Duchess Flashcards
1
Q
The Duchess is seen as the light in the dark, amoral world of the court. The duchess is a source of morality and comfort in the court of Malfi. Antonio, who admires the Duchess, presents her as a transformative figure. Webster uses Antonio as a moral commentator, elevating the Duchess in a way that contrasts with her brothers’ sinister perspectives.
A
“she stains the time past, lights the time to come”
2
Q
The removal of the light re-affirms the duchess’s downfall and removes any semblance of hope. It depicts the fact that morality cannot thrive in this Machiavellian rule and shows the tragic heroines descent into death and torture. Ferdinand enforces physical and metaphorical darkness, pushing the Duchess into isolation and despair - darkness is associated with sin and damnation. Ferdinand’s actions suggest his own descent into moral depravity.
A
“Take hence the lights”
3
Q
“she stains the time past, lights the time to come”
A
- The Duchess is seen as the light in the dark, amoral world of the court.
- The duchess is a source of morality and comfort in the court of Malfi.
- Antonio, who admires the Duchess, presents her as a transformative figure.
- Webster uses Antonio as a moral commentator, elevating the Duchess in a way that contrasts with her brothers’ sinister perspectives.
4
Q
“Take hence the lights”
A
- The removal of the light re-affirms the duchess’s downfall and removes any semblance of hope.
- It depicts the fact that morality cannot thrive in this Machiavellian rule and shows the tragic heroines’ descent into death and torture.
- Ferdinand enforces physical and metaphorical darkness, pushing the Duchess into isolation and despair
- darkness is associated with sin and damnation. Ferdinand’s actions suggest his own descent into moral depravity.
5
Q
This portrays the hierarchical values of the court depicting the duchess as an object to be attained. “High blood” refers to noble lineage, Cardinal urges the Duchess to control her desires and emotions, implying that noblewomen must remain chaste and obedient. The Cardinal assumes that the Duchess’s sexuality needs regulation - women must be governed by male authority. His command reveals double standards: noblewoman = virtuous and controlled, while men indulge in their own excesses without consequence.
A
“sway your high blood”
6
Q
woman’s value was often equated with her chastity. The Duchess’s intrinsic value regardless of how many times she marries or who she marries. ‘Diamonds’ - hard, strong, concealed danger ‒> her nature is strong, refuses to conform to the expectations, knows her self worth
A
“Diamonds are of most value, they say, that have passed through most jewellers’ hands”
7
Q
- Ferdinand equates widowhood with uncontrolled lust, suggesting that widows who remarry are immoral and driven by desire rather than virtue - reflects the Jacobean suspicion of female independence.
- Ferdinand’s disgust reveals his obsession with controlling the Duchess’s body and choices - incestuous undertones.
- an attempt to shame her into submission, reinforcing male dominance over women’s autonomy.
A
‘lusty widow’
8
Q
“sway your high blood”
A
- This portrays the hierarchical values of the court depicting the duchess as an object to be attained.
- “High blood” refers to noble lineage, Cardinal urges the Duchess to control her desires and emotions, implying that noblewomen must remain chaste and obedient.
- The Cardinal assumes that the Duchess’s sexuality needs regulation - women must be governed by male authority.
- His command reveals double standards: noblewoman = virtuous and controlled, while men indulge in their own excesses without consequence.
9
Q
“Diamonds are of most value, they say, that have passed through most jewellers’ hands”
A
- woman’s value was often equated with her chastity.
- The Duchess’s intrinsic value regardless of how many times she marries or who she marries.
- ‘Diamonds’ - hard, strong, concealed danger ‒> her nature is strong, refuses to conform to the expectations, knows her self worth
10
Q
‘lusty widow’
A
- Ferdinand equates widowhood with uncontrolled lust, suggesting that widows who remarry are immoral and driven by desire rather than virtue - reflects the Jacobean suspicion of female independence.
- Ferdinand’s disgust reveals his obsession with controlling the Duchess’s body and choices - incestuous undertones.
- an attempt to shame her into submission, reinforcing male dominance over women’s autonomy.
11
Q
- Antonio deifies the Duchess’ as a source of virtue and morality in this Machiavellian world likening her to a saintly figure - more spiritually pure than other women,
- suggests that other women try to imitate her goodness, implying that she is a model of ideal womanhood - ironic ? ~ Duchess does not conform to the submissive, controlled role expected of women. The religious imagery surrounding the Duchess foreshadows her martyr-like death.
