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"Whether the spirit of greatness or woman reigns most in her, I know not, but it shows a fearful madness. I owe her much of pity" (I.i. 492)How far do you agree with Cariola's lines as a summary of the Duchess?
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"Whether the spirit of greatness or woman reigns most in her, I know not, but it shows a fearful madness. I owe her much of pity" (I.i. 492) How far do you agree with Cariola's lines as a summary of the Duchess? You should base your answer on an examination of two or more appropriate sequences of your choice. The Duchess certainly has the spirit of greatness in her, as she shows in her death scene, where her nobility and courage are proved. However, she is also subject to the 'spirit of woman', shown in the scene where she woos Antonio, as it is essentially this which leads to her downfall and can be seen as her hermatia, her fatal mistake which was part of the typical structure of a revenge tragedy. It is her longing for a loving relationship regardless of her public responsibilities, a completely new philosophy in the...
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