The Country Wife - Wycherley > corso English literature 2, Appunti di Letteratura Inglese

Scarica The Country Wife - Wycherley > corso English literature 2 e più Appunti in PDF di Letteratura Inglese solo su Docsity! Laughing Britain: A Voyage through Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Comedy The Country Wife William Wycherley WILLIAMWYCHERLEY (1641 – 1715) Wycherley was born in Clive, Shropshire, in 1641. He was the eldest of six children and seems to have been taught at home by his father until he was fifteen, when he was sent to France and joined the literary salon of Madame de Montausier at Angoulême > early exposure to French influence . He returned to London just prior to the Restoration in 1659 and was admitted to Oxford, in 1660 (converted to catholicism, excluded from public offices > can’t have a degree at the university). He did not take a degree at Oxford and returned to London where he led the life of a fashionable gentleman (reputation of LIBERTINE). He spent some time in Ireland with the Earl of Arran’s regiment in 1662, is believed to have spent time in Spain on a diplomatic mission in 1664, may have served at sea in the Second Dutch War, and was made a Captain in the Duke of Buckingham’s regiment in 1672 and became his equerry. Like his patron he had a reputation as a womaniser and a libertine, while his plays established his reputation and he was a favourite at court. Wycherley should have been comfortable for life, but was foolish enough secretly to marry the Countess of Drogheda when her husband died. The Countess had a very bad reputation, and he fell from favour. She brought financial problems with her, and when she died leaving him her large fortune, her family contested the will and Wycherley became involved in endless lawsuits. He was sent to the Fleet Prison for debt and was there for seven years. James (king) then pardoned him and granted him a pension of £200 a year, and it was probably about this time that Wycherley converted, or returned, to Roman Catholicism. Unfortunately the pension was lost when James lost the throne in 1689, and his financial troubles continued until he inherited Clive Hall on the death of his father in 1697. He did not grow old gracefully as his memory soon started to deteriorate. He died on January 1st 1716. THE PLAYS William Wycherley is an important figure in Restoration drama although his reputation as a dramatist rests on only four plays: ❖ Love in a Wood (staged in 1671) ❖ The Gentleman Dancing Master (1672) ❖ The Country Wife (1675) ❖ The Plain Dealer (1676) All Wycherley’s plays are comedies based on the behaviour of fashionable London society of the time; his themes are of sexual licence in a climate of lewd, bawdy immorality, which reflects the amoral attitudes of the audience. But his young men and women flirt in clever, witty, repartee, a witty or sharp reply; a quick, clever retort. THE COUNTRYWIFE: SOURCES ★ Molière, L’École des maris (1661) and especially L’École des femmes (1662) From the first, Wycherly took the idea of a dupe who becomes a go-between (repressive Sganarelle), while The School for Wives presents old Arnolphe, who is so frightened of women that he decides to marry his ward (protetta ha un tutore), Agnès, a girl entirely unacquainted with the ways of the world since she has been raised in a convent > ignorant of sexual world ★ Terence, The Eunuch (161 BC) Chaerea, a young man, gains entry to the all-female household of Thais, a prostitute and brothel-operator, pretending to be an eunuch. He is made Pamphila’s – Thais’ daughter – personal overseer and rapes her. To his friend Antipho, Chaerea later relays the shocking account of his rape of Pamphila. SUCCESS It was first staged in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The king, Charles II, loved it enough to see it three times, and is even said to have joined the final ‘dance of cuckolds’ at the end of the performance. Wycherley's two greatest plays were steadily performed through the first half of the eighteenth century, but their bawdiness (oscenità) made them increasingly hard to stage. The Country-Wife, though still described as “one of our most celebrated Comedies”, was too obscene for eighteenth century tastes (1700). It was revised into a two-act play by John Lee in 1765, with Horner removed, and in 1766 David Garrick recast it as the bland romantic comedy The Country Girl, in which Margery Pinchwife and her husband reappear as Peggy Thrift and Jack Moody. This was a great success. It later suffered the neglect common to Restoration plays in the nineteenth century, and in 1919 Montague Summers’s Phoenix Society at the Regent Theatre (London) was attacked for plans to produce it. However, their production of The Country Wife in 1924 proved extremely successful, although it was not performed in its original form. The Country Wife has emerged as the most successful of Wycherley’s plays, and was steadily performed in the twentieth century. It is now recognized as one of the period’s major achievements, and is perhaps the most studied and frequently performed of all Restoration plays. TWENTIETH-CENTURY (REVIVAL) PRODUCTIONS ● Royal Court (1956) – directed by George Devine, starring Joan Plowright as Margery Pinchwife ● Chichester Festival Theatre (1969) – directed by Robert Chetwyn, starring Maggie Smith as Mrs Pinchwife ● THE COUNTRY WIFE MINERVA, CHICHESTER 2018 – Susannah Fielding as Mrs Pinchwife It is set in modern times and it is a different version of the play. Succeeded in the 20-21 centuries. THE COUNTRYWIFE (1675) - Theatre royal staged in January 1675 > brilliant satire uncovered of selfish desire - Title page > usual to have the address of the printer sign - the sign was painted outside the theatre - The play involves three plots > male protagonist all active involved in being rakes (libertini), womaniser THREEDIFFERENTPLOTS Plays in 3 different plots Male characters ● HORNER > unrepentant rake (libertino, womaniser) ● PINCHWIFE > old retired rake > he made a choice for his wife ● HARCOURT > former rake > beginning by being a rake many lovers then he falls in love with Alithea and he’s former and reformed rake. A libertine that changes in the play >> last name could allow the fact he finds it hard to court a woman, because he’s interested in sexual relationships. First name is Frank, transformed into a frank honest character. Female characters ● MARGERY PINCHWIFE (married to Pinchwife falls for Horner) > she is the country wife and she is seduced by Horner and learns how to lie to husband ● LADY FIDGET (married to Sir Jaspar Fidget sleeps with Horner) > the one of the major of the virtuous gang > club of married ladies in town who wished to be reputed as a honourable and noble wives which they aren't. HORNER