Character Analysis
Abel Drugger's a local shop-owner who slings tobacco for a living. He's probably the least greedy character in this play…but he's still a big chump. Face tricks him into believing that Subtle's a doctor who can use magic and astrology to help his business thrive:
DRUG. This, an't please your worship;
I am a young beginner, and am building
Of a new shop, an't like your worship, just
At corner of a street:—Here is the plot on't——
And I would know by art, sir, of your worship,
Which way I should make my door, by necromancy,
And where my shelves; and which should be for boxes,
And which for pots. I would be glad to thrive, sir:
And I was wish'd to your worship by a gentleman,
One Captain Face, that says you know men's planets,
And their good angels, and their bad. (1.3.12-23)
Drugger visits Subtle and pays the dude to read his fortune and to tell him about the best way to set up his tobacco shop. (Where the shelves should go, how the goods should be displayed, etc.) Our favorite piece of Subtle's lame advice? To put a magnet under the door to help draw in customers (1.3.69-71).
Poor Drugger thinks this is a brilliant idea and even shells out more cash so Subtle can go through his almanac and cross out all of Drugger's bad luck days. (An old timey almanac like the one Drugger carries around is basically a calendar/horoscope with a bunch of astrological charts.)
One last thing you should know about Drugger: he's the one who's responsible for introducing Dame Pliant to Subtle and Face. He hopes that Subtle will help him to hook up with and marry the young widow but, as we know, that never happens.
See. We told you this guy's a chump.