Duchess 1:2 Flashcards
Delio and Antonio talking vs when Ferdinand joins
- Delio and Antonio speak in blank verse
- When Ferdinand enters it switches to prose
- Antonio has an innate stature that F doesn’t
double entendre
a word or phrase with two interpretations (one is often indecent)
- Ferdinand’s conversation in 1:2
‘Who took the ring oftenest?’
‘Who took the ring oftenest?’ - Ferdinand
- jousting
- female genitalia
- duchess gives Antonio her ring
- the duchess is strangled with a “ring” of rope
‘Our sister Duchess’s great…’
‘Our sister Duchess’s great master of her household? Give him the jewel.’ - Ferdinand about Antonio
- ‘the jewel’ - prize for jousting but also symbolises the Duchess
‘When shall we leave this sportive…’
‘When shall we leave this sportive action and fall to action indeed?’ - Ferdinand
- ‘fall to action’ = sex
Castruccio
- his name means ‘castrated’
- he is an older man, he doesn’t get their double entendre jokes so they are able to make fun of him
- married to Julia (who they all know is sleeping with the Cardinal)
- gives serious advice (‘Methinks, my lord, you should not desire to go to war in person.’)
‘Thou toldst me thy…’
‘Thou toldst me thy wife could not endure fighting.’ - Ferdinand to Castruccio
- ‘thy wife’ is Julia
- ‘fighting’ refers to sexual encounters
‘all the surgeons o’ the city’
‘all the surgeons o’ the city’ - Ferdinand
- Julia is well known
‘and had drawn their…’
‘and had drawn their weapons and were ready to go to it, yet her persuasions would make them put up.’ - Ferdinand about Julia
- implying she is promiscuous (‘persuasions’)
- ‘make them put up’ refers to sex
‘That she would, my lord.’
‘That she would, my lord.’ - Castruccio (completely unaware of what they were insinuating about his wife)
‘How do you like my…’
‘How do you like my Spanish Jennet?’ - don’t know whether this was said by Ferdinand or Castruccio, needs to be checked with exam board
‘Why do you laugh? Methinks you that…’
‘Why do you laugh? Methinks you that are courtiers should be my touchwood, take fire when I give fire, that is, laugh when I laugh were the subject never so witty.’ - Ferdinand
- control, intimidation, hierarchy
- suddenly stops the joke
- his sexual awareness seems more private and dangerous
‘True, my lord. I myself have heard a very good jest’
‘True, my lord. I myself have heard a very good jest’ - Castruccio
- smooths over and diffuses the situation with Ferdinand
- experienced courtier
Antonio when addressed by Ferdinand
- doesn’t say what F wants
- isn’t trying to flatter like the others
- doesn’t play himself down
- ‘so, out of brave horsemanship, arise the first sparks of growing resolution that raise the mind to noble action.’ - Antonio
‘so, out of brave horsemanship…’
‘so, out of brave horsemanship, arise the first sparks of growing resolution that raise the mind to noble action.’ - Antonio
- doesn’t say what F wants or play himself down
- “being good at riding is the first step to becoming noble”
Duchess’ entrance in 1:2
- silent for 60 lines (just stands on stage observing)
- watchful
- it makes what she says more noticeable
- gives A and D time to introduce the characters she enters with (chaperoned
- fulfils her role as a woman in a man’s world - even though she is powerful
- says very little (mundane after A’s monologue, meek)
What do Delio and Antonio say about the Cardinal?