A
“are more in heaven than other ladies shrift… dress themselves in her”
12
Q
- Phallic imagery - represents Ferdinand’s authority, aggression, and patriarchal dominance over the Duchess + unhealthy, possibly incestuous fixation on the Duchess’s sexuality.
-‘father’s’ - patriarchal power used to control his sister - The poniard becomes an extension of his repressed and violent desires + allows them to preserve honour
A
poniard
13
Q
- Assertion of Female Agency - the Duchess subverts gender roles by ‘choosing a husband’ and acting on her desires
- The phrase “I winked” suggests deliberate action, implying that she is not naive but has made a conscious, independent decision to remarry.
- refuses to be confined and defies patriarchal beliefs
A
“I winked and choose a husband”
14
Q
- “goodly roof” represents Antonio’s lower social status, reflects her aspiration for equality in love, challenging the rigid class structure of the time.
- The Duchess envisions marriage as a partnership of equals, while her brothers see it as a transaction to maintain family power.
- noble marriages were political transactions, controlled by male relatives. The Duchess, however, chooses for love rather than status, subverting these norms.
A
“This goodly roof of yours is too low built;”
15
Q
“are more in heaven than other ladies shrift… dress themselves in her”
A
- Antonio deifies the Duchess’ as a source of virtue and morality in this Machiavellian world likening her to a saintly figure - more spiritually pure than other women,
- suggests that other women try to imitate her goodness, implying that she is a model of ideal womanhood - ironic ? ~ Duchess does not conform to the submissive, controlled role expected of women. The religious imagery surrounding the Duchess foreshadows her martyr-like death.
16
Q
“I winked and choose a husband”
A
- Assertion of Female Agency - the Duchess subverts gender roles by ‘choosing a husband’ and acting on her desires
- The phrase “I winked” suggests deliberate action, implying that she is not naive but has made a conscious, independent decision to remarry.
- refuses to be confined and defies patriarchal beliefs
17
Q
- “goodly roof” represents Antonio’s lower social status, and reflects her aspiration for equality in love, challenging the rigid class structure of the time.
- The Duchess envisions marriage as a partnership of equals, while her brothers see it as a transaction to maintain family power.
- noble marriages were political transactions, controlled by male relatives. The Duchess, however, chooses for love rather than status, subverting these norms.
A
“This goodly roof of yours is too low built;”
18
Q
- the intensity of the Duchess’s emotions but also to the dangerous consequences that could result from expressing them.
- Her inability to speak plainly about her desires highlights the lack of agency women had in expressing their autonomy. This repression is inextricably linked to the patriarchal control that Ferdinand and the Cardinal exert over her.
- her inability to freely express her love for Antonio contributes to the secrecy that defines her life and sets her up for eventual betrayal and death.
A
“Forced to express our violent passions in riddles and in riddles”
19
Q
“Forced to express our violent passions in riddles and in riddles”
A
- the intensity of the Duchess’s emotions but also to the dangerous consequences that could result from expressing them.
- Her inability to speak plainly about her desires highlights the lack of agency women had in expressing their autonomy. This repression is inextricably linked to the patriarchal control that Ferdinand and the Cardinal exert over her.
- her inability to freely express her love for Antonio contributes to the secrecy that defines her life and sets her up for eventual betrayal and death.
20
Q
- white - colour symbolism - purity and charity
- Duchess rejects this lifeless, sculpted image (alabaster), asserting that she is a living, passionate woman with desires of her own.
- Duchess claims her physicality and emotions
A
“‘This is flesh and blood, sir, ‘Tis not the figure cut in alabaster’”
21
Q
” her stomach seethes “
A
- unsettling image of physical transformation.
- likens her pregnancy to an unnatural or grotesque condition, reflecting Jacobean anxieties about female sexuality and autonomy.
22
Q
- derogatory word for a promiscuous woman, implying that the Duchess is immoral simply because she has exercised her right to love
- Ferdinand’s fury at the Duchess’s supposed sexual transgression suggests an unhealthy preoccupation with her body and relationships.
- expose how patriarchal societies vilify independent women, even when they act with virtue
A
‘notorious strumpet’
23
Q
- Duchess has tainted the aristocratic purity of their family
- her body as something that must be controlled and purified
he sees the Duchess’s marriage and pregnancy as a form of contamination - dehumanising
A
“purge infected blood such as hers”
24
Q
- Scorpions symbolize pain and punishment - he sees her as a transgressor who must be punished.
