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Summary OCR A-Level English Literature The Merchants Tale comparison to The Duchess of Malfi Thematic Analysis
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OCR A-Level English Literature The Merchants Tale comparison to The Duchess of Malfi Thematic Analysis
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Thematic AnalysisIntense Emotion
‘The Merchant’s Tale’ ‘The Duchess of Malfi’
Love – Damyan and May – courtly love contrasts Love – true love across social boundaries –
forced love from Januarie (age/forbidden) Duchess and Antonio - eternal
Jealousy – Januarie jealous, causes blindness, ties Jealousy – Ferdinand is jealous of Duchess and
himself to May, garden as a result Antonio – males jealous of female power?
Hatred – Generally, men have a hatred towards Hatred – Hatred towards the power women can
women (Merchant, Justinus, Januarie) hold – Male too – Cardinal, Bosola
Lust – Januarie’s lust for May is strong – Lust – Ferdinand lusts for the Duchess –
perverse and predatorial, Damyan is also lusty incestuous, Julia/Cardinal – forbidden lust
Happiness/Contentment – ultimately, May is Happiness/Contentment – Duchess/Antonio ‘win’
happy – Januarie and Damyan left unhappy – death?
Deception/ Appearance vs. Reality
‘The Merchant’s Tale’ ‘The Duchess of Malfi’
Female perception – May as passive vs May’s Female perception – Duchess as obedient to her
agency against Januarie brothers vs marriage
Relationships – Secret relationship between Relationships – Secret relationship between
Damyan and May Duchess and Antonio
Religion – Religion as a façade for marriage, Religion – Corruption of Religion, façade as
covering for sexual desire pure/holy/high structure – Bible etc.
Male Power – Januarie believes he holds all the Male Power – Cardinal/Ferdinand believe they
power within his life, May in fact does hold the power – arguably the Duchess does
Setting – Court – private life vs. public life – Setting – Garden – within/out of garden – Garden
Duchess as two different people as a trap but in reality it is an opportunity
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, Religion
‘The Merchant’s Tale’ ‘The Duchess of Malfi’
Corruption of Religion – marriage as a religious Corruption of Religion – Cardinal and Papacy –
ceremony vs. underlying sexual goals Cardinal and Julia, poisoned Bible
Power of Religion – Religion being at the centre Power of Religion – religion and misogyny,
of Januarie’s marriage, religion, and misogyny religion causing Cardinal to kill Julia, context
Religion and Women – religion has all autonomy Religion and Women – Catholicism sees women as
over women, subjecting them to oppression inferior; Cardinal uses religion as a tool for power
Deception and Religion – marriage as a Deception and Religion – Cardinal hides behind
ceremony taken as sexual desire the façade of religion
Context – religion mocked for its hold on society
Context – mockery of Catholicism
vs what people are really like, pilgrimage
Love and Lust
‘The Merchant’s Tale’ ‘The Duchess of Malfi’
Naivety in Love – Januarie’s naivety that May Naivety in Love – Naivety of Duchess and
will obey him (physical blindness) Antonio’s love (metaphorical blindness)
Love Transcending Boundaries – Love across Love Transcending Boundaries – love across
age, adultery between May/Damyan, mockery of status, disobeying brothers, Cardinal and
courtly love corruption, Ferdinand, and incest
Forbidden Love – May’s adultery, Proserpina, Forbidden Love – Incestuous love from Ferdinand,
Eve Cardinal and Julia (religion)
Lust – Objectification of Women – Marriage Lust – Brother’s controlling nature, Ferdinand’s
night, market, objectification/sexualisation lust, Cardinal’s lust
Genre – fabliaux, mockery of love, religion, Genre – tragedy (e.g. hamartia), revenge of
courtly love Duchess through marriage and love
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