Comedy and tragedy don't seem to mix well, as they have opposite conclusions of happiness or sadness. Having comic and tragic plots within a single play, therefore, may be considered too distinct to be coherent. In The Insatiate Countess, however, it is the differences between the tragic plot of Countess Isabella and the comic plot of Abigail and Thais that reinforce the play's message of loyalty in friendship. Written by John Marston, Lewis Machin, and William Barksted, The Insatiated Countess' diverse plots could be attributed to the presence of multiple authors. The critic Giorgio Melchiori states that the play is based on a draft by Marston, while "Barksted's hand is more evident in the tragic scenes, that of Machin in the comic" (16). With several authors, the emulsion of the comic and the tragic is even more impressive. The alternation of scenes of comedy and tragedy throughout the work not only consolidates them, but also helps the reader draw parallels between them to achieve the common theme of loyalty. The weddings in Act 1 involve the tragic character of Isabella as well as the comic characters of Thais and Abigail, who get married; and they are all present again for the executions in Act 5, although at this point Thais and Abigail are preventing their husbands' deaths, while Isabella is executed. The distinctions in these plots serve to show Isabella's divergence from Abigail and Thais' path: despite a strange happiness, in saving foolish husbands, the comic alternative is certainly preferable to being the one on the chopping block, and indeed the one who is not saved . from that destiny. In the severity of their divergence, the comic plot reinforces the message lost in the tragic plot: to be loyal in friendship. T...... middle of paper ...... the idiocy of the ds and their own intelligence (something Lady Lentulus just doesn't understand). With each other's help, they are able to prevent their husbands from falling into chaos and disaster, and similarly keep their lives happy. The Insatiable Countess's flaws are attributed to her insatiability, which stems from overinvestment in men and devaluation of friendship. If she followed Abigail and Thais' path, not only would she have someone to channel her energy into, but she would also have someone to convince her not to take revenge, which would prevent her from both orchestrating a murder and being hanged herself. If we can learn from both the comic and tragic plots, we first understand that they have the same message: observe a moderate investment in your lover, a greater investment in your friends, and, if balanced by friendship, a maximum investment. in themselves.