Violan´te (4 syl.), the supposed wife of Don Henrique (2 syl.), an uxorious Spanish nobleman.--Beaumont and Fletcher, The Spanish Curate (1622).
Violante, the betrothed of Don Alonzo, of Alcazar, but given in marriage by King Sebastian to Henri´quez. This caused Alonzo to desert and join the emperor of Barbary. As renegade, he took the name of Dorax, and assumed the Moorish costume. In the war which followed, he saved Sebastian’s life, was told that Henriquez had died in battle, and that Violante, who never swerved from his love, being a young widow, was free and willing to be his wife.--Dryden, Don Sebastian (1690).
Violante, an attendant on the Princess Anna Comnēna, the historian.--Sir W. Scott, Count Robert of Paris (time, Rufus).
Violante, (4 syl.), wife of Pietro (2 syl.), and putative mother of Pompilia. Violantê provided this suppositious child partly to please old Pietro, and partly to cheat the rightful heirs.--R. Browning, The Ring and the Book, ii.
Violante (Donna), daughter of Don Pedro, a Portuguese nobleman, who intends to make her a nun; but she falls in love with Don Felix, the son of Don Lopez. Isabella (sister of Don Felix), in order to escape a hateful marriage, takes refuge with Donna Violantê (4 syl.), who “keeps the secret” close, even at the risk of losing her sweetheart, for Felix discovers that a Colonel Briton calls at the house, and supposes Violantê to be the object of his visits. Ultimately the mystery is cleared up, and a double marriage takes place.--Mrs. Centlivre, The Wonder (1714).
Mrs. Yates (in the last act), with Garrick as “Don Felix,” was admirable. Felix, thinking he has gone too far, applies himself to soothe his Violantê. She turns from him and draws away her chair; he follows, and she draws further away. At length, by his winning, entreating, and cajoling, she is gradually induced to melt, and finally makes it up with him. Her condescension ... was admirable; her dignity was great and lofty, ... and when by degrees she laid aside her frown, and her lips relaxed into a smile, ... nothing could be more lovely and irresistible.... It laid the whole audience, as well as the lover, at her feet.--William Goodwin.
Violen´ta, any young lady nonentity; one who contributes nothing to the amusement or conversation of a party. Violenta is one of the dramatis personæ of Shakespeare’s All’s Well that Ends Well, but she only enters once, and then she neither speaks nor is spoken to (1598). (See Rogero.)
Violenta, the fairy mother, who brought up the young princess, who was metamorphosed into a white cat for refusing to marry Migonnet (a hideously misshapen fairy).--Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales (“The[(“The] White Cat,” 1682).
Violet, the ward of Lady Arundel. She is in love with Norman, the “sea-captain,” who turns out to be the son of Lady Arundel by her first husband, and heir to the title and estates.--Lord Lytton, The Sea-Captain (1839).
Violet (Father), a sobriquet of Napoleon I.; also called “Corporal Violet” (1769[(1769], 1804-1815, died, 1821).