The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 23.0215  Thursday, 31 May 2012

From:        Pete McCluskey < This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it >

Date:         May 30, 2012 2:11:22 PM EDT

Subject:     RE: Maria

John Briggs correctly identifies the implausibility of my off-the-cuff suggestion that Maria and Antonio might be played by the same actor.  Here’s a more-plausible suggestion: the same actor doubles as Maria and the Priest.  Maria’s last appearance in the play ends with her exit as 4.2.71 (Riverside), and the priest appears about 90 lines later (4.3.20) and again at 5.1.150 to confirm that he has married Olivia to Sebastian.  The text gives no indication that the Priest exits, so he remains onstage throughout the scene, thus making an appearance by Maria impossible.  

Peter M. McCluskey

Associate Professor

English Department

Middle Tennessee State University