Act 1 Scene 1 Flashcards
How okay starts
En media’s res
corruption in Antonio’s conversation with Delio
‘Flattering sycophants’
‘Some cursed example poison’t near the head, Death and diseases through the whole land spread.’ -
How does bosola feel about the cardinal
Worst ‘devil’
What do we learn about bosola through Antonio and delio
He was a murderer
Cardinal commissioned it
‘Suborned’
Why does Antonio and delio appear on stage first
Outsiders view of the court and family
Presentation of Ferdinand first
Asks a lot of questions
Arrogant - tells them when to laugh
‘Why do you laugh?’
How to they respond to Ferdinand
‘My lord’ - respect and fear
Sexual banter
‘Thou told’s me thy wife could not endure fighting’ —> excuses not to sleep with husband
Reference to war and old man
‘Filling a solider’
‘Full of wounds’
‘It is fitting a soldier arise to be a prince, not necessary a prince descend to be captain’
What the play show so far
Patriarchy and source of corruption
Malcontent
A person who is dissatisfied towards corruption and rebellious
Have
Heroes v anti heroes Soliloquies Asides Low born - dependent of others for social development (Bosola) Discontent
Freytags pyramid
Exposition
Rising action
Climax
Falling action
Denouncement
What theatrical reasons can you think of for the duchess only filmmaking a gradual entrance
Not in control of herself - patriarchal no voice
Mystery
Antonio’s description of the duchess
‘Her discourse, it is so full of rapture’
‘While she speaks/ She throws upon a man so sweet a look’
‘She stains the time past, lights the time to come’.
Antonio describing Antonio
‘Melancholy churchman’
‘Where he is jealous of any man he lays worse plots for them than ever was imposed on Hercules’
‘For he strews in his ways, flatters, panders, Intelligences, atheists, and a thousand such political monsters’
‘He did bestow bribes’
Antonio describing Ferdinand
Most preserve and turbulent nature
Speaks with others’ tongues, and hears mens’ suits/ With others’ ears’
What appears in mirth is merely outside
What unofficial role is bosola given in court
Providorship of horse
‘Whose throat must I cut’
Spy of duchess
Criminal and sinner
He doesn’t want to do it???
‘Take your devils’
What does Ferdinands role in telling Bosola to spy, say about his character
Dark nature
Untrusting
Controlling
Arrogance
What is the play based on and how old would the duchess be in this case
Historic events between 1508-1515
Duchess was Aragona whose father was an illigitimate son of Ferdinand I of Napes
As in the play, she secretly remarried after the dead of her first husband
Duchess - 19- young so should marry
What reasons can you think of as to why her brothers may object to her remarriage.
Status
Reputation - noble and is women —> patriarchy
Control
Religion
Compare ferdinands statements to the duchess with those addressed to her by the cardinal
Ferdinand ‘let not youth, high promotion, eloquence’ - against marriage
Cardinal ‘nor anything without honour sway your high blood’ - status
The duchess speaks very little in this section.
What do you make of what she does say
‘Diamonds are of most value…passed through most jewellers’ hands’ - she still has value
‘I will not marry’ - obedient
Given the duchess silence throughout most of this section - although she is subject to the conversation - what should her reactions be for the audience who observe her
Despair
Anger m
Annoyance
Shock
Explain the imagery used in following quotations
“There is a kind of honey-dew that’s deadly”
Sweet, sticky, tempting but bad
Explain the imagery used in following quotations
‘Hypocrisy is woven of a fine small thread/ subtler than Vulcan’s engine”
Vulcan used a net of very fine thread to catch Venus and Mars in adultry
Ferdinand -> Duchess will succumb to just
Explain the imagery used in following quotations
‘Like the irregular crab/ Which, though it goes backwards, think that it goes right,/ Because it goes its own way’
Goes in the wrong direction because it follows it self - it’s heart - marry
Explain the imagery used in following quotations
‘I would have you to give o’er these chargeable revels;/ A visor and a mask are whispering rooms/ That were ne’er built for goodness’
Court etc - spies - rumours - destroy her
How does Ferdinand threaten Duchess
‘My father’s poinard’ - threat
‘Loath to see’t look rusty’ - ruin reputation
Phallic symbolism
What does passage reveal about women views
Patriarchal
Demeaning
Objectifying
What premonitions do you notice in this extract
She will marry - go against vows
When the brothers have left the stage, what does the duchess’ monologue reveal about her true thoughts
She will marry - strong - will go against
‘Shall this move me?’
