A BODY OF THEIR OWN

In the English monarchy, there are the terms 'body natural' and 'body politic', which show the separation between the function of monarch and the person she/he is as a real entity.

If we apply these notions to the female characters of the three plays, we can say that the body natural is the one that appears privately and that can be sexually free, while the body politic is the public position that female have when they are in society. The separation is clear for Annabella regarding her dialogues with Giovanni, when they are alone she finally confesses her desire to Giovanni: "ANNABELLA - On my knees / Brother, even by our mother's dust, I charge you, / Do not betray me to your mirth or hate; / Love me, or kill me, Brother"

(1.2.178), through this scene she does not hide her true feelings.

Isabella's freedom from her body politic, which in her case is the equivalent of becoming a nun, happens when she actually is in society, because she talks freely to Angelo and Claudio about her wishes. Something that she will not be able to do anymore once she is a nun.

The Duchess is the one that embodies the most these two notions because she has responsibilities and power as the regent of the Duchy of Malfi. In the play she is seen using her natural body when she is privately with Antonio: "This is flesh, and blood, sir" (1.1.122), by talking about her flesh and blood, she puts herself on the same level as Antonio. And her body politic¹⁹⁸, for instance when she states "I am Duchess of Malfi still" (4.2.170), or when she asks Antonio if he wants to raise in society: "Raise yourself, / Or if you please, my hand to help you: so" (1.1.121), the term "raise" can be a reference to the rise of the social scale, and as the Duchess offers her hand to help, she offers Antonio to put him in the same social status as her. She makes a difference between the two through the creation of a private marriage that exists alongside her public life as a ruler¹⁹⁹.

198 T. JANKOWSKI, op. cit., p.222.

199 Ibid., p.222.

Furthermore, even though a woman's honour was inextricably tied up with her sexuality²⁰⁰, female characters still have a certain control over their bodies. They certainly have power over men's lives and that may be why male characters are afraid of what women represent. Moreover, women choose partners that would not be afraid of them, Isabella and the Duke seem to be at the same level of intelligence and cunning; Annabella chooses her brother who is not clearly defined as her older or younger brother but as her twin brother:

"GIOVANNI – Say that we had one father, say one womb (Curse to my joys) gave both us life and birth;

Are we not therefore each to other bound So much the more by nature; by the links Of blood, of reason? Nay, if you will have't, Even of religion, to be ever one:

One soul, one flesh, one love, one heart, one all?" (1.1.169-170)

This puts them on the same level. Their twinship gives them a special relationship, at first they were one, through their sexual union they try to find their unity back. The Duchess chooses a man who is not interested in power so he would not want to influence her in any ways: "ANTONIO – Truth speak for me: / I will remain the constant sanctuary / Of your good name" (1.1.122). In this sentence Antonio shows his disinterest towards the Duchess' wealth and status and his willing to protect the Duchess' interests. In order to do this, he accepts to hide his marriage with her and this marriage "secure[s] her politically"²⁰¹ as she does not have to be afraid of her husband's ambition.

Concerning the actual act of fornication, women are still in power when it comes to engage or refuse it. Barbara Correll states that in the scene of the Duchess' chamber "the conversation is ludic and erotic"²⁰². The Duchess is the instigator of these ludic and erotic words: "DUCHESS – I would have you lead your fortune by the hand, / Unto your marriage bed" (1.1.123), she encourages Antonio to have a sexual intercourse with her. She even adds:

"Lay a naked sword between us, keep us chaste" (1.1.123), which has a sexual connotation.

The presence of a phallic instrument "sword" which can be related with the phallic poniard that her brother gives her later in the play. The "naked sword" is an hypallage, which creates an unexpected image. It could be a reference to the proxy marriage. During a proxy marriage, a sword has to be placed between the proxy and the bride (or groom) to guarantee the chastity of both parts. In that case, there is no proxy marriage and the reference to a "naked sword"

200 S.M, STAHL, op. cit., p.5.

201 T. JANKOWSKI, op. cit., p.222.

202 B. CORRELL, op. cit., p.86.

is a sexual connotation. This sentence can be seen as ironic. As the Duchess and Antonio are married, there is no need for them to stay chaste, thus, the naked sword can be a reference to Antonio's penis.

Moreover, Isabella is in control of her own sexuality as she refuses to have sex with Angelo regardless of the consequences, she even defines her body as untouchable many times in the play: "I had rather my brother die by the law than my son should be unlawfully born" (3.1.159).

Women also embody the role first assigned to them until the end of each play. For instance, Annabella stays an innocent young woman who does not see any bad in people as she does not even understand that her brother is on the verge of killing her:

"GIOVANNI – Farewell

ANNABELLA – Will you be gone?

GIOVANNI – Be dark, bright sun,

And make this midday night, that thy gilt rays May not behold a deed will turn their splendour More sooty than the poets feign their Styx!

One other kiss, my sister.

ANNABELLA – What means this?

GIOVANNI – To save thy fame, and kill thee in a kiss." (5.5.234)

This scene is poignant because the readers and audiences can understand the extent of Giovanni's love for his sister. He would rather kill her than leave her at the mercy of a corrupted society that would eventually rejects her – and kills her socially – because of their relationship.

As for the Duchess, she keeps her status even when she dies: "I am the Duchess of Malfi still" (4.2.170), she does not want to endure pressures and norms imposed on her sex and rank²⁰³. With the control of their own bodies come their freedom and resistance against men's wishes.

3.2. WHORES AND SAINTS

In the plays under study, and from the male characters' point of view, two main categories to describe the female characters stand out from the usual definitions of women in society. Terms such as "whores" and "saints" are commonly used in literature to

203 F. LAROQUE, op. cit., p.78.

distinguish two types of women: those who behave in a reprehensible way, through their manners, morals or even sexuality, and those who act in a way that society considers as good.