Summary
Soranzo expresses his love for Annabella while Giovanni listens. Annabella tells Soranzo that she cannot love him and that she is not interested in marriage, but if she decides to marry later in life she will marry Soranzo. Soon after, Annabella faints.
Soranzo explains to Vasquez what Annabella told him, and Vasquez recommends that Soranzo reconsider marrying Hippolyta.
Puttana tells Giovanni that Annabella is pregnant, but Richardetto (still disguised as a doctor) determines Annabella is anemic, a condition that can only be remedied by marrying. Florio decides that Annabella must marry Soranzo.
Richardetto informs Grimaldi of the marriage between Annabella and Soranzo and gives Grimaldi the poison so he can murder Soranzo before he marries Annabella. Philotis tells Richardetto that she and Bergetto will also be getting married that evening at the Friar's cell.
The Friar tells Annabella she is doomed to hell unless she repents. He encourages her to marry Soranzo, and she agrees. The two decide to marry very soon.
Meanwhile, Grimaldi waits for Soranzo and Annabella at the Friar's cell, but mistakenly stabs and kills Bergetto instead. Vasquez informs Hippolyta about the impending marriage between Annabella and Soranzo, and Hippolyta expresses her desire for revenge.
The Cardinal arrives at Florio's house with Grimaldi, who had run to the Cardinal's gate after murdering Bergetto. Donado demands justice, but the Cardinal merely scolds Grimaldi and tells Donado to bury his nephew.
Analysis
Act Three of the play sees the first of many deaths, when Grimaldi mistakenly stabs Bergetto instead of Soranzo, as he intended. Bergetto's death is a shocking one, not just within the context of the play but within the context of early modern drama more generally. Bergetto, despite being seen as an idiot by virtually every character in the play, is wholly innocent of any wrongdoing. His pursuit of Annabella was dictated by his uncle, Donado, and he eventually relinquishes that pursuit when he falls in love with Richardetto's niece, Philotis. To kill off an innocent character whose role thus far has been one of comic relief is a shocking turn of events that moves the play toward a much darker register, hinting at more violence to come.
Bergetto's untimely death also serves as commentary on the nature of societal expectations, this time for young men: forced by his uncle to pursue the wealthy Annabella despite having no affection for her, Bergetto is buffeted about by a number of characters who have nothing but scorn for him. When he finally makes a decision for himself in marrying Philotis, he is murdered. Bergetto thus becomes a casualty of societal expectation in which he was not able to successfully play the part of a formidable suitor.
After Bergetto's murder, the authority figures finally appear: officers search for the murderer and reveal that he ran toward the Cardinal's gate. Richardetto initially says that the Cardinal is a noble man who will bring the murderer to justice. However, even after Grimaldi publicly confesses to murdering Bergetto, the Cardinal brings him under the protection of the Pope's office rather than offering any punishment.
The Cardinal's reasoning is significant, as he tells Donado that Grimaldi is nobly born. That the Cardinal focuses on Grimaldi's birthright and bloodline rather than his crime showcase his self-indulgent behavior and inefficacy as an authority figure. The Cardinal slowly reveals himself to be more concerned with wealth and reputation rather than with justice.
This revelation in Act Three of the play ultimately suggests that authority will continue to be absent as tensions rise and violence ensues; characters' various revenge plots will develop and it is impossible to know whether those who deserve justice will receive it in the end.