Horn > sono le corna anche del cornuto. - He gives horns to other people and make them cuckolds (cornuti) - Large-horned creature = sexually valiant He wants to be like IMPOTENT - Horner… HONOUR> it will be a key term in the play and every time the audience will hear the word honour it’s a reason for LAUGHING > completely devoid (privo) of any meaning. The word sound like Horner > honour is meaningful in the play (Horner want to access to married women - Associated with the DEVIL > “the devil” > Pincacthtwife will never never believed about the french cure - All in all, though, his libertinism seems focused on outwitting the husbands rather than possessing the wives. LIBERTINISM seems focused > he doesn't talk about women, he wants to practise this trick, to fool husbands not wives. | The idea of ISSUES OF SEXUAL FREE > it’s all about women that try to REBEL > they are object in an exchange > marriage exchange, sexual exchange for men. Then two ladies and a gentleman are coming up: Sir Jasper, Lady Fidget and Mrs Dainty (Jasper’s sister) Fidget means agitato “My coach breaking just now before…” Idea of repeating SIR again makes this style faithful (fedele) to the name “Fidget” “What then, sir” Horner is ready to mock him (deridere) “So the report is true…” Jaspar wants to be witty with him (spiritoso). He thinks that he will be liberal with his wife in front of Horner, he will be more brilliant because he believes in his trick “ I’ll plague him” (lo tormenterò) He thinks he can mock Horner >> he physically forces his wife on him “ I make no more cuckolds” He says he’s not that person anymore, he’s changed of what he was used to be “ Mercury” evokes the god and the fact that mercury (as a chemical substance) was used to cure syphilis > Horner signs the horns and Jaspar thinks they are Mercury’s horns to cure syphilis. Jaspar does not interpret the horns sign in the right sense >> cannot see the signals “ But too much a French fellow, ” Lady Fidget defends her image of a quality, virtuous woman and in love with her husband “ You do well, madam; for I have nothing that you came for” He says this in front of her husband, then he lists a few things that allowed to sex > body picture, pornograpy body book, new posters and sexual positions (Ecole des Filles) “He hates women perfectly, I find.” Sir Jasper is more and more sure about the rumour “ Because your virtue is your greatest affectation” Affectation is hypocrisy (impose on something else) “Would you wrong my honour?”Word HONOUR > he probably also has a relation with Lady Fidget (non ho niente di quello che cerchi). Audience laugh when they hear this word (without meaning word here) > civils values represented “Why do we stay?...” Let’s go away says Lady Fidget “Nor can I stay longer” Sir Jasper's busy life > business more important than love and wife “What leaves us with a filthy man alone…” Before Sir Jasper would will never led wife and sister alone in Horner’s house > Horner now is an “innocent” man “Play cards with my wife after dinner” Horner will play another game with the wives > Jasper thought by having Horner entertaining his wife he’s protecting her and himself too from becoming a cuckold “Let me alone, if I can not abuse the husbands” This is the game made by the trick >> he wants to practise this trick, to fool husbands not wives >> trick husbands in order to have wives. Performed on a man made from another man. “Stay I’ll…” He has done this because he’s tired of sleeping with the same women, new lovers > he made the stratagem > close to the pleasure of making a new lover is that of leaving the old one “ Doctor, thou…” THOU > second-person singular pronoun in English (demonstrative pronoun, object pronoun)> dare del tu “Women of quality…?” They pretend to be virtuous >> she shows AVERSION to him but she loves the SPORT (sex) Those women cared only about their reputation not MEN >> they avoid gossip, scandals not men “Would you wrong my honour?” Hornor uses LATIN because quack called him a doctor (someone who has the highest level of university education). “Vizard mask” Everybody went to the theatre and Horner was brave enough to go also with his current reputation (rumour was spread). He was brave, but there are other people that are BRAVE who dispute their reputation and are present in theatre>> second hand critics (recycle other’s ideas), ill poets, pregnant actresses, orange-wenches and drunken vizard masks→masked women > women of quality who wore masks at the theatre. In the 16 ies prostitutes used to wear masks, the women of quality started to avoid masks (queen prohibited). “Superannuated stallions” Horner compared to the stallion > reproduction with the mare “A mistress should be like a little country…” A woman is like a refugee in the country, you stay one night and then you return to the city >> you appreciate the city more. Country is referred to vagina (buchetto in campagna) “Wine gives you joy” Having many lovers of that time, was connected to diseases (syphilis). Homage to the wine because he wants to keep up and underline his impotence “Come, for my part” Not enjoying the pleasure of love (sex), the only pleasure is to be with friends, food and good company and get drunk “Shall I speak?” Sparkish enter in the scene and goes straight to the point > he’s a young man of the town (informal vocabulary) “Fine new signs ” insegne dei negozi > “The best sign is …” Allusion to Horner. In the First act, each scene presents a character and a topic. | Everybody in the scenes pretend to be something he/she is not: Lady Fidget > pretend to be a virtuous woman Horner > pretend to be impotent Sparkish > pretend to have sophistication he doesn't possess | There is this IDEA OF MISREADING THE SIGN > all the signs in the play are constantly misread and misinterpreted. “Sign of a man” He’s a SIGN of a man without SUBSTANCE “I have left at Whitehall” Inspiration of Oscar Wilde’s play > figure of the DANDY much in depth in the Restauration characters “No, sir, a wit to me” Sparkish aspired to be a MAN OF WIT > very BRILLIANT and RARE ro produce “with your fooling” It’s all about going to the theatre and wanting to sit where there are those who are brilliant in order to engage a dialogue with the stage and the scene. The significance of the sign is contingent upon privileges. Horner is a sign of no substance > interpretation is contingent upon rumours (è condizionata) and the narrative emasculation that runs in town “Enter PINCHWIFE” He is one of the main characters in the play. He used to be a libertine but now he is older, he thought about a redrawing of the London scene and he has married > he is cautions and reticent about his wife “By thy long absence from the town” Pitchwife’s being absent from the town >> possibly he has