the duchess of malfi Flashcards
‘i admire it; in seeking to reduce both State and people to a fixed order’
antonio condems corruption when he speaks of visiting the french court - italian court was corrupt
‘you enforce your merit too much’
criticism of bosola’s character - concerned with his own perception
‘he and his brother are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools’
ferdinand and the cardinal’s morals are bent and corrupt
‘black malcontents’
bosola is a malcontent, recurring theme of disease
‘where only the reward of doing well is the doing of it’
in the system of the Italian court the sycophants and nobles hoard all the rewards while those below slave away and gain nothing - explains the social climbing
‘a notorious murder; and twas thought the Cardinal suborn’d it’
bosola was sent to prison for a murder that was supported by the cardinal - shows the corruption of the court and religion
‘take fire when i give fire’
ferdinand has control of dangerr
‘he should’ve been pope; but instead of coming to it by the primitive decency of the church, he did bestow bribes’
attack on catholicism - his negative portrayal shows corruption
‘turbulent nature… if he laught heartily, it is to laugh all honesty out of fashion
ferdinand is quickly changeable and dishonest
‘then the law to him is like a foul, black cobweb to a spider’
ferdinand is shown to use his power to entrap people (notably the duchess), feeds off misery
‘for the devil speaks in them’
hell imagery makes reference to the cardinal’s corruption of religion
‘she stains the time past, lights the time to come’
duchess is shown as saintly and god like, light symbolises hope
‘i was lur’d to you’
bosola is aware he’s being used - intensifies the spider analogy of ferdinand
‘whose throat must i cut’
bosola is noticably socially climbing
‘i would not have her marry again’
ferdinand tries to exercise control over the duchess, introduces his incestual desires
‘i am your creature’
bosola doesn’t want to be a spy but gives in - self loathing
‘you know already what man is’
risk to patriarchy - idea that sexuality was insatiable, a modern audience will see the misogyny in this compared to a contemporary one
‘their livers are more spotted than Laban’s sheep’
ferdinand suggests love is tainted - recurring motif of infection to show corruption and deception
‘diamonds are of most value, they say, that have pass’d through most jewellers’ hands’
symbol of eternal love or reference to her past marriage and her brothers disdain at her romantic desires, objectifying herself
‘i’ll never marry’
deceit as she wants to defy her brothers - a contemporaneous audience may dislike this view of a strong woman
‘your darkest actions and privatest thoughts will come to light’
secrets unveiled - foreshadows the duchess’ pregnancy being revealed and links to streetcar
‘the marriage night is the entrance to some prison’
the cardinal wants the duchess to fear disobeying him so scares her with the idea of more entrapment
‘this was my father’s poniard, i’ll be loath to see it look rusty’
doesn’t want her to damage the bloodline, sexual connotations
‘let old wives report i winked and chose a husband’
uncaring about her image, subverts women standards at the time
‘i am going into the wilderness where i shall not find nor path nor friendly clew’
lost yet defiant, duchess has an uncertain future
‘it locally contains or heaven or hell’
antonio foreshadows their marriage showing both extremes
‘raise your hand, or if you please my hand to help you say’
acknowledges his lower status, suggestive of marriage so she can raise his
‘time will easily scatter the tempest’
duchess’ disbelief in Ferdinand’s danger eventually leads to her downfall
‘we are now man and wife and tis the church that must but echo it’
their marriage must be kept a secret from the church to hide it from the cardinal
‘a fearful madness: i owe her much of my pity’
cariola symbolises the duchess’ role in the whole play - she is a tragic hero
