Desire and love

Antonio believes he is unworthy of the Duchess because of his social status, which depicts the social hierarchy and laws of marriage at the time. However, perhaps he also feels unworthy of her beauty, and because she is described as if she is an angelic, otherworldly being by himself and other characters earlier in the scene.

"Oh, my unworthiness!" (Antonio, Act 1, Scene 1)

Ferdinand says this about women who marry twice, and who therefore have sexual relations with two men.

"Their livers are more spotted than Laban's sheep." (Ferdinand, Act 1 Scene 1)

Ferdinand's response to the Duchess's quote about diamonds being more valuable when they've passed through many hands.

"Whores, by that rule, are precious." (Ferdinand, Act 1 Scene 1)

After discovering his sister has had children and assuming they are illegitimate as he isn't aware of her marriage yet, Ferdinand calls the Duchess this. This suggests he believes that sex out of wedlock is a sin.

"A sister damned!" (Ferdinand, Act 2 Scene 5)

Ferdinand links his sister to prostitutes and implies she is a bad person because he believes she has had sex out of wedlock and illegitimate children.

"Grown a notorious strumpet." (Ferdinand, Act 2 Scene 5)

Ferdinand suggests the Duchess has destroyed her reputation by engaging in a marriage and sexual relationship with Antonio.

"You have shook hands with Reputation and made him invisible." (Ferdinand, Act 3 Scene 2)

This shows Ferdinand's shame and disgust in his sister due to her marriage and sexual relationship with Antonio.

"I will never see you more." (Ferdinand, Act 3 Scene 2.

This shows the common people's disapproval of the Duchess's second marriage and sexual relationship with Antonio, as they refer to her as a lowly prostitute when she is an upper-class Duchess.

"The common rabble do directly say / She is a strumpet." (Antonio, Act 3 Scene 1)

The Duchess is suggesting that dangerous, forbidden love is the strongest and most true, as the couple are prepared to put themselves at risk in order to pursue it. Suggests love is reckless.

"Love mixed with fear is sweetest" (the duchess act 3 scene 2)

This imagery of Ferdinand's heart being crushed by the lead that covered her first husband's dead body implies that Ferdinand is heartbroken at the news of the marriage, suggesting that he is jealous and has romantic, incestuous feelings towards her. The mention of the Duchess's first husband, who Ferdinand refers to as if they're still married, could be to try and manipulate the Duchess into feeling guilty for marrying Antonio.

"Thou hast ta'en that massy sheet of lead // That hid thy husband's bones, and folded it // About my heart." (Ferdinand, Act 3 Scene 2)

"Mine bleeds for't." (The Duchess, Act 3 Scene 2)

"Here's a hand" (Ferdinand, Act 4 scene 1)

"I affectionately kiss it" (The Duchess, Act 4 scene 1)

The Duchess believes the hand belongs to Ferdinand, which shows the love she has for him, even after his brutal, cruel treatment and imprisonment of her. Another way of interpreting the Duchess's affectionate displays to Ferdinand, however, could be that she recognises his incestuous feelings for her and is smartly trying to manipulate him into freeing her because of his love for her.

After all he has done to her, the Duchess is still concerned with Ferdinand's wellbeing, even though he has done everything to prevent hers, which shows the strong, familial love she has for him and how she clings to him. Conveys the maternal instincts of the Duchess and women in general.

"You are very cold. I fear you are not well after your travel." (The Duchess, Act 4 Scene 1)

This portrays how powerful and influential the Duchess is by how she is linked with the powerful force of light. The way she is described to stain time conveys how much of an impact that she has on her world and the people around her, conveying her power. The way she is described to light the time to come could convey how she is guiding her people away from the corruption and into a better world, and could also link to her defiance of the customs of her time and her determination to illuminate a new time where these oppressing customs don't exist. Antonio's extreme praise of the Duchess could also depict his love for her.

"She stains the time past, lights the time to come" (Antonio, Act 1, Scene 1)

The Duchess believes that women who marry/ have relations with multiple men are valuable, a view that contrasts to society's expectations of women in this period. This shows how the Duchess doesn't conform with society's expectations. The comparison of women to diamonds not only references to their beauty, but their strength and power, and portrays them as precious, even though society often treated them as worthless.

"Diamonds are of most value, // They say, that have passed through most jewellers' hands." (The Duchess, Act 1 Scene 1)

antonio and the duchess being freaky before they got married

• There is a saucy and ambitious devil Is dancing in this circle

• There needs small conjuration, when your finger May do it: thus. Is it fit?