married “Does he know I'm married too?” He doesn’t want other people to know about the marriage >> he has FEAR OF BECOMING A CUCKOLD (especially Horner for his reputation). He also doesn’t have a fashionable dress > during the restoration, people who belong to the town, dress in a fashionable way. But he justified his dress not saying he got married but saying he stayed in the country and he had to prepare the dowry (dote) of his sister > marriage based on economic reasons instead of love passion “You country gentlemen..” Horner is only curious is Pitchwife is married or not >> he says the next step for Pitchwife is becoming a CUCKOLD “But I did not expect marriage” He didn’t expect a marriage from a WHOREMASTER (puttaniere) >> now we know that Pitchwife was also a libertin and a whoremaster. “I have married no London wife” The wife is not a town lady so he won’t be a cuckold. Country Wives are supposed to be naive because they don’t have the knowledge of town ladies “ That's all one”Marrying a woman is compared to buying HORSES (cavalli). Marriage and women are supposed to be acquired > they were objects and they must be negotiated with a master >> PATRIARCHAL THOUGHT AND IDEA OF MARRIAGE (object of exchange). Horner says to Pitchwife that he refuse to buy a horse in town but in country he will be cheat by another friend (sarà lo stesso cornuto) “ A pox on him ”Women were compared to horses >> negotiation between MEN “Come, come” Not assure of getting a naive and virtuous wife “'ll answer as I should do” Values to be looked at in a country wife are: young, modest and housewife > she doesn't have any curiosity about the town and about the entertainment and temptation and corruption of the town. “bring her to be taught breeding” (allevamento) DOUBLE MEANING > EDUCATION TO GENTILITY AND SEX EDUCATION: 1) be a good breed > come in town to lean how a gentle woman must behave 2) pregnant “Why, if she be ill-favoured” Don’t worry bringing her into town, they have so many other things to eat >> don’t bother her “as rich as if she” He only chose her because she’s IGNORANT. He’s older than her so he can CONTROL her “Tis my maxim, he's a fool that marries; but he's a greater that does not marry a fool” uno sciocco è chi si sposa ma è ancora più sciocco chi non sposa uno sciocco > he can control her > comic consequences “Yes, to keep it” Her beingWITTY (spiritosa) allows to keep the fact from the knowledge >> she will grow to outwit (sconfiggere) Pintchwife >> fool can’t contrive (escogitare)to make husband a cuckold “I'll take care for one” They realise Pitchwife doesn't believe in the trick “No, the word is”Marriage sort of bandage, DEATH SENTENCE TO PASSION > one can’t be faithful to one wife. Being married is NOT A CURE for whoring but an INCENTIVE to adultery >>> no variety from a sexual point of view “gamester ” As a gamemaster continues to play until the money runs out, the same happens to men as long as the physique holds. “Stakes ” DOUBLE VULGAR MEANING > stakes means: 1) BET 2) ERECTION Double meaning: the MONEY and the VIGOUR “you may laugh at me” Pitwife keeps saying and instinting on the idea he know the corruption of the town and care for about keeping his wife away from corruption and fashion of town “ then you only married to keep ” Pinchwife has taken his wife to the theatre > they sit in the “eighteen penny place” also frequented by prostitutes >> the best place to sit in order to not be seen but Horner spotted her “He blushes.” He suspected she was Pitchwife’s wife >> she’s sure “ I'll treat thee ” He will pay the dinner >> since you’re destined to let me sleep with your wife I’ll pay for your dinner “Why, 'tis as hard to find ” Rhyming couplets sign the END OF THE ACT ACT SECOND SCENE I Pitchwife is hearing the conversation between Mrs Pinchwife and Alithea “where are the best fields” She’s immediately curious about places in London “Jealous! what's that?” She’s NAIVE she doesn't even know what jealousy is “loving another man” EMBLEM in the play “I would have ventured, for all that” he has an implanted sexual curiosity in HER mind Wycherley thus constructs CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF VIEWERSHIP in which female spectatorship engenders, as Gosson cautions, an unruly female sexual will. More than the actual adultery, she tricks him from the linguistic point of view before doing it physically. We don’t see them in the playhouse, but we know what happened. CONCENTRIC CIRCLES OF VIEWERSHIP What happens in the theatre: Margery sees the plays, Horner looks at Margery > CONCENTRIC VIEWERSHIP Crossing complicated different degrades of viewership and sexualisation Pincthwife's fear is that (he brings his wife to theatre) she can learn from other women's behaviour. Pitchwife is watching Horner watching his wife watching the actors > CONCENTRIC VIEWERSHIP WINDOWS AND LANGUAGE He’s so jealous, he locks her in the house and forces her to stay at least three steps away from the Window telling her that he has someone who controls her in the street > spy in the street He wishes to contain his wife not only physically but also to contain her language Pinchwife: «And be sure you come not within three strides [long steps] of the window, when I am gone; for I have a spy in the street» Gosson: «You neede not goe abroade (to go out far from the house) to be tempted, you shall be intised (provocare, accendere) at your owne windowes. The best counsel that I can give you, is to keepe home, & shun all occasion of ill speech» (Schoole of Abuse) >>> Going out and being seen can provoke desire, stay home will make sure that women stay away (shun = evitare). Also ill speech language can also corrupted her Jeremy Collier (1650-1726) - English critic, cleric and anti-theatrical polemist A Short View of the Immorality and Profaneness of the Stage (1698) Collier attacked plays such as The Country Wife, especially for: - Their Smuttiness (volgare) of Expression - Their Swearing, Profaneness and Lewd Application of Scripture - Their Abuse of the Clergy - They make their Top Characters Libertines, and give them Success in their Debauchery… Rankness, and Indecency of their Language” >> Horner is unpunished he continue to produce tricks Country wife is a permeation of that language to the eyes of Collier profane and smutting (profana) expression of language .THE NEW LANGUAGE Learn of a NEW LANGUAGE >> learning a language of desire and sexual transgression was again an idea supported from the antitheatrical. The moral texture and the language used in these plays are source of immorality and corruption >> METATHEATRICAL reference to the antitheatrical PREJUDICES | Jeremy Collier would insists that virtuous woman must avoid this new language that the theatre suggest to women: Collier: «The Old