Not only because of its provoking title, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore can be described as John Ford’s most controversial play (Anderson 92). The play’s main plot portrays the passionate but forbidden love between the siblings Giovanni and Annabella. Moreover, ‘Tis Pity is an extraordinary violent play with “… several vivid action sequences” (Abate 94). All in all, there are five murder victims, Annabella’s tutress Putana is blinded, and her father Florio drops dead. The play reaches its brutal climax when Giovanni enters the feast with Annabella’s heart on his dagger. Nonetheless, the Cardinal does only blame one person for what has happened in the course of the play: “Of one so young, so rich in Nature’s store, | Who could not say, ‘Tis Pity she’s a whore?” (V.vi.158-159). The Cardinal’s final condemnation seems to be “… unnecessarily vindictive” (Hopkins ix) because Annabella has not only repented of her sins, but she was also killed by her brother and her heart was displayed on his dagger. Besides, Corinne S. Abate points out that there are several other characters “… who could claim this denunciation and our pity” (Abate 94).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Relevance of the Play’s Title
2.1 Analysis of the Last Scene
2.2 Analysis of the Title
3. Representation of Women
3.1 Women in Jacobean Tragedies
3.2 Women in ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore
3.3 Annabella – The Whore of the Play?
4. The Role of Society
5. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Themes
This paper investigates the multifaceted meaning of the title of John Ford's play 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, focusing on the characterization of women and the societal structures that condemn them. It explores the disparity between the play's tragic events and the moral labeling of its female protagonists, specifically questioning the validity of the Cardinal's final judgment and the role of the corrupt society of Parma in the characters' fates.
- Analysis of the play's title and its significance in relation to the final scene.
- Representation of female characters within the context of Jacobean tragedy.
- Examination of the "double standard" applied to male and female characters.
- The influence of Parma's social framework on the plot and character development.
- Evaluation of Annabella's moral status and the role of irony in the play.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3 Annabella – The Whore of the Play?
One could say that Annabella embodies the ambiguous image of women in Jacobean tragedies. At the beginning, Giovanni idealizes Annabella, for instance, by comparing her to Juno, an ancient Roman goddess. When Giovanni professes his love to Annabella, it becomes obvious that he feels primarily attracted by her beauty: “… the view | Of thy immortal beauty hath untuned | All harmony both of my rest and life”. Moreover, the carnal aspect of his love becomes obvious: “Such lips would tempt a saint; such hands as those | Would make an anchorite lascivious”. In the course of the play, however, “… the ideal begins to self-destruct …” which means that Giovanni begins to fear Annabella’s sexuality because of his possessiveness.
Giovanni’s “fear of betrayal” becomes obvious for the first time when he asks Annabella to swear her love: “… sweet, canst thou be dared to swear | That thou wilt live to me, and to no other?”. Furthermore, Giovanni observes and comments Annabella’s behaviour towards other men, for instance during Soranzo’s marriage proposal. His jealousy, however, reaches its highest level after he has read Annabella’s letter in which she asks him to repent: “What, changed so soon? Hath your new sprightly lord | Found out a trick in night-games more than we | Could know in our simplicity? Ha, is ‘t so?”. At this point it becomes obvious that Giovanni’s admiration of Annabella has changed to suspicion. He seems to realize that Annabella “… cannot live up to the ideal …” he has created.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the controversial nature of the play and sets the focus on analyzing the title and the representation of women within a Jacobean context.
2. The Relevance of the Play’s Title: This chapter examines the connection between the play's provocative title and its final scene, arguing that the title serves as an ironic frame for the audience's reception.
3. Representation of Women: This chapter analyzes the characterization of female figures, arguing that they are unfairly stigmatized and punished for their sexuality while male failings are overlooked.
4. The Role of Society: The focus here is on the corrupt society of Parma and the role of the Cardinal in fostering a social environment that scapegoats women.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, asserting that Ford's play is a modern work that challenges traditional gender repression and invites the audience to form independent moral judgments.
Keywords
John Ford, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, Jacobean tragedy, Annabella, female representation, sexuality, morality, irony, society of Parma, Cardinal, gender roles, incest, scapegoat, Renaissance drama, literature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this academic paper?
The paper focuses on investigating why John Ford chose the provocative title 'Tis Pity She's a Whore and how this title relates to the portrayal of women and the society depicted within the play.
What are the central themes discussed in the work?
The core themes include the representation of women in Jacobean tragedy, the double standards regarding sexuality, the influence of a corrupt social environment, and the use of irony as a narrative device.
What is the primary research question being answered?
The paper seeks to answer why Ford selected such a strong, controversial title and how that title interacts with the play's plot, particularly regarding the condemnation of the character Annabella.
What scientific methodology is applied?
The research is based on a literary analysis of the play's text, specifically focusing on the last scene, the dedicatory epistle, and the recurring patterns of female characterization compared to contemporary scholarly interpretations.
Which aspects of the play are covered in the main section?
The main sections cover an analysis of the title's relevance, a study of female characters like Annabella, Putana, Hippolita, and Philotis, and an examination of the role of the Cardinal and the society of Parma.
What characterises this study regarding its core keywords?
The work is defined by terms such as Jacobean tragedy, irony, sexuality, gender representation, and the moral ambiguity surrounding the main characters.
How does the author interpret the Cardinal's final judgment?
The author interprets the Cardinal's final condemnation of Annabella as a form of "sinister irony" and a reflection of a society that blames women for incestuous crimes while largely absolving men.
Does the study conclude that Annabella is truly a "whore"?
No, the study argues that the label is an example of societal bias and that the play actually portrays Annabella with sympathy, inviting the audience to look beyond the Cardinal's narrow moral judgment.
- Quote paper
- Lisa Sangmeister (Author), 2010, Who is the Real Whore of Parma? – Representation of Women in Ford’s "'Tis Pity She’s a Whore", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/166095
