Duchess of Malfi context Flashcards
What were the inspirations for the Duchess of Malfi?
- The real Duchess of Amalfi, and the ‘Palace of Pleasure’ by William Painter, ‘cautionary tales’ that display women’s attempts to gain personal autonomy, and the consequences that come with trying.
- Webster transforms these stories, giving it greater psychological depth in a murkier moral universe.
When was the Duchess of Malfi written?
1612 (Jacobean England)
Where did John Webster grow up?
- Smithfield’s Meat Market, an area in London which carries traditions of public executions and display of livestock.
- Smithfield’s was also home to Bartholomew Fair, attended to by people varying in social class who would come to watch freak shows.
How did Webster’s parents jobs play a pivotal role in shaping his style of revenge tragedy?
They were coachmakers, which exposed young Webster to the dark side of Jacobean England. Prostitutes used the coaches to provide their ‘services’ and the coaches were sometimes rented out for funeral processions.
The coaches were, as James Shapiro puts it, ‘built on tragedy’
Why is Blackfriars theatre a good place to perform the duchess of malfi
- The enclosed space of the theatre created a more intimate and personal performance
- And the dark atmosphere connoted the darkness that surrounded the duchess as well as highlighting her as a individual figure of virtue
Why is the gunpowder plot of 1605 important
Because it created a sense of ‘the enemy within’, causing distrust of higher powers, and increasing the divide between protestant and catholic.
Who played the duchess and other female characters originally?
Men
What does the Palace of pleasure by William painter portray the duchess as?
A lustful character, which inspired Webster to retell the story and portray her in a more sympathetic view, oppressed by the sexist gender norms of the time.
Where does Webster get his inspiration for the nature of DoM court?
- King James I, corrupt, machiavellian court. The king ‘had favourites’ and would regularly promote people he liked to power, especially scots, as a Scottish king, Scottish followers in the royal court received £40,000 per year, while English followers received £10,000, which led to many sycophants.
- James also spent extravagantly
What does machiavellian mean?
Inspired by italian philosopher Nicolo Machiavelli, to be ‘machiavellian’ means to pursue power by any means possible.
Why is ‘The Duchess’ title an honour and burden
- The high rank title represents her independent nobility
- however the duchess is bound by the expectations tied to her role: family honour, chastity
Why was Death a large part of shaping the revenge tragedy genre?
England was experiencing mass suffering because of the bubonic plague. This created an environment charged with fear and the fragility of life. Death was a palpable concept to the Jacobeans, causing curiosity and desire to explore it on a deeper level.
Which historical figure could the duchess be inspired by?
Frances Howard. Howard left her husband to marry another man, pushing the boundaries of female sexuality and independence at the time. She was part of a royal family and constantly scrutinised, eventually being imprisoned.
