darbo 's review for:

A Chaste Maid in Cheapside by Thomas Middleton

4.0

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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As far as Early Modern dramas go, Thomas Middleton's A Chaste Maid in Cheapside is one of the funnier city comedies I have read, easily rivalling those of Thomas Dekker or Ben Jonson. It is set in London in the early 17th century and can largely be summarised as a Jacobean comedy that deals with (w)holesaling, bawdy houses and whores - to paraphrase the title of Jean Howard's third chapter in 'Theater of a City' (2009) - while also acknowledging different types of motherhood and parental love or lack thereof. Contrary to popular belief, this play uses brothels not as a place of women's social decline but, in fact, the attainment of financial security and freedom. Without going into any details, I would highly recommend this play to anyone looking for a comic refuge from everyday life.