politics/corruption quotes Flashcards
‘of f- - -t - - - - g - y - - - - - - - - -‘
‘of flattering sycophants’
— Antonio, 1.1
corruption and power as sycophants are those who suck up and are indicative of nepotism
‘ p - - - - - ‘t ne - - t - - he- - , - - - th and d - - - - - - - - thr - - - - - t - - w - - - - l - - - s - r - - - ‘
‘poision’t near the head, death and diseases through the whole land spread’ — Antonio, 1.1
power of abuse, everyone suffers and at the top of the hierarchy are ferdinand and cardinal. emphasis placed on the distribution of corruption starting from the head and travelling downwards, whilst the striking image of a poisoned well highlights its irreversibility and ability to infect the most virtuous character
‘a - - - - - -‘s c - - - - - is l - - - a c - - - - - f - - - - - - - - ‘
‘ a prince’s court is like a common fountain’
trickle down effect of corruption
‘the - - - t - h - - is l - - - a f - - - b - - - - c - - - - - - to a s - - - - - ‘
‘the law to him is like a foul black cobweb to a spider’
ferdinand’s ability to bend the law and entrap people within it who he seeks to punish
‘ he - - - h - - b - - - - - - are l - - - p - - - tr - - - that g - - - cr - - - - - ov - - st - - - - - - p - - - s […] none but c - - - - , p - - - and c - - - - - - - - - - - f - - - on them’
‘he and his brother are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools […] none but crows, pies and caterpillars feed on them’ — Antonio, 1.1
the brothers are corrupt and it will effect the rest of the court as the only one with benefit to select favourites or the upper class
‘ ch - - - - - - and c - - - - - , which have d - - - - - - - l - - - to m - - , m - - - have d - - - - like we h - - - ‘
‘churches and cities, which have diseases like to men, must have death like we have’ — Antonio, 5.3
‘ s - - - - - to a - - - - - a t - - - s - - - - - - than an h - - - - - m - - ‘
‘sought to appear a true servant than an honest man’ — 4.2
sycophant mentality of the court, value selfish desires before doing what is right which can apply to most characters in the play
‘ p - - - - - - - - - is the d - - - - ‘s q - - - - - - a - - - - ‘
‘politician is the devil’s quilted anvil’ — Bosola, 3.2
sums up character views referencing the corruption in court, links to him and the brothers, ironic when applied to the cardinal as he is a servant to god
‘ f - - - - - - - - - di - - - - - - - their v - - - - / and - - - - - - - le t - - - - l - - - . th - - ‘s j - - - - - - ‘
‘flatterers dissemble their vices / and dissemble their lies. that’s justice.’ — Bosola, 3.2
we are reminded of bosola’s role of the malcontent within the play, because of his cynical view of social justice. he believes flatterers lie to their prince by pretending that he has no faults, and the prince rewards them by pretending not to know that they are lying. his contempt is emphasised by using the pronoun ‘their’ to distance himself from those who he views as the court sycophants
‘ t - - - is, l - - - - wh - - i l - - - - w - - - t - - s - - - - - - n - - - - s - w - - - - ‘
‘that is, laugh when i laugh, were the subject never so witty’ — Ferdinand
his insecurity is highlighted by his unreasonable demands.
webster’s character provides comic relief on stage during his speech by gesturing for his noblemen to copy his own natural laughter because he craves their affirmations.
although ferdinand is revealing himself to be immature by demanding that people laugh when he does, webster also reveals a type of tyrannical corruption in demanding citizens with a lower status to respect him and demand their own flattery.
‘ wh - - - t - - - - - mu - - i c - - ‘
‘whose throat must i cut’
1.1
bosola’s own corruption is made clear at the beginning of the play
‘and m - - t - - - p - - - - w - - - - to t - - l - - - ar - p - - - - - ‘
‘and men that paint weeds to the life are praised’ — Bosola, 3.3
Bosola self-deprecatingly recognises that his skill and efficiency in spying against the duchess will be praised by both the cardinal and Ferdinand. However, he also recognises that like painting a realistic painting of weeds it would be a waste of human talent.
bosola’s self awareness and acknowledgement of his own corruption makes him a complex character
