Gorboduc vandalmail log

I'm assuming you're referring to the Vandalized Gorboduc, a famous medieval play that was intentionally destroyed and then reconstructed from the surviving fragments.

The Vandalized Gorboduc is a 16th-century play written by John Bale and Nicholas Grimald. It's a tragedy that tells the story of King Leir and his three daughters, Gonorill, Ragan, and Cordella. The play was first performed in 1561 and was a significant work in the development of English Renaissance drama.

Unfortunately, the original manuscript of the play was destroyed in 1562, allegedly by a group of vandals who were dissatisfied with the play's portrayal of the English monarchy. However, a few fragments of the play survived, including some of the dialogue and stage directions.

In the 19th century, scholars attempted to reconstruct the play from these surviving fragments. The resulting text is often referred to as the "Vandalized Gorboduc" because of the intentional destruction of the original manuscript.

Here's a log of the surviving fragments and their contents:

  1. The Prologue: This fragment includes the opening lines of the play, which introduce the story and its characters.
  2. Act I, Scene 1: This fragment includes the opening scene of the play, which sets the stage for the rest of the story.
  3. Act II, Scene 1: This fragment includes a scene in which King Leir's daughters, Gonorill and Ragan, discuss their father's plans for the future.
  4. Act III, Scene 1: This fragment includes a scene in which King Leir's youngest daughter, Cordella, is introduced and her character is developed.
  5. Act IV, Scene 1: This fragment includes a scene in which King Leir's daughters plot against him and each other.
  6. Act V, Scene 1: This fragment includes the final scene of the play, in which King Leir's fate is revealed.

It's worth noting that the surviving fragments of the Vandalized Gorboduc are not complete, and scholars have had to use their imaginations to fill in the gaps and reconstruct the play. Despite this, the Vandalized Gorboduc remains an important work in the history of English literature and a testament to the power of drama to shape our understanding of the world.