How does John Ford present the ‘fatherly figures’ in the opening Act of ‘Tis Pity She’s a whore? Consider the Friar, Florio and Donado.
In the opening Act the theme of fatherly figures is distinctive. The Friar, a religious character shows fatherly nature towards Giovanni in the opening act. Friar feels a real compassion towards Giovanni and the love he has for his sister even though he doesn’t agree with it. ‘Yes, you may love, fair son’. The word ‘son’ exclusively implies that the Friar see’s Giovanni like a son. The word ‘love’ is also significant. Ford has used this to show us that the Friar cares about Giovanni, he wants him to love but he knows that with Annabella it is not the right way. The Friar praises Giovanni: ‘behaviour, learning, speech,/ Sweetness’ suggesting that he thinks of Giovanni as a noble, intellectual man. However he goes on to say ‘hast thou left the schools/ Of knowledge, to converse with lust and death?’ The Friar sounds disappointed with Giovanni that he has turned to this act of incestuous ‘lust’ by being in love with his sister. Ford portrays Friar’s religion through this line. The Friar knows that incest is wrong from his religious point of view and therefore wants Giovanni to return to his love of knowledge and pursue intellect rather than lust. As E notes states ‘The story takes place against a background of lust, vengeance, and greed that serves as a critique of contemporary culture and morality’.(1) Ford uses the Friar to show that Giovanni is ceasing to the factors of the society that this play was placed in.
The Friar makes a contradictory statement when he says to Giovanni ‘leave her, and take thy choice;’ ‘tis much less sin’. He is expressing that it is better for Giovanni to have any women at all, or as many as he wants rather than to love Annabella. He would rather other sin’s be committed as they would be far better than