- ‘will play his five thousand crowns at tennis, dance,/ Court ladies’ - Delio
- ‘melancholy churchman’ - A
- ‘The spring in his face is nothing but the engendering of toads’ - A
- ‘bestow bribes so largely and so impudently as if he would have carried it away without heaven’s knowledge’ - A
- ‘He speaks with others’ tongues and hears men’s suits/ With others’ ears’ - A
- ‘Then the law to him/ Is like a foul black cobweb to a spider./ He makes it his dwelling and a prison/ To entangle those shall field him.’ - D
- ‘oracles/ Hang at his lips’ ‘For the devil speaks in them’ - A
‘Will play his five…’
‘Will play his five thousand crowns at tennis, dance,/ Court ladies’ - Delio about the Cardinal
- not very religious things
- outward appearance/social demeanour
‘but observe his inward…’
‘but observe his inward character. He is a melancholy churchman.’ - Antonio about the Cardinal
‘The spring in his face…’
‘The spring in his face is nothing but the engendering of toads.’ - Antonio about the Cardinal
- the Cardinals appearance is a cover for his underhand plots and deception
‘He should have been…’
‘He should have been Pope, but instead of coming to it by the primitive decency of the church he did bestow bribes so largely and so impudently as if he would have carried it away without heaven’s knowledge.’ - A about the Cardinal
- instead of adhering to the Church’s original moral tenets, he corrupted the process by giving out such preposterous bribes that is seemed he thought God had no say in the matter
- thought he could get away with it
‘He speaks with…’
‘He speaks with others’ tongues and hears men’s suits/ With others’ ears’ - Antonio about the Cardinal
‘Then the law to him..’
‘Then the law to him/ Is like a foul black cobweb to a spider./ He makes it his dwelling and a prison/ To entangle those shall feed him.’ - Delio about the Cardinal
- this spider idea will become a continued association
- uses the law to trap others
‘They that do flatter him…’
‘They that do flatter him most say oracles/ Hang at his lips and, verily, I believed them,/ For the devil speaks in them.’ - Antonio about the Cardinal
- A’s suggestion that the Cardinal’s oracular ability is demonic therefore doubly underlines the churchman’s fall away from Christian values
- ties to earlier where Bosola says C ‘were able to possess the greatest devil and make him worse’
‘But for their sister…’
‘But for their sister, the right noble Duchess,/ You never fixed your eye on three fair medals/ Cast in one figure of so different temper.’ - Antonio
- three coins cast from the same original with such different characters
‘For her discourse…’
‘For her discourse, it is so full of rapture’ - Antonio
- utterly besotted with the Duchess
‘You only will begin to be…’
‘You only will begin then to be sorry/ When she doth end her speech, and wish in wonder/ She held it less vainglory to talk much/ Than your penance to hear her.’ - Antonio about the Duchess
- You will only begin to be sorry when she ends her speech and you wish she held talking too much as less vain
‘She throws upon a man…’
‘She throws upon a man so sweet a look/ That it were able raise one to a galliard/ That lay in a dead palsy’ - Antonio about the Duchess
‘But in that look…’
‘But in that look/ There speaketh so divine a continence/ As cuts off all lascivious and vain hope.’ - Antonio about Duchess
- there is something so inherently divine about her that you can’t woo her
- you worship her not court her
‘Her days are so practiced…’
‘Her days are so practiced in such noble virtue/ That sure her nights - nay more, her very sleeps -/ Are more in heaven that other ladies’ shrifts.’ - Antonio about the Duchess
- more virtuous when she is asleep than other women when they are confessing
‘Let all sweet…’
‘Let all sweet ladies break their flattering glasses/ And dress themselves in her.’ - Antonio about the Duchess
- let them look to her rather than a mirror
- imitate her
‘You play the…’
‘You play the wire-drawer with her commendations!’ - Delio to A about Duchess
- drawing out his praise of the Duchess
‘A gentleman here…’
‘A gentleman here, Daniel de Bosola -/ One that was in the galleys -‘ - F to Duchess
- Duchess neglects this to employ him on F’s recommendation (noble, forgiving or meek, overrides her own morality)
‘A worthy fellow he…’
‘A worthy fellow he is. Pray, let me entreat for/ The provisorship of your horse.’ - F to D about Bosola
- give him this job (to look after her horse) - a job normally given to the queen’s favourite
‘Be sure you entertain that…’
‘Be sure you entertain that Bosola/ For your intelligence. I would not be seen in’t’ - Cardinal to F
- “employ Bosola as a spy and keep my name out of it”
- effectively admits to trying to keep his name clean
- corruption (‘entertain’ ‘for your intelligence’)
‘Antonio, the great…’
‘Antonio, the great master of her household, Had been far fitter.’ - Ferdinand
- more appropriate a spy
- dramatic irony (could not be more wrong given the monologue we have just heard)
‘I was… you’ - Bosola
‘I was lured to you’ - Bosola to Ferdinand
- falconry
- summoned like a trained hawk
- dependence, obedience, will be controlled by F
what is Bosola’s reply after F gives him the money
- F gives B the money BEFORE telling him what he has to do
- ‘What follows?’ ‘Whose throat must I cut?’
