Epicoene; or, the Silent Woman

The comedy 'Epicoene' was, by Jonson's admission, a failure on its first presentation; however, John Dryden and others championed it, and after the Restoration it was frequently revived. Morose, a wealthy old man with an obsessive hatred of noise, has made plans to disinherit his nephew Dauphine by marrying. His bride Epicoene is, he thinks, an exceptionally quiet woman; he does not know that Dauphine has arranged the whole match for purposes of his own. Epicoene quickly reveals herself as a loud, nagging mate; desperate for a divorce, Morose consults two lawyers (Dauphine's men in disguise), but they can find no basis for ending the match. Finally, Dauphine promises to reveal grounds to end the marriage (Morose must come to financial terms with him). The agreement made, Dauphine strips the female costume from Epicoene, revealing that the wife is, in fact, a boy.