’’Tis Pity She’s a Whore’ is perhaps the most popular and frequently performed play by John Ford, whom many scholars consider the last major dramatist of the English renaissance. The play was first published in 1633 and is a family drama with a plot line of incest. The play’s title has often been changed in new productions, sometimes being referred to as simply ’Giovanni and Annabella’.
”Tis Pity She’s a Whore’ tells the tale of an incestuous love between Giovanni and his sister Annabella that ends in disaster and death. Set in Parma, Italy, the story takes place against a background of lust, vengeance, and greed that serves as a critique of contemporary culture and morality. The play exhibits an eloquent and glowing sympathy for the lovers, despite the unlawful nature of their union.