Support the point Flashcards
Contrasting opinions of mens true motives- the wife talks pf men only wanting women for their looks/physicality whereas Giovanni talks of a unity found in a deep emotional bond.
‘somme for our shap… somme for ohr richesse…thus goth al to the devel by thy tale’
‘one soul, one flesh, one love, one heart, one all’ [Giovanni]
Kindness is not important to the wife:
Status = money = independence; making money = a timeless factor, surpassing any emotions.
However, Annabella is encouraged to consider personality by her guardian but wealth and status also remain key factors with an emphasis on societal place
The thre were goode men, and riche and olde
He is wise…rich…kind…a nobleman [Puttana]
FINKE asks whether the text can ever be fully distinguished between, ‘monetary gain and sexual pleasure’ (Marxist)
The wife talks of a conventional marriage and her expertise as a result of experience, despite the fact that contemporaneously, education resulted in power. Although she is graphic she has experienced the worst and the beneficial providing her with knowledge - however at this point the reader or audience have no reason to trust the Wife, yet her confidence is compelling. Annabella, on the other hand, is educated but of no experience- yet she is allowed a choice despite her naivety. She is being guided in her choice, and relied on her guardian Puttana, but she has a choice nonetheless- Giovanni cannot be held solely responsible.
Experience though noon auctoritee, were in this world right ynogh for me to speke of wo that is in mariage
If a young wence feel it fit upon her, let her take anybody, brother or father, all is one.’ [Puttana]
Friar acts in support of my point - ‘Oh ignorance in knowledge.’
Could also make point about similarities in introductions
Wife regards lust as natural and acceptable norm in marriage/courting, as does Giovanni. Both appear to have love and lust confused- the wife for her physical attraction to Jankin makes her ignore his illtreatment of her and Giovanni for incestuous desire of his sister. Whereas the Friar presents the religious view that love takes priority.
Cyclical nature of second Friar quote from Act 5 suggests learned lessons - The wife does not change or learn lessons - she will not be changed by society, however the Knight learns his lesson.
I wol nat kepe me chaast in al
clense the leprosy of lust that rots thy soul [Friar]
‘lethargies of lust’ [Friar]
Influences on TP - R&J = ‘young idealistic lovers… union is too exogamous to the small Italian city.’ WILL TOSH, programme of the Globe’s performance 2014
The womb… was an object sought after with almost ferocious intensity in Renaissance anatomy theatres.’ HOPKINS
Wife’s expression from La Roman de la Rose is more genuinely emotional and believable, whereas Giovanni’s hyperbollic phrasing appears manipulative/ not beliveable / over exaggerated.
That I have had the world as in my time
And here’s my breast, strike home! [Giovanni]
WoB - Guillaume de Lorris and Jean de Meun wrote La Roman de la Rose
TP - Dramatist of the Heart HOPKINS
The Knight and Giovanni juxtapose each other as the Knight ks questing to determine what women want and must learn the lesson in order to live, whereas Giovanni does not listen to the Friar. He is so in love so does not understand, whereas the night must understand in order to live and love again.
What thing is it that women most desiren
It were more ease to stop the ocean from floats and ebbs than it were to dissuade my vows [Giovanni]
The Knight and Giovanni juxtapose each other as the Knight is questing to determine what women want and must learn the lesson in order to live, whereas Giovanni does not listen to the Friar. He is so in love so does not understand, whereas the Knight must understand in order to live and love again.
What thing is it that women most desiren
It were more ease to stop the ocean from floats and ebbs than it were to dissuade my vows [Giovanni]
KAUFFMAN: a ‘Fordian Hero’ - calls himself to a role his ‘residual nature will not permit him to fulfil’
Physical desire is most important…
Jankin’s legs and golden hair
blessed shape of some celestial creature [Annabella]
The wife speaks of the reality of what women want from love - when both viewpoints from both texts are read in conjunction it is clear that men want the power to love and marry who they desire, then women want the power in the relationship- creating the idea of false choice.
Wife fights for love - Annabella is fought over. Wife can be viewed as being in constant competition with her relationship ‘so that he liked me’ - she is fighting for soverignty in marriage.
sovereintee and maistree
rivals me in love [Soranzo]
Chaucer is satirising the system which would’ve forced young women to trade economic security with old husbands. AERS
Links to the Wife’s use of exegesis to justify her points - specious reasoning is a common link between the two texts as education was contemporaneously a masculine trait. Giovanni attempts to justify his actions using logical terminology from his educated background
Was noon husbonde to the Samaritan? How manye mighte she have in marriage?
‘Dispute’ ‘school-points’ ‘philsophy’ ‘argument’ [Giovanni]
York Notes: THE FEMALE STEREOTYPE: ‘These are the actions of a woman who is fully aware of what the stereotypes about women are and who is willing to use them to her own advantage.’
Giovanni abandons his scholarly power and reverts to an almost Petrarchan discourse justifying his heart’s feelings - exegesis and specious reasoning - the wife also uses such things in her attempts to prove she understands the book but contrastingly she upholds the façade of education - feelings weaken a female argument? (establishing power by maintaining a typically masculine trait?)
That gentil text kan I wel understonde
You’d make her love your heaven and her divine [Giovanni]
HOPKINS, ‘Ford’s focus is love not society, which intends to exist as a framework for human behaviour.’
The Wife is a lot more graphic on her wording and discussion of her sex life but it has a less grotesque effect on the audience. Wife represents feminine strength, whereas Annabella is passive: told how to think/feel by a man.
TP - ‘yield’ = chivalric battle term - referring to her virginity - the theme of the gentilesse presents itself.
How piteously a night I made hem swinke
No more sister now… be proud to know that yielding thou hast conquered [Giovanni]
Much of the sex in the text, however has little to do with desire and a lot to do with power.’ YORK NOTES
Putanna and the Wife display clear similarities in the negative representation of women. However, the wife arguably manipulates the reader to believe her redeeming factors.
‘For half so boldely kan ther no man,
swearen and lyen as a woman kan’
‘Puttana, there’s something for thee (gives her money) [Donado]
The Wife is a creation of man therefore, ‘seen as reinforcing anti feminist views rather than undermining them’ HANSEN
Both Characters mistakes are linked to their youth - favourite point linking to the Carnivalesque and Parma the city itself
And I yong and ful of ragerie, stibourn and strong, and joly as a pie.
Of one so young, so rich in nature’s store,
Who could not say, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore’
AO4 - The Carnivalesque, originated by Mikhail Bakhtin = social hierarchy is temporarily overthrown. HELEN COOPER calls the Wife, ‘Carnival to Jerome’s Lent’ - Carnival celebrates life while Lent encourages reflection.
AO4 - The Wife doesn’t argue against the austere world, just exists alongside it. She is an ontological metaphor by existing; she is not an argument, merely a representation of irrefutable validity. Her passion for her version of life encapsulates the Carnivalesque.
TP - HOPKINS ‘It is the city of Parma itself that is the real whore.’
Both as characters (Wife and Annabella) defy contemporaneous social stereotypes and are hard to categorise - hence the punishment they face. Annabella’s is internal because of the deception whereas the Wife’s is physical. Contrast: Wife, although controversial, is accepted by society - societal comment about being defined by men (Wife = abused but accepted, Annabella = loved but rejected)
Annabella is depicted as weak - the Wife = strong
That of the strook myn ere wax al deef
A wretched woeful woman’s tragedy… with depositions* charactered in gilt
*testimony upon oath in a court of law - pun on gilt/guilt
