"The Duchess of Malfi" Context Revision Notes

Malfi Context Revision Notes

Renaissance Marriage

Marriage for alliances - 'currency of dynastic and diplomatic exchange' Love and Marriage separate - marriage as a practical matter, love an overwhelming emotion Foolish to marry for love Women have little choice in marriage; subservient to men - raised inferior to male counterparts Examples of ladies marrying beneath them • Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk and Richard Bertie (member of her household) for shared religious beliefs

Mary Queen of Scots

1542 - Queen at six days old after death of James V Q. France, Q Scotland, claim to English throne Held in captivity in England for 19 years - numerous plots to murder Babington plot (Mary/Elizabeth) Executed 1587 In DoM; 'fix'd order' of French court Young widow - (murder plot of Mary's second husband) 'She's a young woman' Political prisoners

Elizabeth I

B. 1533 Disappointment to father who wanted male heir Anne Boleyn beheaded when she was 2 years old - Elizabeth considered illegitimate so removed from succession (Princess to Lady) Imprisoned in Tower of London Succeeded to throne at 25 Protestantism Beginnings of empire 'virgin Queen' In DoM; Confidence in sexuality Elizabeth chooses throne - her immortality - while Duchess chooses love for over the throne (her downfall) Illegitimate children

Bloody Mary

1516-1558 Q. England / Ireland Executions of protestants - 280 burned at stake  First official Queen Regnant (not consort) Restoration of Roman Catholicism Considered a 'king' In DoM; Like Ferdinand (Duchess) 'I can do both like a prince' Mary like fountain - death and disease

Renaissance Madness

Hysteria (connected with womb/uterus) considered a disease during Renaissance period until 1941 Attitudes mostly related to bible and limited scientific theory Marriage as remedy to madness In DoM; Duchess made mad by Ferdinand/Ferdinand's female madness Devil images/links Wax figures/severed hand/evil/objects promoting evil Bedlam Royal Hospital - pay to watch mental patients in order to deter from sinners – mad men scene

Renaissance Scepticism

Doubt of truth /belief that certain knowledge is impossible After middle ages Christian doctrine suffocated progress of classical scholars Hamlet - ghosts represent superstition and religious belief Bosola 'poisoned' by melancholy multiple personalities in terms of morality - can't decide on beliefs Bosola is mathematical therefore challenging truth given by God Francis Bacon - truth not based on five senses as room for possible mistakes therefore doubt comes before assumption of truth Superstitious elements - bloody handkerchief / horoscope / devil (interpretation against senses so contradicts Bacon's philosophy) Bosola's scepticism opposed other characters Ferdinand not sceptical just paranoid Stoicism - endurance of pain without complaint/display of feelings Duchess is stoical character - 'come violent death' Cariola opposite - stoic with hierarchy

Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy

Tragedy is an imitation of an action with magnitude Tragedy plays act as a catharsis (Purge of emotion) Anagnorisis - critical discovery (Ferdinand’s discovery of marriage) Peripeteia - reversal of circumstance (Bosola's revenge of Duchess) Hamartia - fatal flaw in character/judgement (Duchess' marriage/trust in Antonio) Nemesis - retribution against those who succumbed to hubris - excessive pride - (Duchess had too much good - complete family with hierarchical standing in tact)

Webster's Other Works

The White Devil (1612) Plot line focused on the contrast of self-image as pure/white to their true nature. Based on the real murder of an Italian in 1585 to portray the corruption of court in England in DoM; court corruption as focus based on true Italian sources portray the darkest side to humanity

Jacobean Drama

Theatre written during the reign of James 1 Audiences appetites changing - plays more edgy and human situations exaggerated (extreme violence/human selfishness/effects of human ambition/nature of evil/extremes of human nature) In DoM; highly intelligent characters manipulating and committing crimes/acts of violence for ambition (Ferdinand, Cardinal, Bosola) e.g. Bosola works only to further himself rather than for morality

Webster's Biography

Little is known of Webster, thought to be a member of the English court which is reinforced by his pessimistic outlook on its corruption. Writing overlapped that of Shakespeare Both DoM and The White Devil were poorly received during the 17th, 18th, 19th century however following the war, critics began to favour it due to the horror.

 

When was the gunpowder plot and How did this affect public perceptions?

1605 - the Catholic faith was dragged further into disrepute

Why did Webster set his play in Italy?

