Nobody and Somebody

Volume 13

By William Percy | Publisher: Anaphora Literary Press

About the book

A comedy that juxtaposes fame with anonymity, and tyrannical abuse with fair governance.  

The rapid succession of monarchs across Nobody and Somebody satirizes the standard plots of “Shakespearean” histories that end with the overthrow or death of the preceding tyrannical monarch, and suggest hope that the next monarch will be better, before this hope is dispelled in the next tragic history, as is the case with the chronological series of Edward III, Richard II, and 1 Henry IV. Nobody is set in 85-60 BC, or just before the Roman invasion of the British Isles. The plot opens with two Court advisors, Cornwall and Marcian, scheming to overthrow their corrupt King Archigallo who unfairly confiscates land to grant it to Lord Sycophant and names a common Wench as his Queen. The coup d’état succeeds, and Elidure accepts the crown when the advisors explain he is the only rational choice. A while into his reign, Elidure finds Archigallo in exile in a forest, and insists that Archigallo retakes the throne from him. While Archigallo’s second term is less tyrannical it ends shortly thereafter due to his natural death, upon which the throne passes back to Elidure. Without a reprise in the events, Elidure’s two younger brothers then wage war against Elidure and overthrow him. And then these brothers cannot agree on who between them should have power over the other, and so they wage war against each other and both die, leaving Elidure to again reclaim the throne. The radical moral story against tyranny in this central plot is dampened by the constant interruptions of a rival plotline about Nobody and Somebody. Nobody is a fair, charitable and unassuming land owner, against whom the corrupt and fraudulent landowner called Somebody wages a slander-campaign. Every word in this play is dense not only with this extremely violent, sexually-charged and outrageous plotlines, but also with subtexts of implied meanings and historical backstory.

Exordium

Plot and Staging

Primary Sources

“The Seventh Chapter” About Elidure from the “Raphael Holinshed”-bylined and Gabriel Harvey and Richard Verstegan-Ghostwritten The Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland

“The Well-spoken Nobody”

Alexander Smith’s “Note” from the 1877 Old-Spelling Glasgow Edition

Text

Terms, References, Questions, Exercises

Editions of Nobody and Somebody

Hardcover
ISBN 9798750117550
Paperback
ISBN 9798750116645
Kindle
ISBN B09K4V7NPF

Read an Excerpt

A comedy that juxtaposes fame with anonymity, and tyrannical abuse with fair governance.  

The rapid succession of monarchs across Nobody and Somebody satirizes the standard plots of “Shakespearean” histories that end with the overthrow or death of the preceding tyrannical monarch, and suggest hope that the next monarch will be better, before this hope is dispelled in the next tragic history, as is the case with the chronological series of Edward III, Richard II, and 1 Henry IV. Nobody is set in 85-60 BC, or just before the Roman invasion of the British Isles. The plot opens with two Court advisors, Cornwall and Marcian, scheming to overthrow their corrupt King Archigallo who unfairly confiscates land to grant it to Lord Sycophant and names a common Wench as his Queen. The coup d’état succeeds, and Elidure accepts the crown when the advisors explain he is the only rational choice. A while into his reign, Elidure finds Archigallo in exile in a forest, and insists that Archigallo retakes the throne from him. While Archigallo’s second term is less tyrannical it ends shortly thereafter due to his natural death, upon which the throne passes back to Elidure. Without a reprise in the events, Elidure’s two younger brothers then wage war against Elidure and overthrow him. And then these brothers cannot agree on who between them should have power over the other, and so they wage war against each other and both die, leaving Elidure to again reclaim the throne. The radical moral story against tyranny in this central plot is dampened by the constant interruptions of a rival plotline about Nobody and Somebody. Nobody is a fair, charitable and unassuming land owner, against whom the corrupt and fraudulent landowner called Somebody wages a slander-campaign. Every word in this play is dense not only with this extremely violent, sexually-charged and outrageous plotlines, but also with subtexts of implied meanings and historical backstory.

Exordium

Plot and Staging

Primary Sources

“The Seventh Chapter” About Elidure from the “Raphael Holinshed”-bylined and Gabriel Harvey and Richard Verstegan-Ghostwritten The Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland

“The Well-spoken Nobody”

Alexander Smith’s “Note” from the 1877 Old-Spelling Glasgow Edition

Text

Terms, References, Questions, Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nobody and Somebody about?

A comedy that juxtaposes fame with anonymity, and tyrannical abuse with fair governance.  

The rapid succession of monarchs across Nobody and Somebody satirizes the standard plots of “Shakespearean” histories that end with the overthrow or death of the preceding tyrannical monarch, and suggest hope that the next monarch will be better, before this hope is dispelled in the next tragic history, as is the case with the chronological series of Edward III, Richard II, and 1 Henry IV. Nobody is set in 85-60 BC, or just before the Roman invasion of the British Isles. The plot opens with two Court advisors, Cornwall and Marcian, scheming to overthrow their corrupt King Archigallo who unfairly confiscates land to grant it to Lord Sycophant and names a common Wench as his Queen. The coup d’état succeeds, and Elidure accepts the crown when the advisors explain he is the only rational choice. A while into his reign, Elidure finds Archigallo in exile in a forest, and insists that Archigallo retakes the throne from him. While Archigallo’s second term is less tyrannical it ends shortly thereafter due to his natural death, upon which the throne passes back to Elidure. Without a reprise in the events, Elidure’s two younger brothers then wage war against Elidure and overthrow him. And then these brothers cannot agree on who between them should have power over the other, and so they wage war against each other and both die, leaving Elidure to again reclaim the throne. The radical moral story against tyranny in this central plot is dampened by the constant interruptions of a rival plotline about Nobody and Somebody. Nobody is a fair, charitable and unassuming land owner, against whom the corrupt and fraudulent landowner called Somebody wages a slander-campaign. Every word in this play is dense not only with this extremely violent, sexually-charged and outrageous plotlines, but also with subtexts of implied meanings and historical backstory.

Exordium

Plot and Staging

Primary Sources

“The Seventh Chapter” About Elidure from the “Raphael Holinshed”-bylined and Gabriel Harvey and Richard Verstegan-Ghostwritten The Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland

“The Well-spoken Nobody”

Alexander Smith’s “Note” from the 1877 Old-Spelling Glasgow Edition

Text

Terms, References, Questions, Exercises

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Nobody and Somebody?

Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Plays, playscripts, drama > Comedic plays

Where can I read a sample of Nobody and Somebody?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9798750117550

How long is Nobody and Somebody and how many pages does it have?

Nobody and Somebody has 136 page(s)

Is Nobody and Somebody part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?

Yes it is a part of series British Renaissance Re-Attribution and Modernization

Who is/are the Author/s of the book Nobody and Somebody?

William Percy

Who is the Publisher of the book Nobody and Somebody?

Anaphora Literary Press

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

Nobody and Somebody is available as hardcover(ISBN 9798750117550) and paperback(ISBN 9798750116645) and kindle(ISBN B09K4V7NPF)

Where can I buy Nobody and Somebody online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy Nobody and Somebody from below

Where can I buy Nobody and Somebody?