- automatic assumption, recognition of who he is
‘Your inclination to…’
‘Your inclination to shed blood rides post/ Before my occasion to use you.’ - Ferdinand to Bosola after his ‘Whose throat must I cut?’ comment
- makes fun of Bosola’s assumption
- note the ‘use you’
‘I give you that/ To…’
‘I give you that/ To live i’ th’ court here and observe the Duchess’ - F to B
- wants him to act as a spy (corruption)
‘What suitors do solicit…’
‘What suitors do solicit her for marriage/ And whom she best affects.’ - F to B about the Duchess
‘She’s a young…’
‘She’s a young widow;/ I would not have her marry again.’ - Ferdinand
- control and possession (‘I would not’)
- so he will get the power
- has an incestuous interest in his sister, jealousy?
‘Do not you ask the…’
‘Do not you ask the reason, but be satisfied./ I say I would not.’ - Ferdinand
- Bosola was only idly asking (‘No, sir?’)
- bit touchy, unnecessary really
- doesn’t want to share the reason: her marriage would reflect family honour (it is too soon), he doesn’t know (irrationality), jealousy and possession
‘familiars’
‘familiars’ - Bosola
- ‘a very quaint invisible devil in flesh -/ An intelligencer.’ - B’s explanation
- devilish servant
‘Take your devils…’
‘Take your devils/ Which hell calls angels. These cursed gifts would make/ You a corrupter, me an impudent traitor,/ And, should I take these, they’d take me to hell.’ - Bosola
- trying to reject the job
- B would be the one held responsible (‘impudent traitor’)
- talking about the money F gave him
- religious consequence - so worried because of the Duchess’ rep. (pure and innocent)
how does F force Bosola’s hand?
- gave the money before telling him the job
= ‘Sir, I’ll take nothing from you that I have given.’
= gives him no choice - emphasises the job he has got B in the court
= ‘a place that I procured for you’ ‘the provisorship o’ th’ horse’
= not something B can turn down given his life
‘Oh, that to avoid…’
‘Oh, that to avoid ingratitude/ For the good deed you have done me, I must do/ All the ill man can invent.’ - Bosola
- because of the ‘provisorship o’ th’ horse’ F got him
- has no choice
what does F tell B to do (details of the job)
‘Be yourself./ Keep your old garb of melancholy. ‘Twill express/ You envy those that stand above your reach,/ Yet strive not to come near ‘em.’ - F
‘May, like a politic dormouse -‘ - F
- control, very specific
- understands the role of appearance (vs reality)
‘May, like a…’
‘May, like a politic doormouse -‘ - Ferdinand
- wants Bosola to act like a sleeper agent
- hibernate til an opportunity arises
difference between B-F and B-C relationship
- Ferdinand is more willing to get his hands dirty
- Bosola resents the cardinal’s hypocrisy
‘I am your…’
‘I am your creature.’ - Bosola
- accepts the role
- for Ferdinand to control
‘Sometimes the devil…’
‘Sometimes the devil doth preach.’ - Bosola to Ferdinand
how do the brothers come across in their marriage speech to the Duchess?
- the Cardinal seems much more controlled
- Ferdinand continually brings the topic back to sex
‘We are to part…’
‘We are to part from you, and your own discretion/ Must now be your director.’ - Cardinal
- there is no man in power, the decisions are hers alone
‘You are a…’
‘You are a widow./ You know already what man is’ - Ferdinand
- cuts to the chase, explicit
- she has sexual experience
‘No, nor anything without…’
‘No, nor anything without the addition, honour -/ Sway your high blood.’ - Cardinal
- she could marry if it is for the honour of the family
- F doesn’t want her to marry at all
‘Marry? They…’
‘Their…’
‘Marry? They are most luxurious, will wed twice.’ - F
‘Their livers are more spotted.’ - F
- widows who remarry
- ‘luxurious’ - promiscuous, the only reason people remarry is for sex
- ‘livers are more spotted’ - lust leaves stains on it
‘Diamonds are of…’
‘Diamonds are of most value,/ They say, that have past through most jewellers’ hands.’ - Duchess’ reply to their marriage-talks
- inflated price
- light-hearted, dismissive reply
‘Whores, by that…’
‘Whores, by that rule, are precious’ - F
- completely dismisses the Duchess’ ‘Diamonds are of most value’ comment
‘I’ll never…’
‘I’ll never marry.’ - Duchess
- blatant lie (the subsequent convo with antonio)
- separate public and private
- was she interrupted?
