The Changeling

by

Thomas Middleton and William Rowley

Franciscus Character Analysis

Franciscus is one of Vermandero’s courtiers. He disguises himself as a violent madman because (like Antonio) he hopes to gain access to Isabella. Eventually, he reveals his true nature through a verbose love letter. Unfortunately, Franciscus’s antics never earn Isabella’s love—and his ill-timed disappearance from Vermandero’s castle makes him a prime suspect in Alonzo de Piracquo’s murder.

Franciscus Quotes in The Changeling

The The Changeling quotes below are all either spoken by Franciscus or refer to Franciscus. 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 4, Scene 3 Quotes

ISABELLA: Does love turn fool, run mad, and all at once?
Sirrah, here’s a madman, akin to the fool too,
A lunatic lover.

LOLLIO: No, no, not he I brought the letter from?

ISABELLA: Compare his inside with his out, and tell me.

Related Characters: Isabella (speaker), Lollio (speaker), Antonio, Franciscus
Page Number: 399
Explanation and Analysis:

ANTONIO: I’ll kick thee if again thou touch me,
Thou wild unshapen antic; I am no fool,
You bedlam!

ISABELLA: But you are, as sure as I am, mad.
Have I put on this habit of a frantic,
With love as full of fury, to beguile
The nimble eye of watchful jealousy,
And am I thus rewarded?
[Reveals herself.]

ANTONIO: Ha! Dearest beauty!

ISABELLA: No, I have no beauty now,
But what was in my garments.
You a quick-sighted lover? Come not near me!
Keep your caparisons, y’are aptly clad;
I came a feigner to return stark mad.

Related Characters: Isabella (speaker), Antonio (speaker), Franciscus
Page Number: 403
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 3 Quotes

ALSEMERO: Here’s beauty chang’d
To ugly whoredom; here, servant obedience
Changed to a master sin, imperious murder;
I, a suppos’d husband, chang’d embraces
With wantonness, but that was paid before;
Your change is come too, from an ignorant wrath
To a knowing friendship. Are there any more on’s?

ANTONIO: Yes, sir; I was chang’d too, from a little ass as I was to a great fool as I am […]

FRANCISCUS: I was chang’d from a little wit to be stark mad,
Always for the same purpose.

Related Characters: Alsemero (speaker), Antonio (speaker), Franciscus (speaker), Beatrice, DeFlores, Tomazo de Piracquo
Page Number: 419
Explanation and Analysis:
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Franciscus Quotes in The Changeling

The The Changeling quotes below are all either spoken by Franciscus or refer to Franciscus. 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 4, Scene 3 Quotes

ISABELLA: Does love turn fool, run mad, and all at once?
Sirrah, here’s a madman, akin to the fool too,
A lunatic lover.

LOLLIO: No, no, not he I brought the letter from?

ISABELLA: Compare his inside with his out, and tell me.

Related Characters: Isabella (speaker), Lollio (speaker), Antonio, Franciscus
Page Number: 399
Explanation and Analysis:

ANTONIO: I’ll kick thee if again thou touch me,
Thou wild unshapen antic; I am no fool,
You bedlam!

ISABELLA: But you are, as sure as I am, mad.
Have I put on this habit of a frantic,
With love as full of fury, to beguile
The nimble eye of watchful jealousy,
And am I thus rewarded?
[Reveals herself.]

ANTONIO: Ha! Dearest beauty!

ISABELLA: No, I have no beauty now,
But what was in my garments.
You a quick-sighted lover? Come not near me!
Keep your caparisons, y’are aptly clad;
I came a feigner to return stark mad.

Related Characters: Isabella (speaker), Antonio (speaker), Franciscus
Page Number: 403
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 5, Scene 3 Quotes

ALSEMERO: Here’s beauty chang’d
To ugly whoredom; here, servant obedience
Changed to a master sin, imperious murder;
I, a suppos’d husband, chang’d embraces
With wantonness, but that was paid before;
Your change is come too, from an ignorant wrath
To a knowing friendship. Are there any more on’s?

ANTONIO: Yes, sir; I was chang’d too, from a little ass as I was to a great fool as I am […]

FRANCISCUS: I was chang’d from a little wit to be stark mad,
Always for the same purpose.

Related Characters: Alsemero (speaker), Antonio (speaker), Franciscus (speaker), Beatrice, DeFlores, Tomazo de Piracquo
Page Number: 419
Explanation and Analysis: