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Maeve Hammond
Sex & Betrayal: Renaissance Taboo
VanWagoner
7 July 2014


Tis Pity Shes a Whore Taboos: Unveiling the Madonna-Whore Complex


Sigmund Freud, the twentieth century psychoanalyst, published many groundbreaking
analyses of mans sexual identity. From the coining the Oedipal complex to outlining the libido
development, Freud wrote of the odd and uncomfortable sexual stigmas in modern society and
histories of the past. One of his most famous theories is the Madonna-whore complex, which
states men only see women as a Madonna-esque immaculate virgin or a debased whore; in
Freuds words, it is "where such men love they have no desire and where they desire they cannot
love (Freud, 1912). Although the idea of the Madonna-whore complex is from a misogynistic
males mindset, this idea can actually be applied to divulge or justify the actions and beliefs of
plots and characters in literature. The Madonna-whore complex can be applied to John Fords
Jacobean era play Tis Pity Shes a Whore, which unveils the sexual identities of women during
this era and follows the journeys of the men and women who are affected by the mental and
physical transition of protagonist Annabella from virgin to whore.
The play introduces the incestuous affair between brother and sister Giovanni and Annabella
almost immediately in the first act. Giovanni uses religious metaphors and parallels to describe
the seemingly angelic, immaculate Annabella who is bathed in the light of virginity and
chastity. Giovanni says Such lips [of Annabella] would tempt a saint; such hands as
those/Would make an anchorite lascivious (I.ii.197-198). He says Annabellas heavenly
powers, now double all that virtue in [his] tongue (I.ii.160), and he would like to make [their]
love a god, and worship it (I.ii.146). Although some of Giovannis remarks seem nearly


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sacrilegious, he certainly makes his point that Annabella holds the same ranking of religious
figures solely because of her beauty and--perhaps lack of--her sexual identity.
However, Giovannis attitude towards Annabella alters sharply when she is married to another
man, Soranzo. Giovanni can no longer own Annabellas sexual status--he must share Annabella
physically and emotionally with another man. Giovanni reveals his disdain for the situation with
jealous remarks. Annabella is called a faithless sister (V.iv.9) because of her marriage with
Soranzo. Giovanni crudely says Annabella took too much of the flesh, I believe (IV.iii.244),
degrading his proclaimed love. Additionally, Giovanni shows his obsession with Annabellas
sexual affairs when he asks her, What, changed so soon? Hath your new sprightly lord/Found
out a trick in night-games more than we/Could know in our simplicity? (V.iv.1-3). Changed
so soon refers to Annabellas sexual identity, which--in Giovannis mind--has transitioned from
a pure woman belonging only to him to a whore.
Annabellas transition in the Madonna-whore complex is represented physically by her
pregnancy. Like in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter, the main female protagonist is
forced to exhibit a public declaration of her private life; however, instead of a scarlet A on
Annabellas clothes, her pregnancy reveals premarital sex. Although Annabella is still the same
person, she is regarded completely differently by all of the characters in Tis Pity Shes a Whore-
-especially her husband, Soranzo. He goes from marveling the look from Annabeland her
diviner cheeks (II.ii.16-17) to calling Annabella a strumpet, famous whore...harlot, rare,
notable harlot (IV.iii.1-4) after her pregnancy is revealed. Soranzo even asks her Was there no
man in Parma to be bawd/To your loose, cunning whoredom else but I? (IV.iii.6-7); obviously,
Annabellas label as the Whore of Parma is irrevocable.


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This same pervasive, blatant misogyny is acted by the community of Parma Tis Pity Shes a
Whore. Soranzo and Hippolita had a secret affair while Hippolita was married; the news of their
affair is known throughout the community of Parma, the setting of Tis Pity Shes a
Whore. Hippolitas reputation is stained with her promiscuity, while Soranzo is still held in high
regards; as Hippolita says to Soranzo, Thy sensual rage of blood hath made my youth/A scorn
to men and angels (II.ii.28-29). Just like Soranzo, Giovanni is not persecuted--or even
recognized--for his philandering ways with Annabella. His sister takes all of the scorn from
Parma, even though they were equal in the affair; Annabella laments, O Giovanni, that hast had
the spoil/Of thine own virtue and my modest fame (V.i.17-18).
Although Freuds analysis of the Madonna-whore complex is degrading and sexist towards
women, it unfortunately rings true in Tis Pity Shes a Whore. Truly, the title of John Fords
tragic play supports Freuds claim. Seemingly, the downfall of the male characters in the play is
all related to revenging or hating the sexual identities of Annabella and Hippolita. The title
places the blame on the woman characters of this play; not surprisingly, this is can be inferred as
Fords reflection or--if looked upon optimistically--his call to action against the prevailing
misogyny of the Jacobean era.