that’s in absence,
Which is the greatest darkness falls on love;
Ye he is best discern’d then
With intellectual eyesight.

Related Characters: Beatrice (speaker), DeFlores, Alsemero, Alonzo de Piracquo, Jasperino
Related Symbols: Diamonds, Eyes
Page Number: 361
Explanation and Analysis:

ALONZO: I should depart
An enemy, a dangerous, deadly one
To any but thyself, that should but think
She knew the meaning of inconstancy,
Much less the use practice; yet w’are friends.
Pray let no more be urg’d; I can endure
Much, till I meet an injury to her,
Then I am not myself. Farewell, sweet brother.
How much we are bound to heaven to depart lovingly.
Exit.

TOMAZO: Why, here is love's tame madness; thus a man
Quickly steals into his vexation.

Related Characters: Alonzo de Piracquo (speaker), Tomazo de Piracquo (speaker), Beatrice, Alsemero, Antonio
Page Number: 366
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3,  Scene 3 Quotes

LOLLIO: This is easy, sir, I’ll warrant you: you have about you fools and madmen that can dance very well; and ‘tis no wonder, your best dancers are not the wisest men; the reason is, with often jumping they jolt their brains down into their feet, that their wits lie more in their heels than their heads […]

ISABELLA: Y’have a fine trade on’t,
Madmen and fools are a staple commodity.

ALIBIUS: O wife, we must eat, wear clothes, and live;
Just at the lawyer’s haven we arrive,
By madmen and fools we both do thrive.

Related Characters: Isabella (speaker), Alibius (speaker), Lollio (speaker), Beatrice, Vermandero, Alonzo de Piracquo
Page Number: 382
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 4 Quotes

BEATRICE: Look you, sir, here’s three thousand golden florins:
I have not meanly thought upon thy merit.

DEFLORES: What, salary? Now you move me […]
Do you place me in the rank of verminous fellows,
To destroy things for wages? Offer gold?
The life blood of man! Is anything
Valued too precious for my recompense?

BEATRICE: I understand thee not.

DEFLORES: I could ha’ hir’d
A journeyman murder in this rate,
And mine own conscience might have slept at ease
And have had the work brought home.

BEATRICE [Aside]: I’m in a labyrinth;
What will content him? I would be rid of him.—
I’ll double the sum, sir.

Related Characters: Beatrice (speaker), DeFlores (speaker), Alonzo de Piracquo
Page Number: 385
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 1 Quotes

DIAPHANTA: Are you serious still? Would you resign
Your first night’s pleasure, and give money too?

BEATRICE: As willingly as live. [Aside.] Alas, the gold
Is but a by-bet to wedge in the honor […]
Y’are too quick, I fear, to be a maid.

DIAPHANTA: How? Not a maid? Nay, then you urge me, madam;
Your honorable self is not a truer
With all your fears upon you—

BEATRICE [Aside.]: Bad enough then.

DIAPHANTA: Than I with all my lightsome joys about me.

Related Characters: Beatrice (speaker), Diaphanta (speaker), DeFlores, Alsemero, Alonzo de Piracquo
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 392
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 2 Quotes

TOMAZO: I cannot taste the benefits of life
With the same relish I was wont to do.
Man I grow weary of, and hold his fellowship
A treacherous bloody friendship; and because
I am ignorant in whom my wrath should settle,
I must think all men villains, and the next
I meet, whoe’er he be, the murderer
Of my most worthy brother. –Ha! Who’s he?
Enter DeFlores, passes over the stage.
O the fellow that some call honest DeFlores;
But methinks honesty was hard bested
To come there for a lodging, as if a queen
Should make her palace of a pest-house.

Related Characters: Tomazo de Piracquo (speaker), DeFlores, Alonzo de Piracquo
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 411
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 3 Quotes

ALSEMERO: I ask you, sir;
My wife’s behindhand with you, she tells me,
For a brave bloody blow you gave for her sake
Upon Piracquo.

DEFLORES: Upon? ‘Twas quite through him, sure;
Has she confess’d it?

ALSEMERO: As sure as death to both of you,
And much more than that.

DEFLORES: It could not be much more;
‘Twas but one thing, and that—she’s a whore.

ALSEMERO: It could not choose but follow. O cunning devils!
How should blind men know you from fair-fac’d saints?

Related Characters: DeFlores (speaker), Alsemero (speaker), Beatrice, Alonzo de Piracquo
Page Number: 417
Explanation and Analysis:
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Alonzo de Piracquo Quotes in The Changeling

The The Changeling quotes below are all either spoken by Alonzo de Piracquo or refer to Alonzo de Piracquo. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Appearance vs. Reality Theme Icon
).
Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes

BEATRICE: Methinks I love now with the eyes of judgment
And see the way to merit, clearly see it.
A true deserver like a diamond sparkles,
In darkness you may see him, that’s in absence,
Which is the greatest darkness falls on love;
Ye he is best discern’d then
With intellectual eyesight.

