Summary
Summary Malfi themes
- Module
- AS Unit 1 - Prose and Drama
- Institution
- WJEC
Summary of 3 pages for the course AS Unit 1 - Prose and Drama at WJEC (.)
[Show more]
Content preview
MALFI THEMESTragedy
> Malfi incorporates comedy and death in a significant comi-tragic relationship ofa
play where tragedy marches with and overcomes the humour of comic satire, where
a corrupt society reflects the tragic goodness of the heroine and purposefully
misunderstands that goodness, reject those values for itself and prefers to adopt a
lie. Such a standpoint leads inexorably to darkness, confusion and exhaustion:
Ferdinand’s ‘sleep’.
> Duchess is the personification of tragedy : Duchess encompasses melodramatic
tragic flaws: unattractive characteristics: lust, disregard for her princely duties,
deviousness, false accusation of her inferiors, greed, a questionable judgement (in
her choice of Antonio), blasphemy and passive abuse in the possible neglect of her
oldest son.
Unorthodox marriage
> Unconventional and improper to the point of attracting moral censure in at least 3
ways: it is unequal, it is secret, it is her second. Webster's lawyer view presents both
sides of the argument in an unbiased view.
> Out of class – social misdemeanour for Elizabethans/Jacobeans – seem more
acceptable a man marrying below himself, drawing his wife up to his own level of
social status. A woman marrying a servant meant her husband was ennobled to her
status, causing envy and confusion.
Position of women
> Assertive women provoked much controversy – Webster had a recent and poignant
example in the last Tudor monarch, Elizabeth, who kept her throne intact by
remaining single, the opposite of the Duchess.
Incest and fornication
> The vehemence of Ferdinand’s outrage at his sister’s marriage surprises and then
alarms even the Cardinal – who’s words ‘to see her in the shameful act of sin’ his lust
for blood that leads him to offer the familial and phallic poniard all seem to point to
his carnal and unfulfilled and ultimately insane desire for his sister.
> Julia and the Cardinal – Webster’s cardinal is not at liberty to marry. Even in their
tenderer moments Julia and the Cardinal’s affair is shown as shallow, brilliant and
brittle. He is cynical and she is fickle – he mocks her with satire ‘Why do you weep?
Are tears your justification?’ is Webster discrediting of the Cardinal in a disguised
attempt to discredit the Catholic church?
> Webster uses contorted deviations of desire to ameliorate audience disapproval
already settling on the Duchess for her disregard of social, sexual and religious
convention.
Hell on earth
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller sophiaramaer1. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
84866 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now