I.i
We are introduced to Frank Forrest his sister Susan, and his father Old Forrest as well as Frank’s friends Goodwin, Foster, and Rainsford. The scene takes place in the Forrest home. The Forrest family was landed gentry, but has since fallen on hard times. Nonetheless, Frank still hangs out with his wealthy friends and insists on keeping up with their lives of leisure. Old Forrest warns his son that, while his friends may be able to afford to drink and carouse, his idleness comes at a great cost to the Forrests. Frank is also the oldest son, so wasting his time drinking with his friends is tantamount to drinking away his fortunes and his future. In the first scene, Frank’s friends are there to ask Old Forrest permission to take Frank out that evening. Old Forrest says no, nonetheless Frank disobeys and follows his friends.
I.ii
We are in a tavern and Rainsford, Goodwin, and Foster settle in and start drinking. It is clear that Rainsford is in a peevish mood (for whatever reason), and that he is looking to pick fights, as evidenced by his treatment of the bartender. Frank shows up to join his friends and Rainsford immediately starts digging into him about his father. Rainsford insults Frank’s father, calling him an old dotard. Frank tries to ignore his friend’s insults and change the conversation, but Rainsford seems intent on needling him and pushing him over the edge. Rainsford throws a glass of wine in Frank’s face, they fight, and Frank is killed. Old Forrest and Susan are almost immediately on the scene (as pure coincidence – they were there to fetch Frank home to supper), and upon discovering the body, Old Forrest swoons and becomes delirious. Susan must re-explain to him what has occurred, and then Young Forrest (the younger brother whom we have not yet seen or heard of) comes on the scene and urges his father and sister to be calm and patient. He explains that they are at a disadvantage when it comes to justice and revenge because of their financial circumstances and those of Rainsford. He vows to eventually work revenge himself.
I.iii
We are introduced to Old Harding, his new (and much younger) wife Anne, as well as his sons William, John, and his oldest son Phillip (whose fiancé is Susan). The Hardings are well-off and Old Harding is insufferably snotty and hypocritical: he values money over all else and repeatedly equates financial worth with virtue and honor. He has just married Anne, who comes to him with no dower, and yet upon hearing that his son has coupled with Susan Forrest (who is also dowerless), he proclaims that he will disinherit and disown Phillip. In this scene, the Clown is the one who has been sent to spy on Phillip and who delivers the information about his clandestine romance to Old Harding. The two younger brothers - William and John – function as the “evil stepsisters” of this Cinderella story. They are delighted to find their oldest brother flying in the face of their father’s wishes, as it can only mean that his disinheritance will translate to THEIR inheritance. Old Harding’s wife Anne is clearly a sympathetic character and is very upset by her husband’s hypocrisy and her stepsons’ questionable motives.
I. iv
Young Forrest approaches Rainsford in order to challenge him to a duel (not to attack him, as Rainsford first thinks). They agree to duel the next day at 6am, and after Young Forrest leaves, Rainsford is joined by his friends Goodwin and Foster, who agree to bear witness.
End of Act One
II.i
William informs his father (Old Harding), that his oldest brother Phillip has gone ahead and married Susan Forrest. Old Harding vows to disinherit Phillip and give what would have gone to the oldest brother, (according to the law of primogeniture), to the two younger sons (William and John). Anne warns him that he should not go so far as to disinherit his son, but instead chide him as a loving father. John enters with Susan in tow, and Old Harding keeps his word and tells Phillip he has lost his father’s love and land. Anne pleads with the two younger brothers to talk sense into their father, but they agree with their father. Phillip then begs his father to hire him and his new bride as servants. Old Harding agrees, and when Philip and Susan are left alone, the Clown comes in and offers a verbal wedding feast (supplanting the one that they don’t get to have and that we don’t get to see). The clown then outfits them with clothes from his wardrobe as they lament their father’s decision.
II.ii
Rainsford and Young Forrest duel, and Rainsford dies as he accidentally falls on Forrest’s weapon. Foster and Goodwin, who are there, immediately accuse Y.Forrest of murder, and he takes chase to escape them.
II.iii
William and John delight in having their older brother as servant and torment him and Susan. They leave, and Anne comes out and laments how the Hardings are treating poor Phillip and Susan and confesses (in private) that she has been hiring others to take care of the more difficult tasks. Young Forrest, running from Foster and Goodwin, comes upon her and begs her to hide him from his pursuers. Anne agrees to hide him in a hovel. Old Harding comes in with Goodwin Foster and officers of the law, having been informed of the fight and Rainsford’s death. When the others leave, Old Harding tells Anne that he knows of the duel, that the one who died was in great fault and that the duel was fair, but that the survivor had the great misfortune of killing a man allied to noble men, and that the law will convict him. (Old Harding clearly does not know that it is a Forrest who is being pursued).
End of Act II
III.i
Anne is keeping watch over the hovel that hides Young Forrest, and she is approached variously by the Clown, Philip, and Susan. She does her best to chase everyone away from the hovel, but Susan discovers Young Forrest and they are (being brother and sister) happily united. Anne explains how she plans to help Young Forrest by sending him to her brother, who is a merchant and could conceivably get him over to France.