In the early 17th century Italy was synonymous with corruption, violence and promiscuity. The British audience would have been happy to accept the horrible things as having happened in Italy. Italy's reputation was because of: 1) distrust of Catholic Church 2) corruption of the papacy 3) writings of Machiavelli 4) poor reputation of ruling families like the Medicis and Borgias

What are city comedies? And what brought them about?

Satires of merchant class in London. (Late 16th century, early 17th century) Brought about by the emerging middle class. Economic and social upheaval when trading allowed poorer people to climb the social ladder.

When was the play first written and performed?

1614

What was the common Jacobean view of widows? Give a quote from the duchess of Malfi that would support this.

A Jacobean audience would've seen widows as lustful as they would have already known "what a man is". Remarriage was frowned upon, as women were expected to remain faithful to their dead first husbands. "Lusty widow" "Like a tame elephant"

Was marriage 'per verba de presenti' legal?

Yes - people didn't have to get married in front of a clergyman. New laws, however, were coming about to change this. The fact that the duchess does not abide by these new laws shows her independence and this would perhaps have been attractive to a Jacobean audience.

What characteristics does a Jacobean 'cuckold' have?

A cuckold is a man whose wife is having an affair and everyone knows it but him. The image of a cuckold is a man with horns and a hat that everybody, but him can see. (CASTRUCHIO)

What was the reputation of James I court?

The court was known for its corruption and sexual licentiousness.

Who speaks the most lines in the play? And why is this character so important?

Bosola - he ties the play together structurally and morally.

"Bosola is based on a recognisable English type - the unemployed university graduate". Explain.

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the government encouraged more men to go to be educated at university so that they could fill the spaces left by the recently ousted Catholics as clerics. However, the supply of graduates quickly outstripped the demand and many men, like BOSOLA, were left over educated, underemployed and contemptuous towards the government. Reward was not always obtained through merit, but often by flattery.

Explain Aristotle’s concept of a tragic hero

- a person of eminence - should be good but not holy virtuous - the death of the tragic hero should generate feelings of pity, compassion and fear - the tragic hero should have a 'hamartia' (fatal flaw) that leads to the ensuing tragedy

How did Seneca influence Webster? Give examples.

🔸Supernatural - lycanthropy 🔸Rhetoric (heightened speech, detail, the drama of the word) -the duchesses death 🔸horror and excess - many deaths, dumb show, dead mans hand, psychological torture as well as physical, madmen 🔸associated with sentenciae (moral sayings) - mainly through Bosola eg glories like glowworms... 🔸sympathea (natural environment responds to characters actions)

What was the Aragonese King Ferdinand known for?

His bloody enforcement of the catholic faith throughout his realm.

What was the Jacobean attitude to Machiavellian principles?

They despised him for his lack of principles. This added to their distrust of Italy.

Briefly explain Machiavellis main principals. In what book did Machiavelli express these ideas?

Princes should have a "flexible disposition" in which he must often act in defiance of good faith to get things done. He should appear a good man but be able to do evil when necessary. All about APPEARANCES.

Who is Robert Carr and why is his relationship to King James I contextually important?

Robert Carr was a favourite of the king and he had significant political influence. King James was criticised for ruling from the bed chamber rather than from the court. And he bestowed upon Carr numerous gifts of wealth and titles. Carr became the Earl of Somerset.

Painter on the Duchess

"Destructive power of lust"

Who did Arbella Stuart marry and what was her punishment?

William Seymour She was imprisoned and she died on hunger strike

What is the Popish Recusants act? When was it established? By who and in response to what?

An oath people had to take to swear allegiance to the king over the pope. 1606 James I in response to the gunpowder plot.

True or false: James I was brought up Protestant.

True

True or false: James I was on good terms with the puritans.

False - he refused their requests to reform the church.

When was the Spanish Armada and how did it affect Jacobean attitudes?

1588 - Spanish tried to invade England but were rebuffed by Elizabeth. •increased affection for Queen Elizabeth •increased patriotism •greater anti-Catholic vibes

Who was Horatio Busino and what did he say about the play?

He was a catholic priest from Venice who thought the Duchess of Malfi was overly harsh on Catholics.

What did Sir Thomas Smith say about the position of women Elizabethan England?

Man has "great wit, bigger strength and more courage to compel the woman to obey by reason of force". The place for women was in the home looking after the children.

When was “The Prince” written and published?

Written in 1513 Published in 1532

What is a masque?

A festive celebration. A masque involved music and dancing, singing and acting, within an elaborate stage design.

What is 'anagnorisis'?

Moment of recognition

Why did playwrights use malcontents?

As mouthpieces for their satiric concern. Blunt moralist who explores the nature of humanity in a cynical way.