Duchess of Malfi: Society/Class Flashcards
‘Why ______ I not _____?’
‘Why might I not marry?’
Duchess (A3 S2)
‘I have _____ you off your ____________ _____’
‘I have taken you off your melancholy perch’
Cardinal (A2 S4)
‘This ______ _____ of yours is too ____ built’
‘This goodly roof of yours is too low built’
Duchess (A1 S2)
- To have a real/equal relationship with Antonio, must raise him to her level socially
‘Rather to _________ men’s __________ than ________’
‘Rather to examine men’s pedigrees than virtues’
Bosola (A3 S2)
- Defending Antonio. criticizing Duchess for caring about rank over merit
‘______ slave’
‘Saucy slave’
(Antonio to Bosola)
- Using class-based sneer to diminish Bosola
‘You are a _____ of ______!’
‘You are a lord of misrule!’
‘______ gives them _______ to ________ for him amongst _____________ __________’
‘Love gives them counsel to enquire for him amongst unambitious shepherds’
Ferdinand (A3 S2)
- Love is only for lowly people/those with no ambition/rank
‘Live _______ than we, for they may ________ their _______’
‘Live happier than we, for they may choose their mates’
Duchess (A3 S5)
- Compares herself to birds who have the free will to choose their mate/exist
‘____ oft are ________ high, when th’ are most ___________’
‘Men oft are valued high, when th’ are most wretched’
Duchess (A3 S5)
- Those who are high in rank tend to be the most miserable/lowly in nature
- Stoicism (feelings of hardship without a display/complaint)
‘The duchess seeks private ____________ at the ________ of public _______’
‘The duchess seeks private happiness at the expense of public stability’
Lee Bliss (19th)
‘She ___________ Jacobean society’s views regarding the ____________ of the _________ body and woman’s __________’
‘She challenges Jacobean society’s views regarding the representation of the female body and woman’s sexuality.’
Theodora Jankowski
‘Her _________ assume a _____________ control over her _____ and ___________, an ___________ which extends over her _______ state’
‘Her brothers assume a patriarchal control over her body and sexuality, an assumption which extends over her political state’
Kate Aughterson (Modern critic)
‘a _________ play about a woman who is fighting for her ___________’
‘a feminist play about a woman who is fighting for her autonomy’
Mirren
‘major _______ of the play is the ‘ability of social _________ to ___________ those around them’
‘major theme of the play is the ‘ability of social superiors to command those around them’
Smith
‘Bosola becomes the _____________ of corruption through __________ authority’
‘Bosola becomes the instrument of corruption through legitimate authority -
Coddon
‘be the _____________ to the rest of the _______’
‘be the example to the rest of the court’
- Duchess to Antonio at French court
- Attempting to subvert/reconstruct social norms
- Asks Antonio to keep his hat on rather than removing it in the presence of superiors (modifying tradition)
‘O my _______________’
‘O my unworthiness’
- Antonio being self-deprecating, awareness of his unsuitability
- Feels unworthy of the Duchess
‘The _____________ lies in her ______ blood’
‘The witchcraft lies in her rank blood’
- Ferdinand
- Polysemic ‘rank’ = disgusting and nobility/status
- The Duchess’ sin of marrying Antonio is not a result of witchcraft but instead of her inherent nature
‘_____ on your _____ first’
‘put on your hat first’
- Duchess to Antonio
‘____________ are of most value they say, that have _________ through most ____________ hands’
‘diamonds are of most value they say, that have passed through most jewellers hands’
- Rejecting social expectations/constraints on those of high birth
- suggesting her worth increases with exposure/experience
