'Tis Pity She's A Whore: Remind Yourself Of Act 4 Scene 3. What Is The Importance Of This Scene In The Context Of The Whole Play?

Act IV Scene iii is pivotal to the culmination and resolution of "'Tis Pity She's A Whore" as Ford uses it to progress various plot points and to set the stage for the final tragedy. We see the development of various characters take new and surprising directions and strong usage of irony and melodrama which could be a device used to increase the entertainment value for the audience.

The most obvious point regarding the scene is that it is one of contrasts. These contrasts serve a number of purposes ranging from preparing the reader for the closing scenes to introducing different dimensions to previously two dimensional characters. Firstly and most obviously is the contrast apparent in the character of Annabella when compared to what has occurred previously. The language Ford has Soranzo use to describe her is at odds with every previous description of Annabella, most notably Giovanni's and Soranzo's "must I not praise that which, if framed anew, the gods would make a god of" and "I have loved you long and love you truly" and serves to act in juxtaposition with Annabella's behaviour to give the audience an rare insight into Annabella's less than innocent aspects. The opening line "Come strumpet, famous whore!" immediately informs the audience that Soranzo has discovered Annabella's infidelity and as such, is a not unexpected reaction. It is the strength that Annabella displays in facing him down and even baiting him further which serves to surprise the audience and add depth to her character. We see her transformed from the weak "victim" style character shown in Act VI scene iii, in relation to the friar, to a character which dominates and entire scene through use of her extended speeches in relation to Soranzo's one line responses. This perhaps is Ford's way of developing Annabella's character into a suitable composition for the pivotal death scene between her and Giovanni, as her murder at Giovanni's hand would lack the pathos and impact upon the audience if she retained the same victim like demeanour of previous scene.

Another important development in Act VI scene iii is that of the relationship between Soranzo and Vasquez. At this point the audience is aware of the fanatical loyalty Vasquez has to Soranzo because of his actions in the previous scene, and of his inability to know his "place" in the social structure of the play (demonstrated by his actions towards Grimaldi in Act I scene ii). These qualities are once more displayed and emphasised by Ford in Act VI scene iii through Vasquez's dialogue, "leave the scenting of wrongs out to me!" and "O'twere most unmanlike!" which sees Vasquez both defending Soranzo's honour and reprimanding him in front of Annabella ( which is not really a servants place). Soranzo's position in this scene is severely undermined by Ford, who transforms him from the suave and secure character displayed previously when courting Annabella "I like signor Soranzo, he is wise and what's more he is rich" to the ignorant boor whose futile rage is thwarted by a (in those days "mere") woman and servant. This is demonstrated by his lack of understanding when conferring with Vasquez over the best way to discover the father of Annabella's unborn bastard, "I'll make her tell herself, or" and Vasquez's rebuke "Or what? You must not do so!". Annabella's lack of fear when threatened with death shows how impotent