‘Your darkest actions…’
‘Your darkest actions - nay, your privatest thoughts -/ Will come to light.’ - Ferdinand
- almost threatening
- foreshadowing
‘You may flatter…’
‘You may flatter yourself/ And take your own choice - privately be married/ Under the eaves of night -‘ - Cardinal
- almost predicting her actions (foreshadowing)
‘like the irregular crab’
‘like the irregular crab’ - F
- think you are going in the right direction but are, in fact, not
‘Such weddings may…’
‘Such weddings may more be said/ To be executed than celebrated.’ - Ferdinand
‘Wisdom begins…’
‘Wisdom begins at the end - remember it!’ - Cardinal before leaving
- “consider the end before you begin”
‘I think this speech between…’
‘I think this speech between you both was studied;/ It came so roundly off.’ - Duchess after C leaves
- waited til C left to say this
- stronger relationship with Ferdinand
‘You are my…’
‘You are my sister./ This was my father’s poniard. Do you see?’ - Ferdinand
- ‘my’ - possession
- ‘poniard’ - dagger w/ sexual innuendo
- gets his dagger out - symbol of betrayal
- interesting that he says ‘my father’s’ - bearer of the family honour and rep.
‘I’d be loath to…’
‘I’d be loath to see’t look rusty, ‘cause ‘twas his.’ - Ferdinand, dagger
- rusty could refer to her dishonouring/contamination
‘And women like that…’
‘And women like that part which like the lamprey,/ Hath ne’er a bone in’t.’ - Ferdinand
- clearly talking about a penis, which D picks up on and he pretends he wasn’t:
‘Nay,/ I mean the tongue’ - F
‘What cannot a neat…’
‘What cannot a neat knave with a smooth tale/ Make a woman believe? Farewell, lusty widow!’ - F
- ‘tale’ - story or penis
- ‘lusty widow’ - promiscuous widow
the Duchess’ first comment after both of her brothers have left
‘Shall this move me?’ - D
- do I care?
- her own decision
‘If all my royal…’
‘If all my royal kindred/ Lay in my way unto this marriage/ I’d make them my low footsteps.’ - d
- if anyone get’s in the way of her marrying Antonio, she’ll walk over them
Duchess’ soliloquy
- after her brothers have left
- decides she will ignore what they say
- ‘Shall this move me?’
- ‘I’d make them my low footsteps.’
- battle imagery: ‘battles’ ‘danger’ ‘actions’ ‘soldiers’ ‘frights and threatenings’
- ‘Let old wives report/ I winked and chose a husband.’
