Introduction Flashcards
What did the Italian ducal palace represent for English theatregoers of Webster’s time?
Corruption and deception
Where did this stereotype come from?
The prevailing loyalty in Italy to the Roman Catholic religion and the Pope; and the complex politics of the leading Italian city-stated and noble families e.g. The Medicis
What did these powerful, corrupt families control?
Much of Italy, even holding positions in the Papacy at times
What is happening at the beginning of the play?
Antonio, who is newly returned from a visit in France, compares the French court to that of Malfi, to Italy’s distinct disadvantage
French court
Ideal system of court, displays Webster’s distaste toward the English court which is similar to the Italian court
- discrimination of the English court during the Renaissance
‘A fixed order’
The court in France is better as it’s hierarchy is firmly established, something admired by Antonio
- Webster uses this as a metaphor for his own opinion on James court
Where does the play take place?
In Italy during 16th century
- begins in a Malfi at the duchess’ court in the province of Salerno on the western coast of Italy
What was commonly used in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama?
Italian setting
- metaphor vector for allowing Webster to voice his own anti- Catholicism and his own suspicion of the court
- Webster’s Protestantism
‘It’s like a common fountain’…
Simile - theme of corruption and ambition
- reference to Jame’s court in England
- he has favourites, bias
- king promoted particular courtiers and ministers, select of a few men who he found attractive, he was homosexual
Description of James
Physically unprepossessing, cowardly, and ruinously extravagant
- courtiers learnt to exploit his weakness for their own ends
French court is…
‘The work of heaven’
Simile of a fountain
Beauteous imagery shows Antonio admiring the French court
Alliteration of…
‘Death’ and ‘disease’ has a harsh ‘d’ sound
- harsh consequence of degenerate court and corruption of the court
