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Analyzing Historical and Cultural Perspectives of Women’s Roles in the Early Modern Period through John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi Student: Ivy King, English Professor: Susan Cosby Ronnenberg, English Viterbo University Synopsis -The Duchess of Malfi, an aristocrat, secretly marries her steward, Antonio with the help of her maid, Cariola -The Duchess’s brothers, the Cardinal and Ferdinand, place Bosola, a spy, in her household -The couple keeps their marriage a secret long enough to have three children -In their imprisonment, the Duchess, Cariola, and the two children are murdered by Bosola -Antonio is killed, and Bosola decides to kill the brothers Marriage and Education -Rules over Amalfi at 21 -The Duchess- “Twas my wedding ring / and I did vow never to part with it / but to my second husband” (1.1.406-408) -A witness validates marriage -The rules are different for a woman of aristocratic blood -A Humanist education Introduction John Webster’s play The Duchess of Malfi (1623) represents women’s roles of the early modern period through a retelling of an actual historical person’s story, Giovanna d’Aragona. The play highlights marriage customs, expectations of women, education, and religious customs. Cultural Expectations of Women and Being of Aristocratic Blood -As head of the family, Ferdinand has control over the Duchess -Duty to her family -Widows of the time do have more economic and social independence -The Duchess- “Let them, like tyrants / never be remembered but for the ill they have done” (4.1.105-106) Religious Expectations -Cariola- “I do not like this jesting with religion / this feigned pilgrimage” (3.2.316-317) -Pilgrimages were not unusual -The Duchess and Cariola play with religion -A “betrayal of her family’s prestige” (Amendola 146) Works Cited Amendola, Barbara Banks. The Mystery of the Duchess of Malfi. Sutton, 2002. Bevington, David, et al, editors. “Introduction to The Duchess of Malfi” English Renaissance Drama: A Norton Anthology. WW Norton, 2002, pp.1749-1754. Webster, John. “The Duchess of Malfi.” English Renaissance Drama: A Norton Anthology. Editors, David Bevington, Lars Engle, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Eric Rasmussen, WW Norton, 2002, pp. 1755-1830. Wiesner, Merry E. Women and Gender in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge A Map of Italy in the 15th UP, 1993. Century A Map of Naples A Portrait Presumed to Be the Duchess of Amalfi A Copy of The Duchess of Malfi Printed in 1623
Object Description
Title of Work | Analyzing Historical and Cultural Perspectives of Women's Roles in the Early Modern Period through John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi |
Author | Ivy L. King |
Scholarship Group | Seven Rivers Undergraduate Research Symposium |
Summary of Work | John Webster's play The Duchess of Malfi (1623) represents women's roles of the early modern period through a retelling of an actual historical person's story, Giovanna d'Aragona. The play highlights marriage customs, expectations of women, education, and religious customs. |
Advisor | Susan G. Cosby Ronnenberg |
Date of Student Graduation | 2018 |
Date of Work | 2016-11-11 |
Degree Name | Bachelor of Arts |
Major/Program | English |
School | School of Humanities |
Type of Material |
Text Image |
File Name | 2016_7r_kin.pdf |
Material Format | PDF/A |
Usage Rights | This item cannot be copied, reproduced, or transmitted in any form, by any means, without the express written permission of the author. |
Description
Title of Work | Page 1 |
Full Text Search | Analyzing Historical and Cultural Perspectives of Women’s Roles in the Early Modern Period through John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi Student: Ivy King, English Professor: Susan Cosby Ronnenberg, English Viterbo University Synopsis -The Duchess of Malfi, an aristocrat, secretly marries her steward, Antonio with the help of her maid, Cariola -The Duchess’s brothers, the Cardinal and Ferdinand, place Bosola, a spy, in her household -The couple keeps their marriage a secret long enough to have three children -In their imprisonment, the Duchess, Cariola, and the two children are murdered by Bosola -Antonio is killed, and Bosola decides to kill the brothers Marriage and Education -Rules over Amalfi at 21 -The Duchess- “Twas my wedding ring / and I did vow never to part with it / but to my second husband” (1.1.406-408) -A witness validates marriage -The rules are different for a woman of aristocratic blood -A Humanist education Introduction John Webster’s play The Duchess of Malfi (1623) represents women’s roles of the early modern period through a retelling of an actual historical person’s story, Giovanna d’Aragona. The play highlights marriage customs, expectations of women, education, and religious customs. Cultural Expectations of Women and Being of Aristocratic Blood -As head of the family, Ferdinand has control over the Duchess -Duty to her family -Widows of the time do have more economic and social independence -The Duchess- “Let them, like tyrants / never be remembered but for the ill they have done” (4.1.105-106) Religious Expectations -Cariola- “I do not like this jesting with religion / this feigned pilgrimage” (3.2.316-317) -Pilgrimages were not unusual -The Duchess and Cariola play with religion -A “betrayal of her family’s prestige” (Amendola 146) Works Cited Amendola, Barbara Banks. The Mystery of the Duchess of Malfi. Sutton, 2002. Bevington, David, et al, editors. “Introduction to The Duchess of Malfi” English Renaissance Drama: A Norton Anthology. WW Norton, 2002, pp.1749-1754. Webster, John. “The Duchess of Malfi.” English Renaissance Drama: A Norton Anthology. Editors, David Bevington, Lars Engle, Katharine Eisaman Maus, and Eric Rasmussen, WW Norton, 2002, pp. 1755-1830. Wiesner, Merry E. Women and Gender in Early Modern Europe. Cambridge A Map of Italy in the 15th UP, 1993. Century A Map of Naples A Portrait Presumed to Be the Duchess of Amalfi A Copy of The Duchess of Malfi Printed in 1623 |