- lack of hope, darkness - strip her of her identity, agency, and dignity,
A
“find scorpions to string my whips and fix her in a general eclipse”
25
Q
- tragic irony: she and Antonio are enjoying a temporary reprieve, but their doom has already been set in motion by Ferdinand and the Cardinal - inescapable fate
- genuine happiness in the marriage - she is happy in a safe, loving relationship, a state of bliss and calm within the ruthless
A
When were we so merry”
26
Q
- appetite for liberation from a patriarchal authority. The Duchess aligns herself with the ideals of nobility and heroism. defies patriarchal norms and elevates her status as a tragic hero.
- the consequence of her digressions are inevitable and unavoidable: destiny is no longer in her control
- stoic - asserts independence and autonomy
A
whether i am doomed to live or die i shall do both like a prince
27
Q
“‘This is flesh and blood, sir, ‘Tis not the figure cut in alabaster’”
A
- white - colour symbolism - purity and charity
- Duchess rejects this lifeless, sculpted image (alabaster), asserting that she is a living, passionate woman with desires of her own.
- Duchess claims her physicality and emotions
28
Q
‘notorious strumpet’
A
- derogatory word for a promiscuous woman, implying that the Duchess is immoral simply because she has exercised her right to love
- Ferdinand’s fury at the Duchess’s supposed sexual transgression suggests an unhealthy preoccupation with her body and relationships.
- expose how patriarchal societies vilify independent women, even when they act with virtue
29
Q
“purge infected blood such as hers
A
- Duchess has tainted the aristocratic purity of their family
- her body as something that must be controlled and purified
he sees the Duchess’s marriage and pregnancy as a form of contamination - dehumanising
30
Q
“find scorpions to string my whips and fix her in a general eclipse”
A
- Scorpions symbolize pain and punishment - he sees her as a transgressor who must be punished.
- lack of hope, darkness - strip her of her identity, agency, and dignity,
31
Q
When were we so merry”
A
- tragic irony: she and Antonio are enjoying a temporary reprieve, but their doom has already been set in motion by Ferdinand and the Cardinal - inescapable fate
- genuine happiness in the marriage - she is happy in a safe, loving relationship, a state of bliss and calm within the ruthless
32
Q
whether i am doomed to live or die i shall do both like a prince
A
- appetite for liberation from a patriarchal authority. The Duchess aligns herself with the ideals of nobility and heroism. defies patriarchal norms and elevates her status as a tragic hero.
- the consequence of her digressions are inevitable and unavoidable: destiny is no longer in her control
- stoic - asserts independence and autonomy
33
Q
- The Duchess suggests Ferdinand is too late to stop her as she is already married and has transgressed and rebelled against the restrictions of society.
- Mythological reference to the scissors used by the Fates to cut a person’s life.
- bird imagery - both the freedom the bird has, but its vulnerability in society.
A
clip the bird’s wings that’s already flown”
34
Q
- personification of reputation, shows reputation is a restraining factor,
- reputation was closely tied to sexual purity, the Duchess has violated societal expectations, irreparably damaging her status.
A
You have shook hands with reputation and made him invisible”
35
Q
- confining nature of societal expectations,
- she should be kept sealed away, untouched, and pure, reinforcing the idea that he sees her as an object rather than an autonomous individual.
- The imagery of being “cased up” foreshadows the Duchess’s imprisonment and psychological torture.
A
“cased up like a holy relic”
36
Q
- a public yet intimate promise, the last intimate scene, invokes pathos through the dramatic irony of the audiences knowledge of this sad parting rather than a banishment, hidden sorrow
A
“I am all yours”
37
Q
- The Duchess longs for this natural freedom, where love and choice are not dictated by patriarchal authority or political necessity - imprisoned by her status, emphasizes the gender inequality of the time.
- Her reflection on the birds’ freedom emphasizes the tragic limitation of her own life. Even though she attempts to live freely and pursue her own desires, her choices will ultimately lead to her imprisonment and death.
A
“The birds that live i’ th’ field … Happier than we; for they may choose their mates,
38
Q
- militaristic image, subverting gender roles - emotional defence, mental fortitude
- a real sense of bosolas admiration, reverence and devotion to the duchess, noble
- tragic irony of the play: the Duchess’s inner strength and resilience cannot prevent the violence and death that await her
- defiant response to the oppression she faces. She is asserting her independence and refusing to be broken by her brothers’ power - human capacity for endurance
A
“I am armed against misery”
39
Q
- diamonds - pearl - loss of status and power
- The idea of a reversal of fate - wheel of fortune has been reversed - emphasizes how quickly fortunes can change, reinforcing the play’s themes of fate and the instability of human life.
