The Onion Layers of Rafe and Nell

Rafe and Nell have a strange relationship. Nell sees Rafe as a child: "There's some sugar-candy for thee," (2.336). There's an innocence she associates with him, despite his taking the stage, a course of action that if pursued professionally was considered in the eyes of the law tantamount to vagabondage. Her lines indicate that she sees him as a little boy, her adopted child. At the same time, it's important to remember that Nell was probably played by a boy actor whose voice had not yet changed, and was younger than Rafe. Depending on the approach that was used with her lines, the actor could have chosen to present a highly parodic presentation of Nell, rather than the realistic one that might have been used by an older, more experienced actor. If this was done, Nell could have been made a laughingstock and utterly foolish - and, by virtue of her foolish innocence, opened her up for blatant come-ons from Rafe. Alternatively, she could be equally played up, this time in such a manner that she is made to be coming on to Rafe! The text is merely the springboard - how the actor chose to interpret Nell is impossible to know today.

Simply from the text, however, it seems reasonable to suggest that Nell views Rafe as a child. Yet despite this and their somewhat-familial relationship, Rafe certainly seems to see her less as a mother and more of a lover: when Nell speaks about the time when her child wandered off, she says Rafe said: "I'll get you another as good," implying that he would willingly get her with child himself (2.356-357). This is not exactly the sentiment that would be expressed by one's son. Nell, however seems utterly oblivious as to the erotic nature of her comments, as evinced by her earlier line "I prithee, come again quickly, sweet Rafe," (1.308). Yes, this line could have been said in all innocence and with a straight face by the actor who was playing Nell, but coming from the mouth of one who in "real life" was a boy, it doesn't seem possible that the more sexual interpretation of this line wouldn't also be evoked. From Rafe's reply, one could assume that he certainly was aware of the double-entendre: his reply being only, "By and by," which certainly is appropriate for either meaning of the line (1.309). While it seems possible that it could be an entirely literal comment, referring to his return to the stage's action soon, remembering the age of the actor and of Rafe makes the possibility that this line was accompanied by some form of laughter-inspiring gesture on Rafe's part slightly more probable. Boys, after all, will be boys, and lack of sophistication in the acting of young children, might make a bawdier interpretation of The Knight of the Burning Pestle likelier than not.