Related Characters: Beatrice (speaker), DeFlores, Alsemero, Alonzo de Piracquo, Jasperino
Related Symbols: Diamonds, Eyes
Page Number: 361
Explanation and Analysis:

ALONZO: I should depart
An enemy, a dangerous, deadly one
To any but thyself, that should but think
She knew the meaning of inconstancy,
Much less the use practice; yet w’are friends.
Pray let no more be urg’d; I can endure
Much, till I meet an injury to her,
Then I am not myself. Farewell, sweet brother.
How much we are bound to heaven to depart lovingly.
Exit.

TOMAZO: Why, here is love's tame madness; thus a man
Quickly steals into his vexation.

Related Characters: Alonzo de Piracquo (speaker), Tomazo de Piracquo (speaker), Beatrice, Alsemero, Antonio
Page Number: 366
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3,  Scene 3 Quotes

LOLLIO: This is easy, sir, I’ll warrant you: you have about you fools and madmen that can dance very well; and ‘tis no wonder, your best dancers are not the wisest men; the reason is, with often jumping they jolt their brains down into their feet, that their wits lie more in their heels than their heads […]

ISABELLA: Y’have a fine trade on’t,
Madmen and fools are a staple commodity.

ALIBIUS: O wife, we must eat, wear clothes, and live;
Just at the lawyer’s haven we arrive,
By madmen and fools we both do thrive.

Related Characters: Isabella (speaker), Alibius (speaker), Lollio (speaker), Beatrice, Vermandero, Alonzo de Piracquo
Page Number: 382
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 4 Quotes

BEATRICE: Look you, sir, here’s three thousand golden florins:
I have not meanly thought upon thy merit.

DEFLORES: What, salary? Now you move me […]
Do you place me in the rank of verminous fellows,
To destroy things for wages? Offer gold?
The life blood of man! Is anything
Valued too precious for my recompense?

BEATRICE: I understand thee not.

DEFLORES: I could ha’ hir’d
A journeyman murder in this rate,
And mine own conscience might have slept at ease
And have had the work brought home.

BEATRICE [Aside]: I’m in a labyrinth;
What will content him? I would be rid of him.—
I’ll double the sum, sir.

Related Characters: Beatrice (speaker), DeFlores (speaker), Alonzo de Piracquo
Page Number: 385
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 4, Scene 1 Quotes

DIAPHANTA: Are you serious still? Would you resign
Your first night’s pleasure, and give money too?

BEATRICE: As willingly as live. [Aside.] Alas, the gold
Is but a by-bet to wedge in the honor […]
Y’are too quick, I fear, to be a maid.

DIAPHANTA: How? Not a maid? Nay, then you urge me, madam;
Your honorable self is not a truer
With all your fears upon you—

BEATRICE [Aside.]: Bad enough then.

DIAPHANTA: Than I with all my lightsome joys about me.

Related Characters: Beatrice (speaker), Diaphanta (speaker), DeFlores, Alsemero, Alonzo de Piracquo
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 392
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 2 Quotes

TOMAZO: I cannot taste the benefits of life
With the same relish I was wont to do.
Man I grow weary of, and hold his fellowship
A treacherous bloody friendship; and because
I am ignorant in whom my wrath should settle,
I must think all men villains, and the next
I meet, whoe’er he be, the murderer
Of my most worthy brother. –Ha! Who’s he?
Enter DeFlores, passes over the stage.
O the fellow that some call honest DeFlores;
But methinks honesty was hard bested
To come there for a lodging, as if a queen
Should make her palace of a pest-house.

Related Characters: Tomazo de Piracquo (speaker), DeFlores, Alonzo de Piracquo
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 411
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 3 Quotes

ALSEMERO: I ask you, sir;
My wife’s behindhand with you, she tells me,
For a brave bloody blow you gave for her sake
Upon Piracquo.

DEFLORES: Upon? ‘Twas quite through him, sure;
Has she confess’d it?

ALSEMERO: As sure as death to both of you,
And much more than that.

DEFLORES: It could not be much more;
‘Twas but one thing, and that—she’s a whore.

ALSEMERO: It could not choose but follow. O cunning devils!
How should blind men know you from fair-fac’d saints?

Related Characters: DeFlores (speaker), Alsemero (speaker), Beatrice, Alonzo de Piracquo
Page Number: 417
Explanation and Analysis: