'' by
Arthur William Devis, 1816
Antonio Antonio is a corrupt
senator who is sexually involved with the
courtesan Aquilina: in the prologue of
Venice Preserv’d, Otway describes Antonio as “a Senator that keeps a whore/ In
Venice none of a higher office bore. / To lewdness every night the lecher ran;/ Show me, all London, such another man, /”. Otway's invitation to find a “such another man” has allowed several critics to connect Senator Antonio with
Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, who was a
Whig politician. Antonio's key scene in
Venice Preserv’d is the "Nicky Nacky" scene where Antonio attempts foreplay with Aquilina by pretending to be a bull, a toad, and a dog. According to Derek H. Hughes, Antonio's relationship with Aquilina mirrors other relationships in the play by portraying prostitution, submission, and self-abasement, which can be subtly seen in the relationships between Renault and Belvidera, Jaffeir and Pierre, and Jaffeir and Belvidera.
Aquilina Aquilina is a courtesan who is romantically involved with Pierre and sexually involved with the senator Antonio. Aquilina allows Pierre to meet with the conspirators in her home (II.i.48.) Aquilina appears in the play three times: Act II, Act III, and Act V (8). When the Lyric Theatre performed
Venice Preserv’d in 1920,
Edith Evans performed as a successful Aquilina. Aquilina was played by
Stephanie Beacham at the Lyttelton Theatre in 1984.
Belvidera Belvidera is a noblewoman who is the daughter of Priuli and the wife of Jaffeir. “Belvidera is affectionate, constant, and pure” character who remains faithful to Jaffeir and gains
pardon for the conspirators who were plotting to murder her father (1). According to Derek Hughes, Belvidera is a complex character; sometimes Belvidera is an admirable character, particularly in comparison to those who surround her. When Jaffeir tells Belvidera of the plot to destroy the senate, she recognises the corruption of the senate, but does not condone the plan of the conspirators (4): she says to Jaffeir, “Can thy great heart descend so vilely low, / Mix with hired slaves, bravoes, and common/ stabbers,… and take a ruffian's wages/ To cut the throats of wretches as they sleep?” (8). Her argument persuades Jaffeir to not partake in the conspirators’ plan, but to instead turn them in to the senate. On the other hand, Derek Hughes also says, “Belvidera is not different in kind from the other characters. She is the highest product of the world of
Venice Preserv’d, but she is of that world to the very end” (4). Belvidera is also resourceful and cunning when it comes to getting what she wants. Belvidera persuades Jaffeir to discontinue his association with the conspirators by telling him of Renault's assault towards her (III. ii. 181.) Belvidera calls upon the memories of her dead mother to convince her father to pardon the conspirators (Otway V. i. 44.) ''Venice Preserv'd''’s first performance was at the
Duke's Theatre on 9 February 1682, with Elizabeth Barry as Belvidera. In 1782 at the Drury Lane Theatre,
Sarah Siddons played the role of Belvidera; two years later, Siddons was Belvidera at the Covenant Garden (5). The Lyric Theatre in London filled the role of Belvidera with
Cathleen Nesbitt in 1920.
Barbara Leigh-Hunt played Belvidera in 1970 at Prospect Productions’ production of
Venice Preserv’d.
Jane Lapotaire was Belvidera in Lyttelton Theatre's production of
Venice Preserv’d in 1984. In 2019,
Jodie McNee played Belvidera at the RSC.
