A03 & A05 Flashcards
Spanish Tragedy
Thomas Kyd and the ‘endless tragedy’. constant cycle of revenge.
Sir Francis Bacon
Revenge is fine as long as it is public not private.
Adrian Poole
Revenge is logical when involved in it.
Is a nightmare of blood for outsiders.
Elizabethan revenge
- very popular, people loved the gory comedy. The audience feel involved with the revenge.
- Often more than one revenge plot.
- Christian belief of ‘eye for an eye’
- endless cycle of wanting revenge even after play.
- corruption and incest common themes.
Elizabethan & Jacobean England
- life expectancy little over 30
- 50% died before 15
- lots of sexual diseases.
- strong belief in the four humours. linked to peoples behaviour.
Machiavellian
- Nicolo Machiavelli wrote ‘The Prince’ which has a theme of accepting aims of princes can justify use of immoral means to achieve them.
- word Machiavellian used now to describe immoral behaviour.
- spreads idea that those who rule should make themselves feared even if it leads to being hated. this gives true power.
Jacobean Court
mostly aristocrats full of ambition but was corrupt.
people willing to do anything for money and power.
Kate Aughterson
- Staging and positioning show the political relationships.
- Threat amplified by political and blood relationship with the Duchess. Her brothers have a patriarchal power over her but politically she is above them.
Aristotle
compares women to slaves. both are good.
says its not appropriate for a woman to be clever.
A hero should always be a man, never a woman.
Lisa Woodbridge and Lori Haslem
Apricot represents her lust for pregnancy.
Apricot expresses disgust with female sexuality.
Lisa Jardine
Duchess marries Antonio purely from her lust and forgets her duty. why she gets punished.
Celia Dailead
Duchess is a female Christ.
Lady Arabella Stewart
Distant heir to throne. relates to Duchess.
gets locked away in tower of London.
