women violence Malfi

point

Similarly in Malfi, secondary women suffer as collateral in the larger war against female autonomy

Cariolas death

“Where’s the waiting woman” “How have I offended?” “(They strangle her)”- she too is silenced by corrupt male order - all women are vulnerable within a patriarchal system

Julias death

Destruction of women under patriarchal control

“I will swear you to’t upon this book” “(Holds out a book)” “Kiss it!” “She dies”

Uses sacrilegious props reinforcing his corruption and heightening the cruelty of his actions - reinforces Julia’s goodness by contrast

transcends Machiavellian archetype by murdering directly

ao3

critique of patriarchal society with secondary female characters become symbolic victims of the patriarchal war against female independence., Webster emphasizes that the oppression of women is systemic and that no woman—regardless of her social standing—can escape the corrupting influence of patriarchal power.

ao5

“Webster uses the deaths of minor female characters like Cariola and Julia to expose the systemic violence and control inherent in patriarchal societies.”
— Deborah E. Barker

comparison

when seeing Blanche through the tragic demise of secondary characters we see how she is also punished for her critique of patriarchal standards and men e.g. Stanley

calls him out for his violence “Lunacy, absolute lunacy!”