“You have shook hands with Reputation, And made him invisible.” (Ferdinand to the Duchess of Malfi). In the light of this quotation, explore connections between the presentation of attitudes towards the reputation of women in The Duchess of Malfi and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Women

Introduction

• Both present reputation of women in having extremely significant role in how they are viewed in society

• EG. Gossip surrounding promiscuity of Duchess & Blanche and Julia’s portrayal as a sexual being and controlling influence of men in women’s reputation

P1 - Duchess presented as cause of vast gossip (TDOM)

1. Duchess viewed as “strumpet” → Society views her as avertly promiscuous & immoral and exact opposite of a virtuous figure of a woman of high standing would be expected to have the reputation of

2. “common rabble” → Makes hypocritical society clear to audience; despite the Duchess’ high status, those considered beneath her see fit to comment on her reputation & thus influence it

AO3: As a woman of 17th century engaged in pre-marital relations, regardless of standing, they would likely be considered a social pariah

AO5: Use of dramatic irony & audience aware of her marriage to Antonio reinforces critical view that play is “a cautionary tale on marrying without proper consent” —> Despite her marriage, the Duchess reputation suffers & her reputation as a promiscuous woman flourishes due to her secrecy

P2 - Blanche as subject of gossip though reputation could be argued to be well deserved as it is merely promiscuity without marriage (ASND)

1. Blanche’s dialogue of “a good deal of talk in Laurel” → There was extensive societal scrutiny of Blanche’s promiscuous actions, due to her contrast to her perceived exterior of a perfect Southern Belle (Well mannered woman embodying societal propriety & waiting for perfect husband)

2. Emphasis on “in Laurel” → Hence why Blanche attempts to escape reputation in New Orleans, a feat which eventually becomes her downfall

AO5: Corroborates critical view that “through her epic fornications, Blanche is responsible for her own fall” as unlike Duchess, who remains strong figure in face of gossip, the ultimate destruction of Blanche’s reputation leads to her downfall…

3. Emphasised by staging of “cologne dampened hankerchief” → Symbolic of Blanche’s attempt to mask her previous reputation and her increasingly deteriorating insecurity

P3 - Julia’s portryal of a sexual being (TDOM)

AO4: Whereas Stanley ascends in society due to his sexual being reputation, Julia only suffers

1. Disparaging nature of Pescara’s spech of “a salary for his lust” → “salary” connotes sense of prostitution thus characterising Julia as essentially & instinctively her sexual nature in reputation & nothing else

2. Degraded in reference to Cardinal’s ‘lust’ by engaging in a knowing affairwith figurehead of Church → Julia’s unfaithfulness & sexual infidelity increases in severity

AO3: Contemporary audience would view such affair as direct violation of sancicty of Church & indirect criticism of hypocirsy of Catholicism, thus making Julia’s reputation in regards to her overt sexuality → Not just symbolic of herself but symbolic of downfalls of society she lives is

P4 - Stanley’s reputation as sexual being symbolic of downfall of society he lives in but in context of play, it allows him to flourish in his alpha male tendencies (ASND)

1. Williams’ description of Stanley’s past: “since earliest manhood" his main concern is with the “pleasure of women, both the giving and the taking of it” → Illustrates his adult life, superlative of “earliest” accentuating length of time & entire reputation to be solely concerned with his sexuality & his dominating force over women

AO3: 1940s attitudes becoming more sexually liberated, particularly in urban, sexually free context of New Orleans, despite this having clear leniency for men & not women

AO4: Unlike Julia, Stanley can openly exhibit his sexuality without fear of damaged reputation that would exit for a 17th century woman

AO5: Critics argued Stanley considered as “a victim of masculine idealogy” —> Implies that unlike Julia, his reputation is influenced by demands & expectations of society..

2. Evidenced by Stanley’s impassioned speech “I am the King around here!” → Inherent societal need to exhibit male tendecies & control over women, connotations of “king” implies sense of essence of patriarchy & male dominance expected from 1940s society which can found in this to have controlling attitudes

P5 - Ferdinand having controlling attitudes towards reputations of women & to concern himself strongly with it

1. Ferdinand controlling nature seen in “She’s a young widow. I would not have her marry again” → As society tended to look down upon idea of female remarriage, Ferdinand’s incessant desire for control of Duchess’ marital status is clear

2. Controlling language in “I would not” → Ferdinand is one with agony over this matter

AO5: Critical view may argue that it is not desire to control Duchess’ reputation & a fear for what will happen to it otherwise but rather a “possessive outrage” that motivated Ferdinand …

3. Evidenced in sexual imagery of “poniard” motif which Ferdinand uses to threaten Duchess over her reputation

P6 - Stanley exhibits clear desire to control Blanche’s reputation, though instead of presenting it like Ferdinand, he reveals and destroys it (ASND)

1. Stanley’s taunting speech “I can have him clear up any mistakes "→ Like Ferdinand, he believes he has agency over Blanche’s reputation, highlighted in phrase “I can”

AO3: Machiavellian cruelty in Stanley, as due to societal attitudes existing in regard to female proscuity in 1940s, Stanley could be aware that such revelations can destroy Blanche’s reputation

2. Sarcastic implications of “mistakes” → Malicious delight in covertly doing so, without seeming to openly destroy it, thus retaining his own reputation & not damaging it within the process

AO5: Corroborates critical view that Stanley “is fighting for his marriage against the sexually perverse and psychologically profane Blanche” & he does so through deliberate destruction of what defines her as a woman in society; her reputation

Conclusion

• Attitudes towards reputation of women in both plays suggests that it is primarily affected by woman’s perceived sexuality

• Yet also heavily influenced by demands & control of patriarchal society, without damaging male reputation