Find definition of “Machiavelli” and “intelligence”
“Machiavelli” – “characterised by expediency, deceit and cunning” came from Renaissance writer Niccoló Machiavelli to describe a character with little morality and who is driven by selfishness.
“Intelligence” – “acquiring skills or knowledge” or “the collection of information for military or political value”.
What are the categories of offence in the Cardinals’s black book. Why are they there?
- Intelligencers
- panders
- pirates
- politic bankrupts
- murderers
- lawyers
- money lenders
These are all lists of immoral and corrupt people in society. The fact that Monticelso has this list in order to use when necessary defines his own corrupt nature. A priest naturally should only own a Bible, but Monticelso’s possession of such a dangerous book emphasises his lack of religious guidance. Webster uses this book in order to comment negatively on his society which the audience of the period would have recognised.
Find the rhyming couplets in this scene.
“He that unjustly caus’d it first proceed/ Shall find it in his grave and in his seed” – Fransisco speaks wisely in this rhyming couplet and reveals that he does not want to seek revenge for Isabella’s death. The rhyming couplet provides him with heroic status and expresses that revenge is worthless and just causes more tragedy.
“Play with your nostrils, till the time be ripe / For th’ bloody audit, and the fatal gripe” – Monticelso is a stark contrast to Fransisco’s disinterest in vengeance. Monticelso should, as the Cardinal, be delivering sound and valuable advise and yet he stimulates the revenge and deaths at the end of the play. The rhyming couplets are relatively ironic in this scene.
“Treason, like spiders weaving nets for flies/ By her foul work is found, and in it dies” – Fransisco again contradicts Monticelso’s desire for scheming as he contrasts revenge to a spider who are related to the idea of deceit. The idea of “weaving nets for flies” shows there is no escape from revenge and it is an encyclical act.
“Your flax soon kindles, soon is out again, / But gold slow heats, and long will hot remain”
In lines 1-76, find the references to animals.
Monticelso instructs Fransisco to “sleep with the lion” which as a conventionally the most dangerous animal in the wild, Monitcelso’s advise is seemingly treacherous and foolish. Monticelso wants to encourage Fransisco to seek revenge for Isabella’s death, but this is at the expense of his only morals, putting his own life at risk and his religious status.
Fransisco is also want to be “patient as a tortoise” which is typically a slow and calm animal. Monticelso understands that Fransisco needs to gain vengeance discreetly and cannot allow anyone to know it was his responsibility; therefore, making calculated and slow decisions will aid this.
Monticelso also notes that the revenge will not harm Fransisco’s reputation: “let this camel stalk o’er your back unbruis’d”. Monticelso firmly and naively believes revenge will not damage Fransisco morally and socially.
Identify the metaphors and similes.
Similes:
“I’ll stand, like a safe valley” – Fransisco knows where the most moral and logical place to be in this debate with Monticelso and using the term “valley” emphasises he is determined and his opinion will not be changed or moved. The irony that he eventually is convinced to commit murder portrays the great hypocrisy in the play.
“Like spiders, weaving nets for flies” – Fransisco highlights the corrupt nature of revenge as he compares this to “spiders” who are often compared to deceit and secrecy.
Metaphors:
“sleep with the lion” – the “lion” in this sense is Brachiano who is dangerously a murderer, Monticelso wants Fransisco to be as corrupt as Brachiano and mirror his actions.
“The many names of devils” – Monitcelso describes his book as containing “devils” and this describes how highly corrupt Monticelso’s contacts are. Webster also reminds the audience of the title here to highly Monticelso’s hypocrisy and great contradictions.
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