Jaffeir Jaffeir is the husband of Belvidera, the son-in-law of Priuli, and the friend of Pierre. Jaffeir is the tragic hero in
Venice Preserv’d: he is expected to fulfill the roles of husband, friend, and activist. According to Michael DePorte, “Most readers seldom, if ever, admire Jaffeir for anything, they can sympathize with him only as a man torn on the horns of a terrible dilemma;” that dilemma being his divided loyalties between Belvidera and Pierre (1). Because of his friendship with Pierre, Jaffeir gives his loyalty to Pierre and the conspirators, but because of his love for Belvidera he betrays Pierre and the conspirators. According to Bywaters, Jaffeir can be easily compared with the Popish betrayer
Titus Oates due to the proximity of the
Popish Plot with the production of
Venice Preserv’d, as well as the Catholic terminology that Pierre uses in reference to Jaffeir (2). The religious tones in
Venice Preserv’d allows Bettie Proffitt, in her article concerning religious symbolism in
Venice Preserv’d, to compare Jaffeir with
Adam. For the opening showing of
Venice Preserv’d on 9 February 1682 at the Duke's Theatre, William Smith played the character of Jaffeir. In 1782
John Kemble was Jaffeir. In London in 1953,
John Gielgud filled the role of Jaffeir.
Alan Bates was Jaffeir in 1969 at The Bristol Old Vic's production of
Venice Preserv’d. More recently,
John Castle was Jaffeir in 1970 during the Prospects Productions’ of
Venice Preserv’d. (6) in 1984
Michael Pennington was Jaffeir (6). In 2019,
Michael Grady-Hall played Jaffeir at the RSC.
Pierre Pierre is the friend of Jaffeir, the lover of Aquilina, and a conspirator against the senate, as well as a soldier for Venice. Pierre discovers that while he has been away (presumably at war) Senator Antonio has been sexually involved with his
mistress Aquilina. Pierre brings this matter before the senate hoping for justice, but the senate excuses Antonio's behaviour as a privilege entitled to the senators (I. i. 206–217). This situation is what causes Pierre to become involved with the conspiracy against the State. Pierre is the primary voice for the conspirators and delivers many eloquent speeches throughout the play. Pierre has little difficulty in recruiting Jaffeir to the plot against the senate because of his ability to transform Jaffeir's need for revenge against Priuli into a need for revenge against the corrupt senate (3) Even though Pierre manipulates Jaffeir, Pierre is a loyal and devoted friend to Jaffeir (1). When Pierre presents Jaffeir to the conspirators, he says, “I’ve brought my All into the publick Stock, / I had but one Friend, and him I’ll share amongst you!” (II. 310–11) Not only faithful to Jaffeir, Pierre is also faithful to his cause with the conspirators until the very end. Because of Pierre's political jargon, several of his speeches have been
censored over the years. Bywaters believes that
Venice Preserv’d is an attack on the Whig party and that Pierre's speeches are the primary vehicle for those attacks: “and Pierre’s accusation of a ‘new Tyranny’... turns the Whigs’ rhetoric of tyranny and arbitrary power against them." Pierre’s charismatic speeches encourage such a passionate response from the audience that
The Times wrote, “the audience seemed enraptured with every development of rebel villainy." After an assassination attempt on
George III, the performance of
Venice Preserv’d that evening nearly caused a riot which caused the further performances to be cancelled.
Venice Preserv’d was not seen in London for seven years until it returned in 1802; however, Pierre's part was censored and lacking its idealism. At the Duke's Theatre in 1682, Pierre was performed by Thomas Betterton. In 1802 George Frederick Cooke played the role of Pierre. In London in 1920 at the Lyric Theatre,
Baliol Holloway was Pierre. In 1953, Pierre was played by
Paul Scofield. In the Prospect Production in 1970,
Julian Glover was Pierre. (6) in 1984,
Ian McKellen played Pierre at the Lyttelton Theatre. In 2019,
Stephen Fewell played Pierre at the RSC.
Priuli Priuli is the father of Belvidera and a senator of Venice. According to DePort, Priuli is a complex character because of the mixed signals he gives concerning Belvidera (1). Priuli calls Belvidera his “age's darling” who is “all that his heart holds dear,” but according to Jaffeir, Priuli protects himself before taking care of Belvidera: “Your unskilled pilot/ Dashed us upon a rock, when to your boat/ You made for safety, entered first yourself” (I. i. 36.). Priuli disowns his only child when she chooses and marries a man without her father's permission (8). In 1984,
Brewster Mason played Priuli at the Lyttelton Theatre. ==Context==