Desire

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!"

duchess to antonio as she proposes marriage

‘This is flesh and blood, sir, / ’Tis not the figure cut in alabaster / Kneels at my husband’s tomb’

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 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."

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."

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"

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."

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."

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 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?