GREED: A Thesis on Selfishness in Three Acts

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GREED + LUST

A Thesis on selfishness in three acts

Penned by Sister Helen

Published 1879

 

 

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CAST

Michael – An old, selfish merchant. Witty and often sarcastic and unserious.

 

Alessandra - Michaels wife, worrying, pious and devout to Michael. Often warns him of his selfishness and what trouble it could cause.

 

Esmeralda – A beautiful young witch clad in extravagant robes– she offers Michael immortality, only for him to turn into a ghoul.

 

 

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ACT I

 

Spoiler

CURTAINS RISE to MICHAEL and ALESSANDRA, tending to their shop in the streets of Little Illatia. Carefully curated wines fill the nostrils of the audience as wealthy noble men bustle about the shop.

 

MICHAEL:

 

Oh, my dear trade!

Seated right in the center of Illatia,

Of which every noble man, woman, and child comes to taste my wines.

My grapes, who bring me wealth,

More marks than any king or emperor.

Yet, I wish for more,

More gold marks,

More plump grapes,

More dull high-borns to buy my wines,

More– is what I need.

 

ALESSANDRA:

 

O’ Husband of mine,

Do not be so greed-stricken.

Remember where we came from,

The decrepit hovel-town,

Where your sisters and brothers in blood,

Still lament over their children,

Lost to the rot.

Where your nieces and nephews,

Play with rats for toys,

Where your mother and father,

Wither away like a white dandelion.

She tuts, offering Michael a judgmental look.

 

MICHAEL:
Do not look at me like that, wench!

 

You allow yourself little luxuries,

Because you are still enduring the memories.

I beg of you, wench, to release your memories!

We have built an empire- bigger than any empire of yore,

Bigger than any emperor could imagine.

Allow yourself a little luxury,

Instead of sending money back home.

 

ALESSANDRA:

 

Scoffs, turning her nose upward at Michael.

Your greed-stricken nature will be your downfall.

You want more,

More purple, plump grapes,

More shining gold marks,

More drunken nobles,

Yet you cannot see what is in front of you!

The purple grapes,

The golden marks,

The drunken nobles,

The riches we have! 

 

ALESSANDRA buries her face into her callous hands, a weep escaping from her lips.

 

 

ALESSANDRA:

 

Look at my hands!

They are calloused and bruised,

Because you refuse to see what you have,

But only what you want!

O’, husband. I miss when we were young,

And in love, like two swans on a lake.

But, we’re old now, with no family and no friends.

I beg of you, to take a break!

 

MICHAEL:

 

How can I take a break,

When there is still so much to do?

Perfect the wines,

Sell the wines,

Refurbish the shop,

Make more marks!

 

ALESSANDRA:

 

I remind you, husband,

That your greed will be your downfall.

ALESSANDRA storms off stage, throwing off earrings her husband bought for her.

 

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ACT II

 

Spoiler

CURTAINS RISE to the shop, dark and rid of customers. MICHAEL is cleaning the floors when ESMERELDA approaches him.

 

MICHAEL:

Excuse me, madame.

We’ve closed for the night.

 

ESMERALDA creeps further into the shop, dressed in extravagant green silks.

 

ESMERALDA:

I’m aware.

Yet, my darling distributor–

I couldn’t help,

But lay my ears on your wife and you arguing.

It’s caused quite the stir, in little Illatia.

 

MICHAEL:

Oh,

Well, m’lady,

I apologize for our kerfuffle.

 

ESMERALDA:

Do not apologize, Michael.

I have not come for nothing.

But, I have an offer for you,

I, Esmerelda, can offer you prosperity,

Every lap of luxury, every bed of roses.

Pleasantly plump grapes,

Perfectly red wines,

Shining golden coins,

And constant life,

If only you provide me with one small thing.

 

MICHAEL stares at Esmeralda in awe; his eyes twinkling in delight while he imagines his riches.

 

MICHAEL:

And what is that?

 

ESMERALDA chuckles, holding Michael’s face in her bony hands.

 

ESMERALDA:

The hair of a woman, no older than fifty winters.

For you see,

My eternal life is coming to an end,

To renew my continuous life,

I require a potion-

For which I have every ingredient,

But one.

 

MICHAEL:

Well, madame-

That is no hard task,

Surely I can do it.

 

ESMERALDA:

Lovely.

We have a deal.

Meet me in the Kingswoods in two night’s time,

I will bring the potion, for which you will consume.

And you, the hair.

 

ESMERALDA lets out a wicked laugh, floating off stage.

 

CURTAINS CLOSE on MICHAEL cleaning the shop.

 

 

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ACT III

 

Spoiler

 

CURTAINS RISE to MICHAEL plucking a hair from ALESSANDRA’s head as she lay in bed.

 

ALESSANDRA, disturbed from her slumber, wakes up to MICHAEL leaving the room.

 

ALESSANDRA:

Where are you going?

It is the Mid-of'-the-night.

Surely you cannot be opening the shop,

Nor tending to the grapes,

Nor buying anything–

Everyone is asleep.

 

MICHAEL turns around to ALESSANDRA, hushing her as he whispers:

 

MICHAEL:

Worry not, my dear wife.

I travel to the Duke’s mansion,

For he hosts a wine-tasting party tonight.

I’ll deliver the wines,

And’ll be back before the sun shines.

 

ALESSANDRA exits.

 

ESMERALDA enters, carrying a suspicious yellow liquid. She is clad in unassuming robes, carrying a large, brown stick.

 

ESMERALDA:

Greetings, Michael.

I pray you’ve gathered the hair.

For our agreement is off,

If there is no hair.

 

MICHAEL:

I’ve gathered three strands of hair,

Three precious strands from my wife.

 

ESMERALDA:

Delightful. Do exactly as I say.

Hold my hand, dare not utter a word,

As I incant this spell.

 

ESMERALDA offers Michael a waifish hand, MICHAEL takes her hand.

 

ESMERALDA screams and shrieks the spell, her face contorting as she incants in an ancient witches tongue.

 

ESMERALDA:

O’ FHALMA YOG,

Y’ YMG’ GOKA VULGTMOR

ILLL YMG’ AHOGOG N’GHAUUH’E

MGGOKA YA GOKA,

NG GOKA YA

IMMORTALITY EHYE AHOG!

 

THE CURTAINS CLOSE on MICHAEL dropping, his face and body contorting and twisting as he screams out and cries. He screams out “ALESSANDRA!” as the play finishes.