The Indian Queen

The Indian Queen is a play by Sir Robert Howard, written in collaboration with John Dryden, his sister's husband. It was first performed in 1664 with incidental music by John Banister the elder (1630–1679). In 1695, the play was expanded with additional music to create a new semi-opera of the same name by the composer Henry Purcell.

The plot is set at the courts of Peru and Mexico right before the Spanish invasion. It is difficult to follow due to an information gap which is filled only in the last scenes, and due to changes of location which the reader is likely to miss (here the spectator will have an advantage).

The play's protagonists can be divided into the groups of two countries and their respective royal families:

Minor characters are Ismeron, a Mexican prophet and conjuror and the God of Dreams whom Ismeron manages to evoke on Zempoalla’s request.

The play begins at Ynca’s court. The old king honours his young general Montezuma who has just defeated the Mexicans and caught their prince Acacis. Generously Ynca grants Montezuma personal power over the defeated realm and over Acacis. Montezuma proves his own generosity by setting Acacis free, and he defies the riches he is offered in a show of his own pride and love: he can win any country; it is Ynca's daughter he wants, and all is worth nothing if he does not get her.

The play’s central conflict is constructed around Ynca’s reluctance to consent to his daughter's marrying Montezuma. Orazia's own feelings remain hidden; she acts the obedient daughter with readiness to follow her father into death on the Mexican altar.

The reversal of affairs – Mexico conquers Peru and captures Ynca and Orazia – takes place between scenes one and two. Montezuma announces at the end of the first scene that he will change sides and support Mexico against Peru. The second scene opens at the Mexican court with Montezuma having just degraded Orazia and her father to Mexican state prisoners.

Montezuma and Acacis have meanwhile become friends. Ynca and his daughter are for the rest of the play the captives of Zempoalla, the Mexican ursurper, which does not facilitate the situation. Montezuma remains eager to marry Orazia. The fair captive and her father are now, however, destined to die at Zempoalla’s command as human sacrifices on Mexico’s altar - Zempoalla has sworn their deaths.

Different interests begin to block each other: Zempoalla wants to see her captives die and falls in love with Montezuma (still in love with Orazia). Her son Acacis has fallen in love with Orazia himself and has to choose between his new friendship with Montezuma and his love towards her mother's captive. General Traxalla acts the Machiavellian courtier in between: he has brought Zempoalla onto the throne – a woman who is now about to fall in love with Montezuma the new successful Mexican general. Traxalla himself could try to win Orazia, the royal captive in a power struggle against Zempoalla whose secret thoughts he can reveal in his monologues.

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Wikipedia