Romans were particularly careful their Women might not be affronted in Conversation: For this reason the Unmarried kept off from Entertainments for fear of learning new Language» (A Short View). Pinchwife [to Alithea]: “do not talk so before my Wife” (2.1.42) “do not teach my Wife, where the Men are to be found» (2.1.52-53) “were you not talking of Plays, and Players, when I came in?” (2.1.60-61). In the letter-writing scene, he tries to force his language into her pen, an exertion of masculine will designed to control her sexual choices and restrict access to her body >> He dictate her to write a letter to Horner SCENE OF THE LETTER: ACT FOURTH SCENE II “Yes, I warrant you” She is very CANDIDE (ingenua), naive and sincere with her husband “So, 'tis plain she loves him”Mrs Pinchwife blames (incolpa) Margery’s behaviour on the fact that she’s a woman and she would be potentially deluded (illusion no deludere) from LOVE. In his vision women are creatures that must be guided and directed but when they fall in love, love tells them to cheat. “Lord, what d'ye make a fool of me for?” She views a social opportunity: Horner is in town so why write him a letter in fact she wants to visit him. She’s naive about Mr Pinchwife’s intentions and he’s happy to hear such naive objections and discourses because she can't’ get what he wants to make. Mrs Pitchwife speaks not her language but Mr Pitchwife’s language “Though I suffered last night” He wishes to control in his wife “Once more write” MISCHIEF (Coltello a serramanico ) also alludes to a demasculinization > the object is "small" (Double meaning) Margery is now use inappropriate language to call an older husband = to perform naive and very far from sexually transgressive Now she gradually earns and learn he ability to allude husband control also sexually She rewrite the letter to Horner says completely different things Pinchwife will give the letter (rewrite form his wife) to Horner> it is Pinchwife that put the instrument of potential transgression in his wife hands THE SWORD, THE PENKNIFE AND THE PEN PEN > objects she’s using PEN KNIFE > coltello serramanico (small one) SWORD > in the scene IV when Mrs Margery is writing another letter to Horner, her husband threat her These three objects might be read as phallic objects and connected to the sexual relationship between Mr and Mrs Pinchwife. “Write as I bid you,”or I will write whore with this penknife in your face. The sword becomes a penknife >>> sexual failure to perform “What drawn upon your wife? You should never do that, but at night in the dark, when you can't hurt her” (4.4.43-44) "Write as I bid you, or I will write whore with this penknife in your face" (4.2.84-5) "Was this fair paper, this most goodly (FINTO) book, / Made to write whore upon?" (Othello, 4.2.70-71) | It is as though Margery were to become his pen, the passive agent of Pinchwife's inscriptions. But once he has put the pen in her hands, he can no more control its function, than he can manage the ideas which, with unerring stupidity, he repeatedly puts in her mind. VIOLENT EXPRESSION in Shakespeare’s Othello > The wife betrays him since he is dark > googly book is made by a whore. Pinchwife mimics that same situation of Othello but he has a penknife >> COMIC REPRESENTATION OF THAT RELATIONSHIP Desdemona (Othello) never speaks up for herself (non trova scuse) instead Margey follows the opposite behaviour > the silly wife is switched into a more sophisticated woman who can actually cheat ➔ Othello with his violent force succeeds while Pinchwife always threatens but fails >> FAILED OTHELLO “No, tormenting fiend!” Pinchwife has given her an INSTRUMENT OF REBELLION > the pen, the penknife and the sword can be a sadistic pain > it combines two forms of phallic aggressiveness. DOUBLE MEANING: The pen itself is a sign of penis because of its shape but it is also a fashion art of sign > you write with it | It becomes the perfect emblem of the male desire to inscribe and specifically upon in female body For Mr Pinchwife women are tabula rasa waiting for masculine inscriptions and this is also performed in the scene > with a pen knife he proposes with masculine authority and a treat. | Margery is become herself the pen, the passive agent of Pinchwife's inscriptions (he tells her what to write) But once he has put the pen in her hands, he can no more control its function, than he can manage the ideas which, with impeccable stupidity, he repeatedly puts in her mind (she write another letter to Horner) “For Mr. Horner '' She writes another version of the same letter with all different kinds of tone. She has changed since she arrived in London, she’s not the naive countrywife we have met, Mr Pinchwife has taught her how to write a letter and he can no longer control its function. “Snatches the letter from him ” She is quick and changes the first letter with the second and the letter is sealed (sigillata) “Well, you are a good girl then. ” He is conceived of his control over her and he’s happy she is obedient with him. three strides of the window >> antitheatrical prejudice, she’s better not be seen in public that much SCENE III “But you are over-kind to me”When the king had lovers, he made them marry so even if they got pregnant, the child could be her husband’s. In addition the king gave to husbands money and property for their kindness. “Ha! Is this a trick of his or hers?” Horner doesn’t understand why such a jealous husband gives him this love letter from his wife “Well, I must e'en acquiesce then ” This is not a misreading of signs because Mr Pinchwife is convinced >> everything is based on misunderstanding and misinterpretation of reality UNDERMINING THE ATTACK It is Pinchwife's own reticence and restrictions that ultimately inspire Margery's curiosity! ● "I did not care for going, but when you forbid me, you make me, as't were, desire it" (2.1.86-87) ● "Poor wretch! She desired not to come to London; I would bring her . .. She ne'er ask'd me. I was myself the cause of her going" (3.1.23-24; 29) ● "one of the lewdest Fellows in Town, who saw you there, told me he was in love with you" (2.1.100-101) ● "I've gone too far, and slipt before I was aware" (2.1.103) ● "Go fetch pen, ink, and paper out of the next room" (4.2.51) PINCHWIFE ANDMARGERY ● Pinchwife's needs to control Margery's and to a lesser extent Alithea's sexuality is also linked to the preservation of power. ● For him, alliance serves primarily as a means of safeguarding his position within his own marriage. ● Pinchwife reduces wife and sister to counters in the masculine game of patrilineal succession. ● Cuckoldry corresponds then to a symbolic emasculation. ● Margery constructs her own sexual identity outside the circumscribed area of patriarchal interest. ● The