The Compative Analysis Of John Ford’s 1629 Revenge Tragedy "Tis Pity She’s A Whore" & Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 Novel "Lolita"
Manipulation and forbidden love are both explored in John Ford’s 1629 revenge tragedy ‘tis pity she’s a whore’ and Vladimir Nabokov’s 1955 novel ‘Lolita’. Tis pity she’s a whore is based in a theocratic society with an incestuous relationship involving Giovanni and Annabella whereas Lolita is based in an American democracy which is focused on a precocious relationship between the characters Humbert and his nymphet known as Lolita. Both societies express corruption within society causing a danger for those forbidden relationships.
Ford and Nabokov explore the innocence and fragility of women, this is demonstrated through the characterisation and imagery of both their actions which would go against the beliefs held at the time both texts were written. Ford’s use of incest can be said to come from societies effort to achieve purpose in a world where it is impossible to live uncorrupted. Both Ford and Nabokov use legitimate arguments to influence characters into accepting their forbidden desires, these include the manipulation of the Friars words in ‘tis pity she’s a whore.
Both Nabokov and Ford use concepts such as religion and cultural norms to highlight a warning of forbidden relationships. Nabokov’s desperate tone for the narrator Humbert makes the reader and society question whether he is expressing true love for Dolores Haze or is he just creating a story to excite his audience, this shows the danger of an unstable character due to their passion. Humbert’s despairing manner is shown in part one of the novel chapter 29, in his speech in before he describes intoxicating Lolita “please, reader: no matter your exasperation with the tender-hearted, morbidly sensitive, infinitely circumspect hero of my book, do not skip these essential pages”.
Nabokov’s uses this tone in first person to highlight to the reader that Humbert’s actions are not accepted and that he understands this may be disturbing to some readers but they should persevere otherwise they will miss the ‘essential’ reason as to why he is doing this. Nabokov’s use of ‘morbidly sensitive’ warns the readers of the unpleasant activity which he is unfolding to us, showing Humbert’s unhealthy manner and how the extensiveness of his actions will affect your view of him as a narrator and the true reason behind his actions.
In 1950 America the second world war had just ended and there was a lot of cultural influences, cultural critics believed mass-media and conformity had arrived. This links to Humbert and how he is manipulating these cultural norms and going against conformity at the time Humbert’s pained speech stresses his manipulation towards us as readers, Nabokov wants us to sympathise with Humbert’s paedophilic impulses and he displays how forbidden desires can create paranoia as he believes us readers will skip these ‘essential pages’.
In contrast to Nabokov’s rebellion against cultural norms, Ford uses manipulation of religion in Giovanni’s efforts to convince the Friar of his feelings towards Annabella, Act 1 scene 1 and the corruption of the Cardinal when he presents the punishments in, Act 5 scene 6. Ford’s use of the corrupted Catholic church shows a danger that comes from people with power and suggests a reason as to why Giovanni manipulates the Friars words. Giovanni attempts to justify his feelings to the Friar, “to you I have unclasped my burdened soul, emptied the storehouse of my thoughts and heart, made myself poor of secrets”.
Ford similarly to Nabokov uses a persuasive and desperate first person manner in order to convince the audience to sympathise with Giovanni. Giovanni uses a convincing tone as he tries to legitimise his emotions towards Annabella, he wants to persuade the Friar into thinking this relationship is acceptable in order for him to feel better with himself. Giovanni uses ‘burdened soul’ to manipulate the Friar into accepting his desires and empathise with the fact it has caused him distress and worry. However, the danger for Giovanni was the fact the Friar could not come to terms with such as sin and in Act 5 scene 3 the Friar left for Giovanni to ‘despair’ foreshadowing Giovanni’s death later on.
The Friar’s efforts to warn Giovanni the seriousness of his sin “nearest way to hell” have no impact on Giovanni’s strive to win Annabella as he claims his passion is beyond his control. Ford continues this control of religion all throughout the play, towards the end we see the extent of anti-Catholicism in 17th century through the corruption of the Catholic church by the Cardinal’s movements. The cardinal claims “all the gold and jewels, or whosoever, confiscated by the canons of the church, we seize upon the pope’s proper use”.
Lisa Hopkins argues ‘the actions of the cardinal reduce justice to nothing but an empty word’, Parma’s lawless society is thereby chaotic as there is nothing to regulate blood-lust that follows from disputes. The Cardinal here demonstrates that he is not the voice of a moral giving justice or a just church but instead he is primarily concerned with the money and power, which excuses the incestuous relationship and focuses on the materialistic benefits he can gain.
The power of men to manipulate women is highlighted in both Lolita and ‘tis pity she’s a whore. This manipulation is one danger which comes, when one is so adamant to peruse the forbidden relationship. Throughout Lolita Nabokov continuously demonstrates Humbert’s dying efforts to win over Dolores Haze. This is clearly evident in chapter 29 where Humbert is still eager for Lolita to come back with him and leave Dick, “Make those twenty-five steps. Now. Right now. Come just as you are. And we shall live happily ever after.”
Nabokov’s use of short sentences, and disjointed speech shows Humbert’s mental instability with the fact Lolita is now with Dick and his desire for their prohibited relationship must come to an end. Nabokov constantly uses imperatives throughout this passage emphasising the power and control Humbert presents towards Lolita. Humbert’s manipulating phrase “and we shall live happily ever after” directed at Lolita indicates how he twists their relationship and wants Lolita to believe that she would be living in a unrealistic fairy tale.
