Woman is Too Hard for Him, The

Anon. (1621 or earlier)

Historical Records

From a Lord Chamberlain's warrant book, now Inner Temple Library MS. 515, No. 7.

27 Marcii [1622]. A warrant for allowance of lx^li to John Hemmings and his fellowes the Kings Ma^ts Players for 6 plaies vizt The womas Plott plaid before his Ma^tie 5^o Novembris last, The Woman is to Hard for him 26^o of the same Monethe ...

(Murray, 2:193; see also Bentley, 5:1444)

Theatrical Provenance

The King's Men, at court.

Probable Genre(s)

Comedy.

Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

None known.

References to the Play

None known.

Critical Commentary

E.K. Chambers suggested that The Woman is Too Hard for Him might be an alternative title for Fletcher's The Woman's Prize, or The Tamer Tamed (3:222).

G.E. Bentley cites an unnamed scholar who claimed that The Woman is Too Hard for Him might be an alternative name for Fletcher's The Wild Goose Chase. Bentley agrees that "the title would be appropriate for Fletcher's comedy", but concludes that

since that play was acted at court under its familiar name only two months later, and indeed the record of payment for the two performances is found in the same document, it is unlikely that the play would be given two different titles, one of them not otherwise known, in the same record. (5:1444-5)

For What It's Worth

(Information welcome.)

Site created and maintained by David Nicol, Dalhousie University; updated 29 August 2013.