Outsiders

How far do you agree with the view that in both The Duchess of Malfi and A Streetcar Named Desire, the audience's sympathy ultimately lies with social outsiders? 

Section 1: Yes - Blanche and Duchess outsiders in femininity

P1: Blanche as an outsider - class/period (Southern Belle) + Desire

  • Incongruous…white gloves and hat

  • AO4 Tapp - Blanche is a victim of the mythology of the Southern Belle

  • Haunted woodland of weir/L&N tracks

  • The locomotive approaches Blanche covers her ears and crouches

Connection - outsider as clings to past - less sympathetic as clings to being an outsider despite its corruption, clings to men

  • Couldn’t we get a coloured girl to do it? Polack - AO3 Old South, Antebellum, slavery

  • Duchess protests against order that others her - Cased up like a holy relic…kneels at my husbands tomb vs Blanche who clings to antiquated state I don’t want realism - I want magic…Shep Huntleigh…bolt from the blue

P2: Duchess, similarly outsider due to desire and differing ideals

  • Enter with the Cardinal, late Diamonds are of most value that have passed through most jewllers hands

  • My laurel is all withered - AO3 body politic vs body natural

  • I am Duchess of Malfi still - AO4 Oakes - Negates her relationship with Antonio…becomes the woman carved in stone that Ferdinand wanted her to be - conforming - argue Against Antonio integral to making her an outsider - key cause

Connection

  • Attaints royal blood of Aragon and Castille - what we need to mix with our blood now that we’ve lost Belle Reve - Duchess stands out as sympathetic moderniser, martyr for cause, raised the worhy man took the ring oftenest, ambition, madam is a great man’s madness

Section 2: Yes + No at times - Bosola and Mitch but Bosola>Mitch? Or Mitch less sympathetic

P1: Bosola as a class outsider, initial lack of sympathy that grows throughout play, path of reform, becomes an outsider in a corrupt world due to goodness

  • Court gall…AO3 - Malcontent tragedy archetype

  • Lured to you, I am your creature

  • Nobly…return, fair soul, from darkness and lead mine

  • Manly sorrow…were where these penitent fountains while she was living? Oh, they were frozen up!

    Connection: Both Bosola and Mitch have a moment of recognition - too late after protagonists death, yet Bosola is more effective and we feel more sympathy

  • Collapses sobbing at the table - ineffectual, at least Bosola - this last part of my life has done me most service

    P2: Mitch stops being an outsider yet