The power Humbert presents in his speech shows the danger of these aspirations as now he has no control over his complicated feelings towards Lolita. Nabokov’s demonstration of Humbert’s devotion towards Lolita presents a question to the readers and a danger to Humbert, as they are to decide whether this constitutes a genuine selfless act of love and whether he should be punished. Lolita was revolutionary for it time in its explicit discussions of forbidden desires and sexuality. Lolita is an example of postmodern literature which arose in the early 20th century, postmodern writers are explore complexity of language which is shown in Humbert’s sophisticated language used to manipulate Lolita.
Ford likewise uses manipulation by men to excuse their socially unacceptable relationship. This is revealed when Giovanni gives Annabella a choice to love him or end his life and his twisting of the Friar words. This manipulation to peruse an illicit relationship highlights how it becomes a threat to life. Towards the beginning of the play, Act 1 scene 2, Giovanni gives Annabella the contemplation “tis my destiny that you must either love, or I must die”. This comes just after Giovanni’s soliloquy on how he his love decides his ‘fate’ emphasising the dangers forbidden desires can have on ones mental state, this similarly links the Humbert who continuously presents Lolita with reasons as to why she should leave Dick.
From the start we can already sense vulnerability coming from Giovanni’s emotions, his feelings are so deep he questions whether he can still live if Annabella denies him. Ford’s repetition of the imperative ‘must’ highlights Giovanni’s rational thinking that there is no point to life if he can’t have Annabella, it also emphasises Giovanni’s technique in manipulating Annabella into sympathising with his situation so that she will have no other choice but to love him otherwise she will lose her brother forever.
Giovanni’s presentation of the ‘dagger’ creates a link between his sexuality and the violence that will eventually befall the pair, however Annabella is still hesitant due to the danger of society finding out, as she is expected to not have sex outside of marriage or with her brother. Nevertheless, Giovanni manipulates the Friars argument to use religious teachings to justify his sinful behaviour “I have asked counsel of the holy church, who tells me I may love you”. This dramatic irony highlights to the audience the power of men to easily win over their lovers and the danger this poses to Annabella. This also re-enforces the corruption in the catholic church and how it is easily misinterpreted to gain selfless benefits.
Nabokov uses the idea of revenge as one of the dangers that come from perusing a illegitimate relationship. Humbert is so persistent with his love towards Lolita even if he cannot win her back, he would do anything to get justice from the person who stole her away from him in the first place. Humbert’s justice comes in chapter 35 where he tracks down Quilty to Pavor Manor with his loaded gun he has his mind set on killing him, however Humbert doesn’t just want to kill Quilty he wants him to know why he is doing this’ “it was high time I destroyed him, but he must understand why he was being destroyed.” It is ironic that Nabokov uses the idea of ‘high time’ to describe Quilty’s death as this should the opposite and a downfall in both characters, Humbert and Quilty.
Humbert uses Quilty to excuse his actions towards Lolita, he tries to make himself believe that only Quilty stripped Lolita of her childhood. Ford’s anticlimactic confrontation between Clare and Humbert “I rolled over him. We rolled over me. They rolled over him. We rolled over us.” Deflates the tension which has been building up in the previous chapters. This shows another example of Humbert’s melodramatic literary imagination compared to an ordinary real world. Humbert was wearing a bathrobe during his first sexual episode with Lolita, this shared item of clothing suggests that Quilty is Humbert’s shadow and double. Humbert’s attack towards Quilty suggests that Humbert s subconsciously attacking himself because of his engagements with Lolita and his pursuit of revenge is also a seeking of redemption.
However, with Humbert killing Quilty he is still not as peace with himself. This emphasises the danger of forbidden desires as no matter what Humbert does he will never be at peace with himself and that leads to his mental instability in the final chapter when he reflects on his crimes he inflicted on Lolita whilst in prison. A modern day audience would be horrified with Humbert’s revenge towards Quilty as well as Quilty’s view that Humbert should not confuse his life with literature, he should not fight to death over Lolita but he should just find another girl. In the words of one critic Nabokov gave an ‘insight, a romantic verve and a grasp of human character that seem peculiarly his own.’
Revenge is a reoccurring theme in ‘tis pity she’s a whore due to it being a revenge tragedy. Ford presents this theme in towards the end of the play, Act 5 scene 2, when Soranzo expresses his ambition to kill to Giovani and his disgust towards Annabella. Soranzo’s conversation with Vasques emphasises this repentance “Revenge is all the ambition I aspire; to that ill climb or fall: my bloods on fire.” Ford uses Vasques’ motivational speech to build up Soranzo’s rage, arguing that he is not man if he doesn’t show disgust towards this ‘cuckoldry’.
Soranzo continues on his quest for revenge against the other characters and begins his next plot. Soranzo’s fury towards Giovani and Annabella foreshadows a dangerous and a dramatic downfall. His blood lust lays the groundwork for the rest of the deaths in the play setting up destruction which is often the result of uncontrolled passion. Ford’s use of ‘aspire’ suggests that Soranzo can only get justice otherwise he will ‘fall’. After Annabella repentance letter sent to the Friar in her blood, arguing that she must overcome this lust to save her brother’s life and expressing her guilt shows a change from immaturity to a fear full and regret filled behaviour.
The fact Annabella wrote this letter in her own blood suggests she is taking desperate measures to get rid of her sins. However, Annabella is still labelled a ‘strumpet’ by Soranzo who aims to degrade Annabella and direct his dominance. A modern 21st century audience would be horrified by the demining language towards Annabella. However, this male dominance and patriarchy was acceptable in the Caroline period and it would be viewed that Annabella deserved this.
