Act 4, Scene 2 Flashcards
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The ‘Madness Masque’, performative, visual and loud.
Chiavari- mock bridal scene, dismal, foreshadows death.
Duchess- “Th’heaven o’er my head seems made of molten brass, The earth of flaming sulphur, yet I am not mad”
Spatial distinction between heaven and earth symbolises her entrapment, criticism of society.
Stoic line, repeated fiery, hellish images, no comfort in Earthy life,
Bosola- “Yes, and more dangerously since thy sickness is invisible.”
Diagnosis
AO4: Blanche.
Bosola- “our bodies are weaker than those paper prisons boys use to keep flies in”
“Didst thou ever see a lark in a cage?”
Existential prose, metaphor involved that suggests no hierarchy in death.
Anatomical breaking down of the Duchess using microcosms.
Comfort to diminish the Duchess’ fear?
Repeated entrapped bird image
Duchess- “Am I not thy Duchess… I am Duchess of Malfi still”
Unable to divorce her “body politic”
Proto-feminist, asserts her role; anagnorisis?
However, her efforts are futile.
Duchess- “do we affect fashion in the grave?”
Lived a life of societal expectations, shows that they are embedded into society.
Duchess- “I have so much obedience in my blood, I wish it in their veins”
Bosola- “last presence chamber”
Wishes her brothers were better men, recognises their corruption.
The annihilation of female autonomy, even in her death.
Webster’s mock epithalamium- pg 107
A song/poem that celebrates marriage.
Bosola’s monologue.
Bosola’s monologue
“Much you had of land and rent… Your length in clay’s now competent”
“A long war disturbed your mind, Here your perfect peace is signed”
“Their life a general mist of error, Their death a hideous storm of terror”
“A crucifix let bless your neck, ‘Tis now full tide ‘tween night and day”
Christian themes- sacrifice is beneficial.
Money/status contrasted by her body in the coffin, commodification of the woman, she is rendered metaphorically and literally worthless.
Consequences of her actions, ironic- her brother’s actions not her own.
Critique of Ferd/ Cardinal, prophesises their death which is guaranteed violence.
Christ engendered, threshold imagery, comforting?
Duchess- “A many hungry guests have fed upon me”
Metaphor for the society.
Ironic- a courtier critiquing society.
Duchess’ monologue
“I know death hath ten thousand several doors.. For men to take their exits.”
“I would fain put off my last woman’s fault, I’d not be tedious to you”
Philosophical language- senecan tragic hero, which enriches anagnorisis, powerful and brave as she deems the threat as powerless- recognition of patriarchy.
Plays into the casual sexism of the era.
Duchess’ last words
“Pull, and pull strongly, for your able strength”
“heaven gates are not so highly arched As princes’ palaces”
“Come violent death”
Stoicism, poignant revenge.
Manages to expose all manner of hypocritical behaviour of religion and class.
Positional language of ‘kneels’ opposite direction, contrast to A1S1 with Antonio’s ‘goodly roof’
Ferdinand “Cover her face. Mine eyes dazzle. She died young”
Triplet of clipped sentences, emotional response; a sentiment of morality?
The Duchess is associated with light and Ferdinand is associated with darkness; insists of visiting her in the dark.
Ferdinand- “That a good actor in many times is cursed for playing a villain’s part”
Metatheatrical quality; Bosola played his part well, shifting the blame.
Ferdinand- “Mine? Was I her judge?”
“jury… court… judgement”
Ironic semantic field of justice.
Morton Bate- the theatre as a “court of law”
Bosola- “You have a pair of hearts are hollow graves, Rotten, and rotting others”
“now that I wake”
Court criticism of the sycophants, last character exposition; audience satisfaction?
Bosola’s anagnorisis.
Final points
Bosola’s anagnorisis, Bosola as the tragic hero?, Duchess is a threat to the patriarchal world- she has to die.
AO5
‘She could not exist in a Jacobean world; her death restores balance in that society’
‘Patriarchal authority collapses with his authority’
