Women Beware Women (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Thomas Middleton
- First Published: 1657
- Type of Work: Drama
- Type of Plot: Tragedy
- Time of Work: Early seventeenth century
- Setting: Florence, Italy
- Genres: Drama, Tragedy
- Subjects: Incest, Jealousy, envy, or resentment, Seventeenth century, Adultery, Death or dying, Revenge, Italy or Italians, Poisons or poisoning, Honor
- Locales: Florence, Italy
Characters Discussed
The duke of Florence, a lecherous, ruthless ruler. Capturing Leantio’s wife with the aid of Livia and Guardiano, he takes her partly by force and partly by seduction. Later, having sworn an oath to his brother, the Lord Cardinal, that he will no longer live with her in adultery, he carries out his promise by having her husband killed and marrying her immediately thereafter. There is poetic justice in his death, for his new wife prepares poison for the good brother and a servant mistakenly serves it to the duke. He dies in agony.
The Lord Cardinal,...
[The entire page is 1158 words long]
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