Props DoM Flashcards
1
Q
The Duchess’s Ring
A
- Inversion of gender dynamics.
- Offers it to Antonio. Given to her by the Duke, so it is a complex symbol of marriage, power, union
- both conventional and aristocratic and subversive and progressive and romantic.
- By giving it to Antonio, she is handing him the system that has kept him down, symbolically, and asking him to ‘raise’ himself.
2
Q
Ferdinand’s poniard
A
- phallic symbol.
- Uncomfortable.
- Brings it out at key moments, including confronting the Duchess in her private space. -Threatening symbol of masculine violence, but arguably masculine anxiety – his dependence on it.
3
Q
Bag of money/gold that Ferdinand gives Bosola
A
– power, corruption, materialism.
-Buying Bosola and his soul.
-Absence of true loyalty.
-Loyalty is a rare commodity – Antonio, Cariola and, to some extent, Delio.
-Significantly they are all lower down the social scale and, ultimately, Bosola will join them – although too late.
- ALL RELATIONSHIPS ARE TRANSACTIONAL !
4
Q
Apricots
A
- Mirror corruption of fall.
- Tempting Duchess. Corruption of nature - ‘grafted’ and grown in ‘horse dung.’ Exposes her secret (she is both Eve and Mary)
5
Q
Candles
A
lighting and going out.
Symbolic of truth and corruption, idealism and decay/murder/death.
Frailty of the candle.
Impact of being lost in darkness and obfuscation.
Dark = hidden truth, deception