The Glass of Water...yeah I have nothing witty today.

With so many plots and character fighting to be the focus of this story it's relatively complicated to decide who is the outright protagonist in Eugene Scribe's The Glass of Water. At the end of the day though Bolingbroke seems to be the most fitting for the role of protagonist. The Duchess, the antagonist, fights his plans tooth and nail through the play. Even with her attempts to thwart him Bolingbroke's schemes his plans work and push the plot forward. Bolingbroke's desire to gain political power in the Queen’s court brings the French ambassador to St. James Place. The ambassador then helps Abigail to obtain a position in the court so that she can make a living. Bolingbroke's one desire has a domino effect on the rest of the events in the play. Honestly, without Bolingbroke's ambitions there would be no play at all. Ultimately, he is is the reason the play ends with happily ever after by freeing Masham from incarceration, uniting the two lovers, and giving the French envoy an audience with the Queen by doing this he also ends up making himself happy by completing all of his political desires.