Discuss the meeting of Stanley and Mompesson in Act 1. Consider it's dramatic effectiveness and it's importance in relation to the play as a whole.

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Discuss the meeting of Stanley and Mompesson in Act 1. Consider it’s dramatic effectiveness and it’s importance in relation to the play as a whole.

        When the audience first meet Mompesson, he is being shown around the village, to the rector’s house. You learn about Mompesson from his conversation with George Savile, “the rector of God has no enemies, only sheep to be fed” is what Mompesson thinks. Savile tells him he is wrong, “now rinse that starch from your face my boy…come two steps down from heaven to speak to these people…you’ll have to make concessions”.

        By Savile having to say this, and from what Mompesson previously said, we learn that he is quite high and mighty, or at least he thinks he is, and the people won’t like him for that.

        Stanley first comes onto the scene when the harvest celebrations have begun. He disapproves of them happening, as it is against his puritanical beliefs, and the first thing he says is “this is a sad sight Edward Thornley”. As he begins talking to Thornley, it quickly becomes clear that Thornley still sees Stanley as his rector. They both share the opinion put forward by Thornley about Mompesson, that he’s “a youngster, full of arrogance and spleen, who spits in the dust as we pass.” Stanley has a dark, brooding presence, which contrasts darkly with the happy feel of the celebration and the audience would be able to tell this about him from his appearance and the things he says.

        When Mompesson arrives, the two don’t immediately notice each other, until Thornley points him out to Stanley, at which Mompesson sees him for the first time also. The music abruptly stops, which instantly creates drama as the villagers, as well as the audience wonder what is going to happen.

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        Mompesson wants to talk to Stanley-he walks towards him-but Stanley turns away, obviously not wanting a confrontation. Mompesson is not giving up so easily, even though it is obvious to everyone Stanley doesn’t want to meet him. He is attempting to get off to a good start, by being polite and friendly to his predecessor as George Savile told him he still had a lot of support in the village. I think that perhaps Mompesson’s thinking is, if he gets Stanley “on his side”, so to speak, the villagers will follow.

        Stanley immediately puts up a defensive front when he ...

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