final dance of cuckolds grotesquely illustrates a pernicious erosion of the husband's power from within. SCENE IV “Well, 'tis e'en so, I have got the London disease they call love ” She has prepared herself in order to become a different person, she has learned new tricks and she has the London disease. “But I have so strong” Lady Fidget is a privilege interpreter of the signs and she does this in front of her husband “Why, indeed, Sir Jasper” she’s playing on the meaning of his name meaning the OPPOSITE > PARADOX > Horner comes to be the sign of honour since he has to be harmless (innocuo) >> his name, which means “cornificatore”, becomes a sign of virtue and honour because he’s harmless >> All is played on the paradoxical game and Sir Jasper falls to the game. Horner a name signifying dishonour for victims becomes the sign of honour. “Well, well—that your ” DOUBLE MEANING for BUSINESS: ➔ Sexual intercourse > he encourages and forces his wife upon Horner > business more pleasant ➔ Business affairs “Who for his business” COUPLETS END THE ACT > if you go away I will do my business | ACT FIFTH SCENE IV >>> “Nay, and is e'en as” The reading of the signs depends on contingency, on opinions. There is no one authentic single interpretation of signs and the play is built around a continuous misreading of these signs ALITHEA-SPARKISH-HARCOURT TRIANGLE SCENE I “Love proceeds” The intention of Sparkish is only to have the money of her dowry (dote) thanks to the marriage. ACT THIRD SCENE I “ Is it for your” Another scene of jokes about meanings of words between these triangle people. Sparkish insists on reading his friends' behaviour (Harcourt) in the most flattering light/the best way > word in a flattery (adulazione) way > he thinks his friend is genuinely happy for him. Sparkish is concentrating on himself and he doesn't see that Harcourt is stealing his wife >> he tries to prove his passion for Alithea while concealing the intentions with elaborative actions. “I love you, madam” Contradiction in VERBAL and GESTURE sign >> stage directions > he says one thing and then gestures contradict what he's saying. Sparkish doesn't see the signs. THE NEW EXCHANGE Arcaded courtyard (cortile porticato) where most of the mercantile business of the city was conducted. It also was a fashionable place to shop, and to socialise: references to it in Restoration comedy are almost obligatory. It included some excellent book shops. Its appearance during the Restoration was described by the visiting Grand Duke Cosmo of Tuscany: «The building has a facade of stone, built after the Gothic style, which has lost its colour from age and become blackish. It contains two long and double galleries, one above the other, in which are distributed in several rows great numbers of very rich shops of drapers and mercers filled with goods of every kind, and with manufactures of the most beautiful description. These are for the most part under the care of well-dressed women, who are busily employed in work, although many are served by young men called apprentices». It was divided into four sections, with an "Outer Walk" and "Inner Walk" on each of the two floors ("Above" or "Below Stairs"). The lower floor had a reputation as a place for romantic assignations. The vogue for shopping in the New Exchange was, however, relatively short-lived, and the place lost much of its lustre in the reign of Queen Anne (1702-1715); it was taken down in 1737. | What happened in the New Exchange: As we know Pithcwife is obsessed with becoming a cuckold but he brought her to London and initiates her to pleasures and she wants to go out again (they are in London for Alithea’s marriage). He decide to bring her but ONLY if she DRESSES LIKE A MAN (she becomes little sir James, the younger brother of Margery) > this explain the not masculine characteristics of the physic the fact that they are similar in appearance ACT THIRD SCENE II “Who is that pretty youth with him,” He spots Margery immediately. In the new exchange all the shops have signs > all galleries with signs. “Lord, what a power of brave signs” pure and innocent as the actors on the stage. They are signs in their own way > pretending to be something else > that has spread her imagination. They are all horned animals (with horns) > Pitchwife sees it. He’s reading the true sign > she doesn't understand and reads the sign naively. “I have business, sir,”Mr Pitchwife doesn’t want to have nothing to do with Horner and he takes Margery with force “O jeminy”Margery i s immediately struck (colpita) by Horner “Very pretty” Horner knows and he’s courting Margey in front of her husband “No, now I think on't” Everything he says worses the situation “What do you kiss me for? I am no woman.” Horner kisses her in front of her husband “Come away into the next walk” Horner takes Margery out “He's only gone ” Hornes has something in order to pleasure Pitchwife “I have got here too, which you can't see!” He’s rubbing his forehead >> massage his head because he has HORNS! “I don't know where to ” Horner gives something to Margery but also to Pitchwife > horns | At the end it is Pitchwife that provokes the situation > it is he that actually brings her to the theatre and exposes her to the potential transgression and to the theatre language (metatheatrical). Actresses dressed like men >> subtitled the tastes of Restoration audience > having a woman wearing trousers was much more revealing the shapes of the woman >> Pitchwife puts his wife on display using theatrical strategy. ORANGES (AND CHINA ORANGES) Margery O dear Bud, look you here what I have got, see. Pinchwife And what I have got here too, which you can't see. [Aside rubbing his forehead] Horner I have only given your little Brother an Orange, Sir. Pinchwife. Thank you, Sir. [to Horner] You have only squeez'd my Orange, I suppose, and given it to me again. [Aside] Margery and Horner don’t have so much time but thi is the first taste of Horner’s capacity (also for Pitchwife) - Breeches part > women that wears trousers, language of sexual invitation, potentially also for the men sitting in the audience Pitchwife puts his wife on display using theatrical strategy (trousers). Rather than protecting her from unwanted men he makes her appearance even more desirable (also in metatheatrical terms) - Orange wenches > girls who sold oranges and sell other “merchandise” behind curtains, they were considered as prostitutes in the theatres - China oranges > links linguistically and textually to the famous scene of china scene > reference to erotic dictionary ACT FOURTH SCENE II “ Come, tell me, I say” He wants to know what happened between Mrs Pinchwife and Horner > she has been telling again and again what has happened > he wants to know exactly in order to know if he’s