AO3 & AO5 Complete Flashcards
(45 cards)
What role does Julia play in relation to the Duchess?
Julia acts as a foil of the Duchess, with her relationship with the Cardinal contrasting the Duchess’s relationship with Antonio.
What was the status of women in Renaissance / Jacobean Europe?
Women were usually under the power of some man in their life, such as husbands, fathers, brothers, or sons.
What was the issue with the Duchess’s remarriage?
The issue is not that the Duchess has remarried, but that she has remarried someone below her station.
What are the two bodies the Duchess has?
The Duchess has a body natural (her physical body) and a body politic (her identity as sovereign).
What societal anxieties does the play embody?
The play reflects anxieties about characters like Antonio and Bosola moving up the social ranks during a time of rising capitalism.
What are common characteristics of revenge tragedies?
Revenge tragedies usually focus on high-status individuals, have a moralistic tone, are deeply violent, and explore political and personal corruption.
How do women behave in revenge tragedies?
Women refuse to conform to cultural ideas of meekness and are often unruly, disruptive, and involved in taboo sexual liaisons.
What is the role of women in revenge tragedies regarding male desire?
Women are constructed as objects of male desire, but when they act on their own desires, they become objects of male disgust.
Who are malcontents?
Malcontents are outsiders and alienated figures whose motivations are difficult to pin down, often educated and dispossessed.
Who are the historical figures that inspired the Duchess and Antonio?
Giovanna d’Aragona and Antonio Bologna are the real historical figures from which the Duchess and Antonio are based.
When did the story first appear?
The story first appeared in the mid 16th century in Italy in Novelle by Bandello.
What is the English translation of the story that Webster’s version is based on?
Webster’s version is based on a translation by William Painter in 1567.
Where was the play first performed?
The play was first performed at the Blackfriars Theatre in London in 1614.
What contrast does the Italian setting provide?
The Italian setting conveys themes of popery, atheism, deceit, and sexual promiscuity, contrasting with England’s values.
What does Machiavellianism refer to?
Machiavellianism is a negative term for unscrupulous politicians engaged in immoral and dishonest behavior.
What is humourism?
Humourism explains physical illnesses and personality disorders as resulting from imbalances in bodily fluids.
What changing ideas are reflected in early modern culture?
There were changing ideas about the relationship between bodies and souls, marriage, and the nature of theatrical representation.
What is men’s fear regarding women?
Men were often suspicious of what was concealed within women’s minds and bodies.
How do women behave in response to male policing?
Women may behave badly as a reaction to the social and familial restrictions imposed on them.
What biological questions are raised about behavior?
Questions arise about whether behavior is determined by nature or by cultural perceptions.
What is the purpose of political marriages in Jacobean society?
Political marriages were used to make alliances and gain power, especially for those of high status.
What does Jankowski say about the Duchess?
Jankowski describes the Duchess as an uneasy and threatening figure.
What does Jankowski say about the Duchess’s death?
Jankowski states that the Duchess abandons her political duties for her private life, and for this, she must die.
How does David Gunby describe a malcontent?
Gunby describes a malcontent as a character divided within himself, hindered by a poisoned court.
