Citizens

When considering the question at hand, that is, how does Beaumont demonstrate a fondness for the average citizen, I am first drawn to think about what is admirable about his citizen characters. The affection between the citizen and his wife is unmistakable. This is laudable. They communicate openly with each other and are comfortable expressing themselves to each other in anger and in love (seen through the pet nick names). They speak to each other in accepting ways, their relationship is very unlike the relationship of Frankford and Anne, in which Anne could hardly speak in front of Frankford. The citizen and his wife are much more companions and friends than Frankford and Anne. That said, I am also drawn to one scene in particular when I think about this question. The scene is in Act 4, when Rafe meets the Lady(Pompiona). While reading this I was a bit impressed by the Lady's title, and was thinking, wow she certainly is at a higher status than Rafe. However the interesting part is that Rafe is not embarassed at all by his rank. She asks him his name and he proudly tells her that he is Rafe, the prentice to a grocer, and he is proud of it and says it with dignity. At least that is how I read it. And she responds well and even asks him if he has a lady. Really, she is digging Rafe and he is just an average citizen, well, an average citizen and a knight errant as well, so maybe he has a little extra coolness that the average citizen doesnt which helps him out here.