a cuckold. He understand that Horner kissed her and asked her to stay at the window, Pitchwife wants to dictate the letter “CHINA SCENE” > SCENE III “Well, sir, how fadges”Quack inquiries on Hornor strategy and it is working > Horner has the access to every woman's bedroom “I am now no more interruption” Hornor has the access to the completely privacy > he can speak every language > men don't understand “ But do civil persons and women of honour drink” Lady Fidget would explain that private and public behaviour must be different >> women fear the scandal of their reputation, not the vice (vizio) “Now we talk of women of honour” Horner asks for the audience complexity > here there is the idea that there is an audience that watches this show “And you shall see” Words like HONOUR have different meaning > body meaning “But first, my dear sir” Care of me in a sex reference “If you talk a word more of your honour” If you delay I won’t be ready for sex anymore > if you are practising witchcraft (stregoneria) you can’t refer to the deity (divinità) because this would make the charm (incantesimo) impotent (inefficace) >> all coded language “Ay, but if you should ever” Humour comes not only from the fact that people sleep together but also because it is know > Lady Fidget wants to be sure that Horner doesn’t reveal her secret >> Horner’s impotence protects women’s reputation “Nay, madam” he will sleep with everyone so if they will betray they will reveal also their secret “A secret is better kept,” She wants Horner for herself > jealous and embraces him “O my husband!” The excuse is that she was testing if he was ticklish (soffrire il solletico)> she calls him TOAD (rospo) in order to put some distance she will not kiss a toad “No, your ladyship will tickle” Lady fidget has told to her husband she wants to go out in order to buy CHINA (porcellana) >>> Horner takes the occasion “China-house! That's my cue, I must take it.” (cogliere al volo) > talks about the forbidden fruit referred to Lady Fidget and also Horner himself “No, 'tis I have more reason ” She wants to put some social distance with Horner and herself > Horner isn’t a good company for her “I can't but laugh however” Particularly the use of words > China means SEX. She will find out and have what she came for and she goes out with Horner and locks the door “ he is coming in to you the back way”Mr Fidget also says how Horner is going to PERFORM! “Where's this woman-hater, this toad,” Lady Squeamish is also looking for CHINA and Horner >> she’s calling him BEAST “He's within in his chamber” She’s having sex with Horner and after enter the Old Lady Squeamish > the only virtuous woman and she inquires after her granddaughter “with a piece of china in her hand” Mimic of what we have seeing before in the scene of Mrs Pinchwife with oranges > linguistic relationship between the two scenes and also the idea of women entering the stage followed by Horner “she has an innocent, literal understanding.” understanding (speaking the code language with one) > she said he should not reveal secret to other woman > she’s jealous about he given his china away to other woman too "O LORD, I'LL HAVE SOME CHINA TOO" - A large blue and white "Rolwagen" vase, 17th century. - Rolwagens enjoyed great popularity in Europe as decorative objects. - The Dutch word rolwagen (literally 'rolling wagon') may have been derived from an element in a scene which frequently occurs on these vases, namely a figure seated in a cart with two big wheels (figura seduta in un carrello con due grandi ruote), the rolwagen. Rolwagen are SUGGESTIVE in the shape > a sign of Horner sexual phallic thing. China is used as an obscene terms to signify sex (like honour) | Both Honour and China signify accomplishment, courtly culture, respectful behaviours and respectability HERE are euphemisms for sexual appetite, their opposite > code of secret, private bestiality even private expressions of animal exuberant. MASKS Masks are emblems of a mode of cultivated hypocrisy Lady Fidget. «O Lord here's a man, Sir Jaspar, my mask, my mask, I would not be seen here for the world» Horner is notorious (famigerato) for being a rake/libertine he isn’t like other men that talk about sleeping with other women > he is eunuch in order to assure the reputation of the ladies Both Horner and women turn sexuality in some currency > they use a language and a currency that’s valued. They all possess a language they can understand. In the end Horner indeed is completely unpunished and he has no consequences | Audience is by the side of Horner, instead of his manly reputation he decides to spread the rumour >> this is the prize to pay in order to get confidence of women (a man would not be glad to know other men know about his impotence). Horner is ready to trade his manly reputation, which other men also see as a punishment for his having been a rake and a libertine. (ex Rochester was one of the most libertine > died of syphilis) INTERPRETING THE SIGNS In order to participate in this new word you need to be able to interpret the signs: Géraud de Cordemoy (Cartesian philosopher 1626-1684), A Philosophical Discourse Concerning Speech. Conformable to the Cartesian Principles (London, 1668). He categorise words according to type of usage (two class of signs) like in the play where we have two categories >> signs are read by different people and in different ways >> some of them share a language code: ➔ ordinary signs «The signes, which I call ordinary, are those by which most men are wont to declare certain things, and those are meerly of institution: Some are more universal, others less. E.x. When we will, without a voice, say that we consent, we give a signe with the head, quite differing from that which we make to shew, we consent not: so we make certain signes with the hand to drive one away. And these kinds of signes are general enough; but those, by which we declare our respect to one another, though commonly they be the same in a whole Country, yet they are very different in another» | Signs can be gestures which are commonly accepted and interpretive universally at least in certain countries ➔ particular signs «The signes I call particular, are those in which a whole Nation or a whole Commonalty agrees not, but which are instituted 'twixt two persons or a few more, to signifie certain things, which they would not have others to take notice of» | Horner and ladies use some words and gestures in a secret way which other people can’t understand > allow to have freedom even in front of people who should not see. He is fluent in this language and quick enough to read the sign of CHINA, to get the meaning properly. Horner is able to read not only the sign but alsoWOMEN WHAT DOES CHINAMEAN? CHINA means NOTHING The