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1
Q

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

A

1605 - the Catholic faith was dragged further into disrepute

2
Q

Why did Webster set his play in Italy?

A

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

3
Q

What are city comedies? And what brought them about?

A
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. 

ANTONIO (?)

4
Q

When was the play first written and performed?

A

1614

5
Q

What was the common Jacobean view of widows?

Give a quote from the duchess of Malfi that would support this.

A

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”

6
Q

Was marriage ‘per verba de presenti’ legal?

A

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.

7
Q

What characteristics does a Jacobean ‘cuckold’ have?

A

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)

8
Q

What was the reputation of James I court?

A

The court was known for its corruption and sexual licentiousness.

9
Q

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

A

Bosola - he ties the play together structurally and morally.

10
Q

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

A

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.

11
Q

Explain aristotles concept of a tragic hero

A
  • a person of emmenece
  • 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 ‘hermartia’ (fatal flaw) that leads to the ensuing tragedy
12
Q

How did Seneca influence Webster? Give examples.

A

🔸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)

13
Q

How did Seneca influence Webster? Give examples.

A

🔸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)

14
Q

What was the aragonese King Ferdinand known for?

A

His bloody enforcement of the catholic faith throughout his realm.

15
Q

What was the Jacobean attitude to Machiavellian principles?

A

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

16
Q

Briefly explain Machiavellis main principals.

In what book did Machiavelli express these ideas?

A

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.

The prince

17
Q

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

A

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.

18
Q

Painter on the Duchess

A

“Destructive power of lust”

19
Q

Who did Arbella Stuart marry and what was her punishment?

A

William Seymour

She was imprisoned and she died on hunger strike

20
Q

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

A

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

21
Q

True or false: James I was brought up Protestant.

A

True

22
Q

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

A

False - he refused their requests to reform the church.

23
Q

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

A

1588 - Spanish tried to invade England but were rebuffed by Elizabeth.

  • increased affection for queen Elizabeth
  • increased patriotism
  • greater anti-catholic vibes
24
Q

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

A

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

25
Q

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

A

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

26
Q

When was the prince written and published?

A

Written in 1513

Published in 1532

27
Q

What is the name of a marriage song?

A

Epithalamium

28
Q

What is a masque?

A

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

29
Q

What is ‘anagnorisis’?

A

Moment of recognition

30
Q

What is ‘catharsis’?

A

Empathy for hero

31
Q

Why did playwrights use malcontents?

A

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

32
Q

Why did playwrights use malcontents?

A

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