- Diamonds traditionally symbolize strength and prosperity - loss
A
“on a sudden all the diamonds, Were chang’d to pearls”
40
Q
- Duchess asserts her sanity, Her refusal to accept madness as her fate reinforces her dignity in the face of suffering.
- Ferdinand, who orchestrates her psychological torture, later descends into (lycanthropy), making the Duchess’s statement retrospectively ironic.
- a powerful declaration of resistance, self-control, and tragic dignity. It encapsulates her refusal to be broken by her oppressors.
A
‘I am not mad’
41
Q
The sensationalistic depiction of the madman is a criticism of
A
authority figures that have become corrupt under the reign of James I.
42
Q
- mirrors the Duchess’s own physical imprisonment, reinforcing her fate as a caged noblewoman, held captive by her brothers’ oppressive control.
- aligns with the Christian idea of the soul’s release after death, contrasting the suffering of the mortal world with the hope of spiritual liberation.
- eternal nature of her soul, her body cannot and will not chain her - eternal life is ahead, source of comfort, can be at peace
- Bosola is a philosophical yet morally conflicted character.
A
“Dids’t thou ever see a lark in a cage such is the soul in the body
43
Q
- The use of wild birds to describe the Duchess depicts the rebellious and strong willed nature of the Duchess. - Resigned her fate of death as wild birds don’t live long in cages, she has spent long under the oppressive prisons her brothers have built her - her death is inevitable.
- Even in this moment of despair, the Duchess remains dignified and composed. Rather than breaking down, she reflects philosophically on her fate.
- The duchess dies in act 4 -unconventional for a tragedy facilitating the revenge ark.
A
The robin redbreast and the nightingale never live long in cages’
44
Q
- Ferdinand feels a sense of regret and remorse for the death of his sister, his anger has dissipated and the truth of her death is forceful - he is momentarily overwhelmed
- Epiphany that his actions have led to the death of the duchess and condemned him to life of guilt.
- The minor sentence depicts the inescapability of her death.
A
Cover her face. Mine eyes dazzle
45
Q
clip the bird’s wings that’s already flown”
A
- The Duchess suggests Ferdinand is too late to stop her as she is already married and has transgressed and rebelled against the restrictions of society.
- Mythological reference to the scissors used by the Fates to cut a person’s life.
- bird imagery - both the freedom the bird has, but its vulnerability in society.
46
Q
You have shook hands with reputation and made him invisible
A
- personification of reputation, shows reputation is a restraining factor,
- reputation was closely tied to sexual purity, the Duchess has violated societal expectations, irreparably damaging her status.
47
Q
“cased up like a holy relic”
A
- confining nature of societal expectations,
- she should be kept sealed away, untouched, and pure, reinforcing the idea that he sees her as an object rather than an autonomous individual.
- The imagery of being “cased up” foreshadows the Duchess’s imprisonment and psychological torture.
48
Q
“I am all yours”
A
- a public yet intimate promise, the last intimate scene, invokes pathos through the dramatic irony of the audiences knowledge of this sad parting rather than a banishment, hidden sorrow
49
Q
- mirrors the Duchess’s own physical imprisonment, reinforcing her fate as a caged noblewoman, held captive by her brothers’ oppressive control.
- aligns with the Christian idea of the soul’s release after death, contrasting the suffering of the mortal world with the hope of spiritual liberation.
- eternal nature of her soul, her body cannot and will not chain her - eternal life is ahead, source of comfort, can be at peace
- Bosola is a philosophical yet morally conflicted character.
A
“Dids’t thou ever see a lark in a cage such is the soul in the body
50
Q
- The use of wild birds to describe the Duchess depicts the rebellious and strong willed nature of the Duchess. - Resigned her fate of death as wild birds don’t live long in cages, she has spent long under the oppressive prisons her brothers have built her - her death is inevitable.
- Even in this moment of despair, the Duchess remains dignified and composed. Rather than breaking down, she reflects philosophically on her fate.
- The duchess dies in act 4 -unconventional for a tragedy facilitating the revenge ark.
A
The robin redbreast and the nightingale never live long in cages’
