Unnatural and Unconventional Liaisons
in English Renaissance Drama

Preface by Monika Fludernik

Acknowledgement

1 Introduction

2 Unnatural and Unconventional Liaisons
2.1 Nature and Convention
2.2 Deviation and Transgression
2.3 Wives and Whores

3 The Duchess of Malfi
3.1 The Duchess and Antonio
3.1.1 The Duchess - A "Lusty Widow"?
3.1.2 Merit versus Birth
3.1.3 Antonio the "Misruler"?

4 Women Beware Women
4.1 The Ward and Isabella
4.1.1 Marriage Enforced
4.1.2 Disparity between the Spouses
4.1.3 Firmly in Hippolito's Hands
4.1.4 Isabella's Motivation
4.1.5 The Bride on Display
4.2 Isabella and Hippolito
4.2.1 Incest
4.2.2 Betrayed by Livia
4.2.3 Adultery
4.3 Leantio and Bianca
4.3.1 Leantio's Conception of the Marriage as
Theft
4.3.2 Social Mobility
4.3.3 Bianca's Consent?
4.3.4 Too Much Restraint
4.3.5 Leantio's Extremeness
4.4 Bianca and the Duke
4.4.1 Caught in Livia's Trap
4.4.2 Violent Beginning
4.4.3 Bianca the "Strumpet"?
4.4.4 Moving into Marriage
4.5 Leantio and Livia
4.5.1 Livia's Downfall
4.5.2 Courtship or Purchase?
4.5.3 Livia - A "Lusty Widow"?

5 'Tis Pity She's a Whore
5.1 Giovanni and Annabella
5.1.1 Incest
5.1.2 Secret Marriage?
5.1.3 The Vow of Loyalty
5.1.4 Giovanni's "Idolatry"
5.2 Annabella and Soranzo
5.2.1 Betrayal of Hippolita
5.2.2 Marriage Enforced?
5.2.3 Annabella's Reversal
5.2.4 Soranzo's Character

6 Conclusion

7 References
7.1 Editions of the Plays
7.2 Bibliography