‘So I, through frights…’
‘So I, through frights and threatenings, will assay/ This dangerous venture. Let old wives report/ I winked and chose a husband.’ - Duchess
- climactic
- after her convo about marriage w/ brothers and soliloquy
- doesn’t care what other people will think
- ready to face it for Antonio
- ‘wink’ meant to choose blind
widows and remarriage
- the ‘lusty widow’ was a cultural stereotype
- female power was seen as a deviation from natural order
- women’s choices we made by men (fathers, brothers, husbands)
- but widows were responsible for their own property so threatened male authority (they were economically independent and sexually experienced)
editor views of the Duchess’ soliloquy
The speech has ‘the unmistakeably male tone of the renaissance hero’ - Frank Whigham
‘The effect of juxtaposing the […] crescendo in the description of ‘this dangerous venture’ with the blunt statement that follows… seems inescapably comic’ - Judith Haber
‘For I’ll conceal this…’
‘For I’ll conceal this secret from the world/ As warily as those that trade in poison/ Keep poison from their children.’ - Cariola about the Duchess’ will to marry
- Cariola’s choice of simile, liking the Duchess’ secret to ‘poison’, seems to tell her quiet views on her mistress’ secrets
- shows the level of friendship and trust
‘For I am going into…’
‘For I am going into a wilderness/ Where I shall find nor path, nor friendly clew/ To be my guide,’ - Duchess
- reminiscent of her soliloquy and the ‘dangerous venture’
‘I look young…’
‘I look young for your sake.’ - Duchess
- begins flirting
‘In heaven. I am…’
‘In heaven. I am making my will, as ‘tis fit princes should/ In perfect memory’ - Duchess
- introduces theme of death to conversation
- interesting use of ‘princes’ to describe herself
= masculinising her
‘In a winding…’
‘In a winding sheet?’ - Duchess
- burial sheet for a corpse - DEATH
‘What do you think…’
‘What do you think of marriage?’ - Duchess
- flirting again
Duchess-Antonio dynamic in 1:2
- the Duchess takes on a masculinised role (proposing, being forward, ‘princes should’)
- Antonio becomes more feminine (fondness and warmth at the idea of children, is proposed to, uncertainty)
‘Say a man never…’
‘Say a man never marry nor have children […] weak delight to see the little wanton ride a-cock-horse/ Upon a painted stick, or hear him chatter/ Like a taught starling.’ - Antonio
- he appears to have a fondness and warmth towards this idea
- ‘never marry’ - him
‘They did say ‘tis…’
‘They did say ‘tis very sovereign. ‘Twas my wedding ring/ And I did vow never to part with it,/ But to my second husband.’ - Duchess
- forward and direct
- manipulative
- she just gave him the ring
‘You have made…’
‘You have made me stark blind.’ - Antonio
- moment of realisation
‘There is a saucy and…’
‘There is a saucy and ambition devil/ Is dancing in this circle.’ - Antonio
- has thoughts he can’t suppress
‘Raise yourself…’
‘Raise yourself/ Or, if you please, my hand to help you - so.’ - Duchess
- inversion of gender roles
‘But he’s a fool/ That…’
‘But he’s a fool/ That, being a-cold, would thrust his hands i’ th’ fire/ To warm them.’ - Antonio
- trying to reject the duchess
‘Were there nor heaven…’
‘Were there nor heaven nor hell/ I should be honest. I have long served virtue,/ And ne’er ta’en wages of her.’ - Antonio
- using his virtue to reject her
‘The misery of us…’
‘The misery of us that are born great;/ We are forced to woo, because none dare woo us’ - Duchess
‘Go! Go brag…’
‘Go! Go brag/ You have left me heartless: mine is in your bosom -‘ - Duchess
- manipulative
‘Make not your heart…’
‘Make not your heart so dead a piece of flesh/ To fear more than to love me.’ - Duchess
‘This is flesh…’
‘This is flesh and blood, sir.’ - Duchess
- sexuality and humanity
‘I do here put off…’
‘I do here put off all vain ceremony/ And only do appear to you a young widow/ That claims you for her husband’ - Duchess
- manipulation
- giving herself to him
‘I will remain the…’
‘I will remain the constant sanctuary/ Of your good name.’ - Antonio
- suddenly aware of the sexual possibility
- 1:2:108 - ‘cuts off all lascivious and vain hope’
‘But for your…’
‘But for your brothers?’ - Antonio
- apprehensive
‘These words should…’
‘These words should be mine/ And all the parts you have spoke, if some part of it/ Would not have savoured flattery.’ - Antonio
- acknowledges the role-reversal
- uncomfortable with the dynamic?
- disparity in status
‘I would have led your Fortune…’
‘I would have led your Fortune by the hand/ Unto your marriage bed.’ - Duchess
- again, forward
‘Lay a naked…’
‘Lay a naked sword between us, keep us chaste.’ - Duchess
- lay a sword between them to stop them having sexual relatiosn
‘[Aside] Whether the spirit…’
‘[Aside] Whether the spirit of greatness or of woman/ Reign most in her’ - Cariola
- ‘or’ suggests she can either be great or a woman
- interprets the duchess’ actions as either those of a prince ambitious to have her own way, or as a woman, rendered irrational by her desires
