“Of one so young, so rich in nature’s store,
Who could not say, ‘Tis pity she’s a whore?” (5.6.160-1).
These words, which bring the play to a close, deserve some more attention:
First of all, we might ask ourselves whether the Cardinal’s choice of the word “pity” is appropriate. Is pity the right word? In my opinion, no. Stating the phrase “’Tis pity she’s a whore,” and entitling the play so, is far too simple. Indeed, the playful rhyme of these last lines is in keeping with this notion.
As for the word “pity” itself, which gets thrown around a lot throughout the play, especially when Vasques talks about Soranzo (e.g. 4.3.131, 5.6.117)—further trivializing its significance—there are actually several alternative words used earlier in the play that might better describe what we feel. In addition, Vasques uses pity, in these cases, as a verb (e.g. “so much I pity him” at 4.3.131). Vasques pities Soranzo. Notice the distinction between this “pity,” as a verb, and the Cardinal’s “’Tis pity she’s a whore,” where “pity” is used as a noun and is not really directed at Annabella at all but, rather, at the situation that her being a “whore” has created. Further, calling Annabella a “whore” is, arguably, an unjustified and simplified remark, as Annabella never intentionally uses her sexuality to “whorish” ends.
The friar, with an, arguably, less simplistic interpretation, blames the city itself: “Parma, farewell! Would I had never known thee, / Or aught of thine!” (5.3.67-8). Believing there is nothing he can do, the friar further leaves Giovanni “to despair” (5.3.69). Would “’Tis pity Parma is corrupt,” or something along those lines, be more appropriate? Or, alternatively, does simply fleeing Parma reveal the friar’s even more oversimplified take on the situation? After all, Giovanni does experience relief through death, which he describes as “a guest long looked for” (5.6.106). Even Soranzo claims to be “well pleased” in his death (5.6.91).
Giovanni calls Annabella and himself “traitors” (5.3.37). In the scene with the letter on the balcony, Annabella herself describes the situation as “A wretched, woeful woman’s tragedy!” (5.1.8). In the familiar playful fashion of the Cardinal, Annabella concludes this balcony scene with the couplet: “Thanks to the heavens, who have prolonged my breath / To this good use! Now I can welcome death” (5.1.58-9). Does Annabella herself oversimplify the “real problem”?
Instead of thinking about what the “right” response (pity? woe? etc.) might be, maybe the better question is: what ist the “real problem” in Parma? Is it really Annabella? Is it the incest? Social norms? If possible, think back to what you felt the “real problem” might be in other revenge tragedies. For example, The Jew of Malta ends with the strange and unfulfilling couplet delivered by Ferneze: “So, march away, and let due praise be given / Neither to fate or fortune, but to heaven” (5.5.23). We discussed the notion that this ending falls flat and that we do not necessarily believe that all is finally well in Malta. So, was Barabas himself really the problem, or was it Malta? Or something else?
Feel free to talk about any of the other plays we have read as well. For example, is there something in The Spanish Tragedy, which also has a scene with a letter written in blood, that can help us make sense of ‘Tis Pity? It may be helpful to compare these scenes side-by-side.
I think that on some level, the Cardinal's words reveal the general corruption throughout almost all of the characters in power (with the exception of the officers). This itself really answer the question "what is the real problem in Parma" as it is that all these corrupt and disingenuous people live in it. True, each degree and manner of corruption is different, but compacted together they all destroy each other. It's possible to find at least ones of the seven sins (lust, pride, greed, etc) represented by every character. While likely this kind of city does not exist in real life, where all of the worst somehow interact, Ford has overdramatised the base incongruities in humanity and shown what it leads to.
ReplyDeleteIt may be interesting to know that for some productions of this play, the title was changed to something more along the lines of "Giovanni & Annabella" or just "Annabella" or "The Brother and Sister."
I feel that the author meant to evoke a reaction out of the readers when he wrote "tis pity she's a whore" rather than truely meaning that she was a whore. From reading this play, it is clear that Annabel is not excessively promiscuous. She denies many suiters and is only sleeping with one man. People may deem her "bad" because that one man is her brother. However this curruption is by no means whore-like. I think the author was being somewhat sarcastic by ending the play so simply with a categorization of Annabel's character. After everything that happened in the play, he ends it by saying basically "well, she was a whore anyway." The author wants people to take a step back and consider that Annabel was not the only one to blame.
ReplyDelete-Hayley
In response to the question 'What is the real problem of Parma?' I would have to say that it is the corruption of the religious figures, such as the Friar and the Cardinal. Although she may have questionable morals, I don't think that we can directly blame Annabella for her actions, and I agree that the word 'whore' does not correctly define her.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that it is the Cardinal closing out the play by calling Annabella a 'whore' leads me to believe that the statement lacks validity, in that the Cardinal himself seems very corrupt. Even the Friar does not effectively execute his job, and the fact that Ford gave him the name 'Bonaventura' makes me question the role of the church even more.
I think the overarching problem with Parma is definitely the presence of the church. I also believe that Annabella is void of blame in this situation because of the lack of direction she is given. It is interesting that there is no mother figure in the play, and the only one giving Annabella advice is Putana, who actually is a 'whore.'
I thought I posted here before, but I didn't have time to check and I guess it didn't make it through...
ReplyDeleteI agree that the presence of the Church seems to be an overarching problem within this play. Closing with the Cardinal's line, "'Tis pity she's a whore," emphasizes the institution's dismissive and slightly nonsensical nature, which we see throughout. We talked about how the Cardinal overwhelmingly values the status quo and set social structures. Similarly, the Friar opens the play by discouraging Giovanni's intellectual appeals; he tells him not to question why or how the sun has come to be "[for] better 'tis to bless the sun than reason why it shines" (1.1.9-10). He frowns upon too much inquiry and analysis, following advice largely expected of the Church. By having religious figures open and close the play with oversimplified and arguable suggestions, the play highlights the Church's faults and misdirection.