Questions of Romantic Love

In “’Tis Pity She’s a Whore,” Florio tells Donado that his “care is how to match [Annabella] to her liking, I would not have her marry wealth, but love…” (1.3 10-1). Here, Florio is upholding romantic love for his daughter, rather than an increase in wealth. This sentiment was fairly new at the time, and it is interesting that Florio is willing to forgo wealth at the expense of this ideal. Soranzo also places romantic love above wealth, as he tells Annabella: “know that I have loved you long, and loved you truly; Not hope of what you have, but what you are have drawn me on” (3.2 31-3). Like Florio, Soranzo places the woman above the purse. Contrast these impulses with the romantic and incestuous love of Giovanni and Annabella. Is Ford’s picture of incest a criticism, or a terrible parody, of the romantic ideals of Florio and Soranzo? How does Ford seek to blur the boundaries between romantic love, deviancy, and perversion? Why?

In “The Changeling,” Middleton and Rowley position De Flores as abhorred by Beatrice. She detests and despises him, and she thinks that he is ugly as well. However, when De Flores does her bidding in murder, he pressures her into a sexual relationship, though she still hates him. But later, it seems that Beatrice may be revising her feelings for De Flores, as she states “How heartily he serves me! His face loathes one, but look upon his care, who would not love him? The east is not more beauteous than his service” (5.1 71-4). How much are Beatrice’s feelings changing? Is this a momentary comment, or does she feel love for De Flores after all that he has done for her? If her feelings are running towards love, how does this position ‘romantic love’ in the play, and what provokes such love?