ROMANCE IN THE SHOEMAKER'S HOLIDAY Thomas Dekker's citizen comedy The Shoemaker's Holiday introduces two romantic sub-plots, which continually compare and contrast with each other. Although there are many similarities between the two couples, it is the differences that Dekker utilizes to provide social commentary. Dekker employs comedy to address some serious social issues. The Ralph-Jane plot provides interjections of reality into the fairytale romance of the Rose-Lacy plot. In doing so he reflects on the …showed first 75 words of 1838 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1838 total…the control of Ralph are easily circumvented by Lacy. Rose has no economic or social motivation to consider Hammond as a suitor, which is not true for Jane. Finally, there is no one there to intercede on Ralph's behalf as there is in Lacy's situation. Eyre was only in a position to help after Lacy made it possible for him to increase his social status providing one last example of the importance of social mobility.