The One Left Alive in "'Tis A Pity She's a Whore" (and the Pace of "The Changeling")

‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore

Why does Vasques survive? He suffers a social death in the play (banishment) but he survives whereas Soranzo, Putana, Giovanni, and Annabella all suffer corporeal death (or in the servant’s case, a future death). What are we to make of banishment? It is a “death” for men moreso than women? Further, Vasques is the one who takes up Soranzo’s request to find out who the father is and uncovers the incest. To what extent is this revelation Vasques’ the reason for his pardon?

On the other hand, this play totally revolves around the incest within the play. The Bevington points out the controversy and the normalcy of it within the brother/sister relationship but what about the nature of the incest being one of sexual love? In other words, Giovanni and Annabella actually do seem to be in love? How do we as critics need to treat this development?

The Changeling

The line that I focus on in this play appears in Act V.ii.27. Tomazo proclaims to De Flores, for no apparent reason, “Dost offer to come near and breathe upon me?” This line sums up De Flores, Beatrice, and Tomazo, along with several other characters in the play: they instantly change their minds, seemingly unprovoked. Granted, the play is titled “The Changeling” though the instantaneous part intrigues me. What is the role of the pace of changing one’s mind—vacillation as memory—in this play?