humour of that scene derives from Horner's and Lady Fidget's ability to trade mutual confidences in a CODED LANGUAGE which becomes increasingly sexual from the context, not the words. Such coded language is arbitrary, thus suggesting that context alone creates meaning rather than the particular signification given to words. Horner interprets and puts to use the «particular» signs of his clique. HORNER: A SING (OF AMAN ) TO BE (RIGHTLY) READ His signs are read differently from different people > represent something, not the substance. In a context of poetic justice he’s not punished, he cheated and we are tempted to stand on his side. He made us laugh. | SEMIOTIC DEGRADATION > All signs stand for something else: From HORNS, to FRUIT (forbidden fruit, not only oranges, he is also fruit) to the ROLL-WAGON (verbally and literally in China scene) and BRIMMER (calice, dear brimmer > they toast and Horner himself become a brimmer “Dear brimmer!” She wants to enjoy him first. if one drinks too much the sight fogs and the social brakes fall | Progressive reduction from all-conquering rake to kept man (mantenuto) >>> inviting from the audience a ridicule matching of the scorn (disprezzo) in which his supposes impotence is by held Dorilant, Harcourt and their fashionable circle Final dance of cuckolds > invitation to the audience to laugh against the cuckolds that dance and are ridiculous. We despise (disprezziamo) the cuckolds and are invited to laugh so in the end we also despise Horner. He has lost his manhood and his being a man >>> reason to mock him at first. He is a winner but not totally > maybe we laugh at him too SPARKISH, ALITHEA ANDHARCOURT Sparkish is about to marry Alithea and Harcourt will send a parson (parroco/prete) > according to the rite of the Anglican Church. Sparkish is blinded, he could marry everybody, he isn’t even jealous and Alithea reads this as a sign of his love > indeed he doesn’t care of Alithea > Someone takes someone identity to cheat others “My chaplain, faith” The audience and Alithea understand that it is Harcourt that is dressed like a parson, but Sparkish no “No, fy, no; but to show” He is interested in appearance and he doesn't care about who is marrying, he only cares about the validation of the marriage (canonical hour) “The canonical hour is past” The canonical hour for marriages in order to be valid is from 8 AM to Noon (mezzogiorno). The marriages in the afternoon are not valid “a sneaking college look” his look betray the fact that he isn’t a priest “Yes, Frank goes and puts” Alithea understands perfectly what is happening but Sparkish is blind and he can’t seen “the midwife put her garter”When the midwife gave birth to them they were equal, she put them the garter around the neck to distinguish them > they are identical twins “here not soul, divine, heavenly” Harcourt is even courting Alithea in front of her husband dressed like a parson “Let me tell you, sir,” even if you delay the wedding you will not eliminate it, you only want to marry him because he gave her his word and does not want to be a false “Poor man” Harcourt wants to celebrate because he makes the marriage invalid “I could answer her” Harcourt can't convince her to marriage him but he can enjoy delaying the plans of his rival “Yes, an't please your worship” Reference to the idea that women are modest until marriage and after husbands and wives go in separate ways > modest honour until marriage and after that they can be less modest. Sparkish doesn't understand why his marriage is not valid THE END ACT FIFTH SCENE IV “Now, sir, I must pronounce your wife innocent ” Even if Mr Pinchwife is married to a COUNTRY WIFE it means nothing because he is a cuckold. “Since you'll have me tell more lies ” She might be able to tell lies now “For my own sake fain I would all believe ” He “accepts” the fact he is a cuckold but he realises he has been foolish thinking that marrying a countrywife would have been safe for him. His words introduce the final dance “A Dance of Cuckolds ”Women diminish their husbands’ power. The DANCE is a dance of protest, because in comedies is one of the fundamental characteristics of the restoration of comedy. Very often signifies a marriage that makes everything together and legitimate something that has been defined before. But here this harmony is PROTEST | The ending of the play is one in which all characters are forced from the problems of the social power > husbands are cheated by wives and they accept these. Dance signifies harmony but social harmony is improbable and not a source of happiness for most of the people especially the cuckolds who are dancing. | The final dance of CUCKOLDS > erosion is played with a change in the definition and function of female desire. “Vain fops but court and dress ” Horner gives the final cues (spunto) in the play. Cuckolds and cuckold’s makers became objects of equal contempt >> also libertine are objects of despised in order to win he has a PRIZE he has to pay → he doesn't win completely.Who wants to be appreciated by women is despised by men > price to pay. The dance of cuckolds is GROTESQUE and a protest and exposes men to public despise (disprezzo) > they are ridiculed both the cuckolds and cuckolds’ makes. Horner is a winner but he is also the object of despise, he has to pay a prize in order to win. So, is he really a winner? Not really, it is not a total victory. > Horner also dances. MICHEL FOUCAULT, HISTORY OF SEXUALITY (1976) ALLIANCE ▶ a system of marriage, of fixation and development of kinship ties (legami di parentela) , of transmission of names and possessions. This deployment of alliance, with the mechanisms of constraint that ensured its existence, lost some of its importance as economic processes and political structures could no longer rely on it as an adequate instrument or sufficient support. Particularly from the eighteenth century onward (in poi) , Western societies created and arranged a new apparatus which was superimposed on the previous one, and which, without completely supplanting the latter, helped to reduce its importance. I am speaking of the DEPLOYMENT OF SEXUALITY: like the deployment of alliance, it connects up with the circuit of sexual partners, but in a completely different way > a new mechanism of circulation of sexual partners develops. In the Country Wife transition between 2 different systems of circulations of honours. FOUCAULT: ALLIANCE vs SEXUALITY The deployment of alliance is built around a system of rules defining the permitted and the forbidden, the licit and the illicit (certains partners from a social point of view are ok, certains no), whereas the deployment of sexuality operates according to mobile, polymorphous, and contingent techniques of power > different criteria The