Hyde
An old tradition suggests that Shirley’s comedy was written in order to commemorate the opening of the park to the public in 1632.
Mrs. Bonavent’s house. Large London mansion belonging to the supposedly widowed Mrs. Bonavent. This structure is the home and arena for two major women characters and the scene of Carol’s initial pert assertions about the follies of men and the joys of living a single life. Though dominated by Mrs. Bonavent and Carol, the house is the setting both for ensemble scenes, such as the final festive celebration of Mrs. Bonavent’s wedding, and for relatively intimate courtship scenes, including Carol’s final battle of wits with Fairfield, where the two reach a truce in their struggle for dominance in the relationship and agree to wed. In contrast to her behavior in the neutral area of the park, where she is unable to manage events as she intends, Carol exerts more control over her relationship with Fairfield on her home ground, Mrs. Bonavent’s house.