What Is The Mood Of The Shrew Act 4 Scene 2

Act 4, Scene 2 may be one of the most dramatic and deathly scene in the play, having to deal with the death of our main protagonist the Duchess and her child, and as well as Bosolo’s switch of sides because of his morality and free reign of choice. It also deals with themes of duty, morality and ethics. The language used in this scene can also be graphic, and horrific as they swiftly execute them with no second thought. And the comparisons of the Duchess and her maid of accepting death and being brave, versus begging for life and the typical womanly response to death found in literary form.

The scene begins with the Duchess still being imprisoned from the last act, along with her maid Cariola. Ferdinand tries to torture her
Eventually they come in with a rope, she assures to Cariola that she will not be frightened, however Cariola is greatly frightened as she knows what is to come and is forced out of the room. Bosolo tells her that she will be strangled to death, and she replies to him that she has no fear of it, as all death is the same, either it be a stroke or shot to death. She does not beg for her life, as she stays noble and accepts what is to come and prays that she will be able to join her family in heaven. (Which she believes were dead due to Ferdinand mentally torturing her) She is then strangled to death, and follows come her two children who are also brutally strangled. Cariola’s death comes next, and is a great contrast compared to the Duchess’s, she begs for her life, and even attempts to lie in order to get them to pity her and spare her. Yet it fails and she is executed with no hesitation. Bosolo reports in to Ferdinand and tells him the news that the Duchess and her children are dead. He even tries to go as far as to guilt him for killing the children, though Ferdinand in return guilts Bosolo for
Her maid Cariola is a direct contrast, as while the Duchess chooses more poetic and meaningful words during her time of execution “I know death hath ten thousand several doors for the men to take their exits,” (1626) All death is the same to her, the act of strangling does not frighten her as it would be the same result of any other death. Cariola who wanted to die with the Duchess then begins to have second thoughts when her execution is near, begging them to spare her by coming up with lies such as she is engaged and pregnant. However this is not enough to save her, and they execute her with no