deployment of alliance has as one of its chief objectives to reproduce the interplay of relations and maintain the law that governs them; the deployment of sexuality, on the other hand, engenders a continual extension of areas and forms of control > women are contained in their manifestations, in need to be controlled, women are irrational creatures which can be controlled with this arrangements and the family was the mirror of that arrangement For the first, what is pertinent is the link between partners and definite statutes; the second is concerned with the sensations of the body, the quality of pleasures, and the nature of impressions, however tenuous or imperceptible these may be. Lastly, if the deployment of alliance is firmly tied to the economy due to the role it can play in the transmission or circulation of wealth, the deployment of sexuality is linked to the economy through numerous and subtle relays, the main one of which, however, is the BODY -- the body that produces and consumes. Sexuality is tied to recent devices of power; it has been expanding at an increasing rate since the seventeenth century; the arrangement that has sustained it is not governed by REPRODUCTION; it has been linked from SECRETMARRIAGES A man and woman could be legally married in Shakespeare’s day by making a private agreement without a church or priest. Such a marriage might have been frowned upon – and was usually formalised later in church – but it still had the full force of law. A promise per verba de futuro occurred “[w]hen the Parties contracting Spousals do use words of future time”. This kind of matrimonial promise signalled “the entrance and beginning of Marriage” which became effectual and binding after it had been sanctioned by a Church minister, who, through marriage, made “the Man and the Woman . . . one flesh”. “…when the Parties do Contract Spousals by words of present time; as, [I take thee to my Wife] or [I hold thee for my Wife] or [thou art my Wife] … By these kind of words (being uttered by either Party) are contracted Spousals de praesenti; which kind of Spousals … are in Truth and Substance very Matrimony indissoluble” | They ruined the plans of the families of the marriage à la mode to avoid the marriage settlements LORD HARDWICKE’SMARRIAGE ACT OF 1753 Until the middle of the 18th century marriages could take place anywhere provided they were conducted before a clergyman of the Church of England. This encouraged the practice of secret marriages which did not have parental consent and which were often bigamous. It also allowed couples, particularly those of wealthy background, to marry while at least one of the partners was under age. The trade in these irregular marriages had grown enormously in London by the 1740s. In 1753, however, the Marriage Act, promoted by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Hardwicke, declared that all marriage ceremonies must be conducted by a minister in a parish church or chapel of the Church of England to be legally binding (vincolanti). AN ACT FOR THE BETTER PREVENTING OF CLANDESTINE MARRIAGE. 26 GEO. 2 C.33 (GEO: GEORGE) «Whereas great Mischiefs and Inconveniencies have arisen from Clandestine Marriages; for preventing thereof for the future, Be it enabled by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the twenty-fifth Day of March in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-four, all Banns of Matrimony shall be published in an audible manner in the Parish Church, or in some publick Chapel, in which publick Chapel Banns of Matrimony have been usually published, of or belonging to such Parish or Chapelry wherein the Persons to be married shall dwell…» | AN ACT FOR THE PREVENTION OF CLANDESTINE MARRIAGES To summarise: ● All marriages in any place other than in a church or public chapel, and without banns (bandi) or licence, were to be «null and void to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever». (nulli a tutti gli effetti) ● Detailed rules were laid down concerning the publication of banns in the parish of the parties upon «three Sundays preceding the Solemnization of Marriage during the Time of Morning Service, or Evening Service (if there be no Morning Service in such Church or Chapel upon any of the Sundays)». ● The parson could refuse to publish the first banns unless he had been given at least seven days notice of the parties’ names and place of residence. ● If a parent declared dissent to the proposed marriage at the time when the banns were published then that publication was void. ● Clergymen (sacerdoti) performing marriages without following these procedures were to be punished with fourteen years’ transportation and the marriage declared void. PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE OVER THE BILL The bill produced one of the most heated debates of the century in the House of Commons before it passed there by a vote of 56. Trade vs privilege Opponents spoke the progressive language of trade. Secret unions between people of unequal fortune, said one opponent, benefit the public because «they serve to disperse the wealth of the kingdom through the whole body of the people, and to prevent the accumulating and monopolising of it into a few hands; which is an advantage to every society, especially a free and trading society». Proponents spoke the conservative language of land and privilege. One of them deplored clandestine marriage as «an evil by which many of our best families have often suffered». «How often is the heir of a good family seduced and engaged in a clandestine marriage, perhaps with a common strumpet [whore]? How often have we known heiresses carried off by a man of low birth or perhaps by an infamous sharper [a cheater, a fraud]?». SCOTLAND: AMATRIMONIAL PARADISE As the Hardwicke’s Act did not apply in Scotland, English ‘runway’ couples were able to obtain a valid marriage certificate in the Scottish border towns such as Ayton, Chain Bridge, Coldstream, GRETNA GREEN, Halidon Hill, Ladykirk, Lamberton, Mordington, Norham and Paxton. Gretna Green lies just north of the River Sark, the dividing line between England and Scotland, and was long famous as the goal of English couples seeking hasty marriage. (frettoloso) > Quick but valid marriage Because of a change in English law in 1754, English couples seeking a quick marriage were obliged to cross the border into Scotland, where Scottish law required only that the couples declare before witnesses their wish to be married (coppie dichiarassero davanti ai testimoni il loro desiderio di sposarsi). At Gretna Green the ceremony was usually performed by the blacksmith (fabbro) , though any person might officiate, and the tollhouse (casello), the inn (locanda), or (after 1826) Gretna Hall were the scenes of many such weddings.