Love for Love

In Valentine’s lodgings, Scandal and Jeremy discuss Valentine’s plot to appear sick and mad. Jeremy reveals that Valentine’s primary motivation in feigning madness is to test Angelica’s feelings for him: “whether his playing / the madman won’t make her play the fool, and fall in love / with him; or at least own that she has loved him all this / while and concealed it” (4.8-11). Angelica enters with her maid, worried about Valentine. She does, however, soon suspect that Scandal is deceiving her, and she notices him winking at Jeremy. She privately vows to “play / trick for trick” (4.57-58) in return, and then she insists to Scandal that her concern for Valentine is only based on common compassion and not love at all. She becomes dismissive of Valentine’s condition and leaves with her maid.

Sir Sampson enters with a lawyer, Mr. Buckram, determined to have Valentine sign the paper for the renunciation of his inheritance. Valentine reacts strongly to the presence of Mr. Buckram and raves in his father’s presence, claiming, “I am Truth” (4.151) and denouncing worldliness. Sir Sampson wavers between doubt and belief in Valentine’s condition, and Mr. Buckram leaves the room. Valentine then begins to speak more sensibly and obediently to his father, and Sir Sampson whispers to Jeremy to bring Mr. Buckram back into the room. Sir Sampson tries to get Valentine to sign the paper, but Valentine once again frightens Mr. Buckram out of the room when he appears, and Valentine will not comply with Sir Sampson’s demands.

Foresight enters with Mrs. Foresight and Mrs. Frail. When Scandal announces that Valentine has lost his mind and cannot sign any legal documents, Mrs. Frail whispers to Mrs. Foresight that she will break off her match with Ben immediately. Scandal speaks privately to Mrs. Foresight about the night they spent together, which she pretends not to remember. Scandal then urges Foresight to speak with Valentine, claiming he may have some insight into Valentine’s condition, and they exit.

Ben enters and speaks with Mrs. Frail. Ben’s attitude towards marriage and filial duty has undergone a marked shift from his earlier appearance: He recounts how he refused the match with Miss Prue against his father’s wishes, and that he now intends to marry Mrs. Frail. Mrs. Frail pretends to take offense at the way Ben has defied his father, and she claims she can no longer marry him. Ben is angry and leaves the room after breaking off their connection.

Mrs. Foresight enters. Mrs. Frail tells Mrs. Foresight about the end of her connection with Ben, and she shares that she has learned that Sir Sampson, in his anger, now speaks of marrying again himself. Mrs. Foresight reveals a new scheme to Mrs. Frail: Mrs. Frail should be brought in disguise to Valentine and pretend to be Angelica, and trick him into marrying her. Valentine, Scandal, Foresight, and Jeremy enter the room. Scandal speaks privately to Jeremy about Mrs. Foresight’s scheme, and Jeremy reveals that Valentine intends to play along as a joke on the women. Valentine speaks again as though possessed by madness, claiming once more to be Truth and denouncing the corruption and folly of the world. Valentine speaks to Mrs. Frail of his intended “wedding” with Angelica and appears to make arrangements with Jeremy.

Tattle and Angelica enter, with Angelica telling Tattle that she now loves Valentine despite his madness. They join the others, and Valentine speaks to Angelica and sings a song about inconstancy in love before walking away. Angelica wishes to speak with Valentine, and everyone leaves the stage except Angelica, Scandal, and Valentine.

Scandal then leaves Angelica alone with Valentine, telling her he overheard her confession to Tattle. Valentine insists to Angelica that his madness was a ruse to preserve his inheritance, and he urges her to admit her real feelings for him. Angelica, however, remains defiant, accusing Valentine of faking madness only for the sake of material gain. When Jeremy enters, Angelica asks him to confirm Valentine’s madness, which angers Valentine when Jeremy claims that he is indeed mad. Angelica leaves the room, still defiant, and Valentine is left upset and confused, but still vowing to pursue her.