John Webster explores the attraction of the forbidden in multiple ways. The nature of attraction and the powers that determine what is forbidden vary everywhere. However, this theme remains evident in all the cases discussed in this essay. It is clear that a strong comparison can be made between “The Duchess of Malfi” and “Paradise Lost” by John Milton regarding the theme of attraction to the forbidden. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay One of the first allusions to the theme of attraction to the convicts is that of Bosola discussing the corrupt and morally repugnant nature of Ferdinand and the Cardinal. . He says: “He and his brother are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing ponds; they are rich and full of fruit, but only crows, pies and caterpillars feed on them. This demonstrates the extent to which he is aware that their actions within the court are completely reprehensible and therefore arguably morally prohibited. However, later in his speech he mentions that he "clung to their ears like a leech until I was full, and then he fell off." Although he is aware of the moral bankruptcy of the brothers, he is willing to submit to an internally self-destructive moral conundrum in the pursuit of monetary and social patronage. He depends on this patronage to support himself because, due to his previous crimes, he has been forced to cede part of his autonomy to the brothers. This notion of complacency at court would have resonated particularly with the Jacobean public of the time. The court of James I was notoriously rife with corruption; it was an institution teeming with those who tasted the financially and socially sweet fruit of political sycophancy. One of the key tenets of Renaissance tragedies is the emphasis on an anthropocentric view of the world. Therefore, God and the divine become a lesser element in the plays. This shift is also found in the morality of Renaissance plays, as ethical paradigms shifted toward that which is more selfish as opposed to the teachings exemplified in religion. This explains the sycophancy within the court of James I, as well as Webster's cynical portrayal of courtiers in "The Duchess of Malfi". The mention of “plum trees… laden with fruit” can be interpreted as an allusion to the forbidden fruit of Milton’s “Paradise Lost”. Although in "Paradise Lost" the tree in the Garden of Eden is presented as somewhat divine, it truly represents the transition to a postlapsarian era and the fall of man. Therefore, the metaphor of the twisted plum tree that Bosola speaks of is similar in that it represents the sin, sycophancy, and vices of humanity, similar to the tree in the Garden of Eden. The marriage of the Duchess and Antonio is also a clear example of attraction. forbidden. For Antonio, it is socially forbidden for him to marry the Duchess, because he would marry above his status and go too far. Although Antonio acts against the social construct that prohibits their marriage, he simultaneously participates in it, as he fulfills many social expectations of him, even minor things like removing his hat. During the Jacobean era, it was considered a gross violation of societal norms for the nobility to marry people considered unworthy of marriage. Despite this, and the inevitable violent repercussions from the duchess's brother, Antonio goes ahead with the marriage anyway. Although his pursuit of this marriage is self-destructive, his demonstrationof obscene incitement to both lust and love for the Duchess with his long speech in Act 1, Scene 2, shows that he is willing to risk his well-being for the sake of love . He delights in her rapture and the ecstasy of her speech; “For her speech, it is so full of delight, You will then only begin to complain when she finishes her speech.” This demonstrates how he considers the Duchess to be arguably the sweetest taste of all. Furthermore, the fact that she is forbidden in the social sphere to Antonio may be the cause of his desire and love for her. However, an alternative interpretation would be that it is false to draw a connection between the Duchess's social prohibition and Antonio's intense attraction to her. There is no explicit suggestion that the cause of his attraction to the Duchess is due to her being forbidden to him, although this could be seen as a potential factor in his love. The dynamics of the marriage can also be seen from the perspective of the Duchess, as she was also reportedly forbidden from marrying. Although the brothers have suggested marriage to a few potential suitors, including Bosola, it is clear from later dialogue that they wish her to remain single. This is mainly to prevent the Duchess's financial wealth from being shared and taken away from the family. Like Antonio, the Duchess would have been socially prohibited from marrying Antonio due to the general public's disdain for marrying outside of her class. The Jacobean public of the time would have shared this sentiment and argued that the policy should be maintained. It should be noted that the main source for the play was "The Palace of Pleasure", a text which is said to have argued in favor of condemning the Duchess's marriage because she was marrying below her quality. Quality was determined by one's position in society, and she violates an accepted societal norm by ignoring Antonio's quality. The statement that "forbidden tastes are sweetest" seems most applicable here, as it can be argued that part of the reason she pursues Antonio is because in doing so she realizes his ability to demonstrate autonomy and becomes an explorer of the unknown. She is a woman who uses her free will, which was very rare, and so by pursuing Antonio, she fights the patriarchal social confinements that try to prevent her from doing so. The Duchess would also have been prohibited from marrying Antonio on a potentially legal and moral level. If her previous marriage was not annulled, then it would be incredibly inappropriate for her to remarry. Contemporary audiences at the time would have been aware of this and would therefore be less sympathetic towards the Duchess. The public would not have had the same social mobility as a more modern public, so this must be taken into account when considering their reaction. A current audience would be much more sympathetic towards the Duchess than a contemporary Jacobean audience and so this must be taken into account when investigating Webster's portrayal of the characters. The Duchess's actions are the catalyst for the tragedy of the play, linking to the theme also present in "Paradise Lost", where wandering women bring about the final destruction of their societies. Both the Duchess and Eve are not blameless, for although they acted without malicious intent, they both brought about their downfall and that of those close to them through their disobedience to social structures. It can be argued that they were naive to believe they could challenge or overcome these structures. A clear example in the play that would relate to this statement would be the apricots in Act 2 Scene 1. Which is generallyprohibited in the room can be classified as socially, morally or legally prohibited. These events and occurrences mentioned above are inherently prohibited, but apricots are therefore prohibited. Eating an apricot is of course not prohibited in itself. However, for the Duchess, they are prohibited in relation to her because they expose her, and they also expose what is forbidden. People of the Renaissance era believed that pregnant women craved fresh fruit and that apricots specifically induced labor. Webster's contemporary audience would have been fully aware of this and so the mention of apricots would have immediately alerted them to the danger this fruit posed to the Duchess. There are a plethora of relationships that can be linked to “Paradise Lost”, linked to the forbidden fruit and the actions of women. As an aside, Bosola says: “With what relish she eats them! », demonstrating the intemperance of the duchess. This relates to Paradise Lost since the intemperance of the women (the Duchess and Eve) directly causes their downfall. Eve also cannot resist the temptation of the fruit and therefore succumbs to her intemperance and eats it. This leads directly to his and Adam's downfall. There are also similarities in the attacker who seduces the woman in both texts, Bosola and Satan. They both present the fruit as something that should be eaten, and both trick the women into exposing themselves. Another relationship can be established between Adam in Paradise Lost and Antonio; they are both men who suffer because their partners succumb to temptation. Furthermore, not only are apricots forbidden because they would expose the Duchess, but what they expose (pregnancy) is also prohibited. The baby is the result of a potentially illegitimate marriage, as it appears the Duchess' previous marriage was not annulled. This would have meant that the Jacobean public, more concerned with the sanctity of marriage and the legitimate procedure of the sacrament, would have had less sympathy towards the Duchess for marrying Antonio while not properly ending the marriage with her previous deceased husband. (as mentioned above). The statement “Forbidden tastes are sweetest” also refers to forbidden sexual desire. For example, Julia is forbidden fruit for the Cardinal, because this adulterous relationship is socially and morally forbidden, and furthermore, the Cardinal's position in the Church means that he should abstain from sexual relations anyway, which which makes his sexual fraternization even more shocking. This revelation of corruption within the Church parallels David Carnegie's statement: "The Church, stripped of its disgusting eggs, reveals itself barbaric." The cardinal's actions would have greatly shocked a Renaissance audience; however, the seriousness and scandalous nature of his actions may not be perceived by today's public. To try to combat this, the directors of recent renditions of "The Duchess of Malfi", notably Kevin Spacey, have gone so far as to ask actors to depict sex on stage in an attempt to arouse the same outrage as an audience Jacobean. The most striking example of a forbidden relationship is the incestuous relationship that Ferdinand desires with the Duchess. He has an intense desire for her, but recognizes that it is socially and morally forbidden and therefore attempts to hide it. On Bosola's demand to know why Ferdinand wants him to inspect the Duchess; “Ask you not the reason; but be satisfied. I said I wouldn't do it. Ferdinand's taboo desire probably comes from his obsession with maintaining blood purity, and this is why he so disapproves of the Duchess marrying someone else. We..