Previous
Florio
Annabella’s guardian and confidant, Puttana’s name literally means “whore” in Italian. Puttana helps Annabella keep her various suitors at a distance, but when she sees the love that Annabella feels for Giovanni, she does not judge them. She encourages Annabella’s sexuality. At the end of the play, she is judged harshly for her crimes. She is said to be complicit in their incest, and is gagged, blinded, and eventually burned to death. This cruel punishment reinforces the harsh violence against women and women’s sexuality in the play.
Puttana Quotes in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore
The 'Tis Pity She's a Whore quotes below are all either spoken by Puttana or refer to Puttana. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1, Scene 2 Quotes
The rich magnifico that is below with your father, charge, Signor Donado his uncle, for that he means to make this his cousin a golden calf, thinks that you will be a right Israelite and fall down to him presently; but I hope I have tutored you better.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
As Annabella and Puttana look upon Bergetto’s foolish revelries, Puttana comments that Bergetto’s uncle, Donado, is trying to make Annabella love Bergetto through the use of wealth, making him into a “golden calf.” The Biblical reference indicates a false idol created by the Israelites. Though Annabella does not idolize wealth in this way, she and Giovanni make false idols in other ways by worshipping each other over God. Separately, the Cardinal is later shown to idolize wealth in this way as he saves Grimaldi because he is “noble” and “a prince,” and at the end of the play he confiscates Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut
Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes
Nay, what a paradise of joy have you passed under! Why, now I commend thee, charge. Fear nothing, sweetheart. What, though he be your brother? Your brother’s a man, I hope; and I say still, if a young wench feel the fit upon her, let her take anybody: father or brother, all is one.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Just after Giovanni and Annabella have consummated their relationship, Puttana tells Annabella that she should be ashamed neither of having sexual desire nor of committing incest. For the encouragement and care she shows toward Annabella (duties she bears as Annabella’s guardian), Puttana will later receive an extraordinarily harsh punishment: she is gagged, blinded, and then burned to death. Not only do these events reinforce the hypocritical expectations surrounding women’s sexuality, they also demonstrate the lawlessness of the society in general. Many men in the play commit far worse crimes than knowing of and encouraging incest, and are relatively unscathed by Dolorem et quae. Ex
Get the entire 'Tis Pity She's a Whore LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Puttana Character Timeline in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore
The timeline below shows where the character Puttana appears in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 1, Scene 2
Florio asks what the cause of the argument is as Annabella and Puttana enter on the balcony of the house, unseen. Soranzo chimes in that he asked Vasquez...
(full context)
Annabella and Puttana, meanwhile, have been listening in on the conversation from the balcony. Puttana asks Annabella how...
(full context)
Puttana describes Annabella’s potential suitors. There’s Grimaldi, the well-built soldier, whom Puttana does not like because...
(full context)
Bergetto and Poggio enter below. Puttana reveals that Bergetto is another one of Annabella’s suitors, and remarks that he is an...
(full context)
Annabella and Puttana remark on how idiotic Bergetto is. Puttana tells her that Bergetto’s uncle, Donado, means to...
(full context)
...“celestial creature.” She wonders who it is, and comments on how he looks quite sad. Puttana sees that it is her brother. Annabella is surprised, then worried that he looks so...
(full context)
Annabella and Puttana reenter, and Annabella asks Giovanni if he will tell her what is wrong. They dismiss...
(full context)
Act 2, Scene 1
Puttana enters, seeming already to know that Annabella has lost her virginity to Giovanni. Puttana tells...
(full context)
Act 2, Scene 6
...jewel for her (a ring). He describes how much Bergetto is in love with Annabella. Puttana tells Donado that she has been commending Bergetto to Annabella every night. Donado gives Puttana...
(full context)
Act 3, Scene 2
Florio, Giovanni, Annabella, Puttana, Soranzo, and Vasquez are all gathered. Florio says that although there have been many suitors...
(full context)
...the balcony to come down. Soranzo calls for help within the house. Florio, Giovanni, and Puttana enter. Giovanni takes her in his arms and asks her how she is doing. Florio...
(full context)
Act 3, Scene 3
Puttana and Giovanni are outside Annabella’s chambers. Puttana is in great distress, saying that Annabella is...
(full context)
Giovanni asks how Annabella’s condition is. Puttana says that she is fine, but that this fainting and vomiting will continue to happen....
(full context)
Act 4, Scene 3
While Vasquez muses on how to find out who impregnated Annabella, Puttana enters, crying. Vasquez sympathizes with her that Soranzo can be furious and demanding. He admits...
(full context)
Vasquez tells Puttana that all Soranzo wants is to find out who did it, and then he wouldn’t...
(full context)
As soon as Puttana says Giovanni’s name, Vasquez calls on the Banditti (a gang of Italian outlaws and robbers)....
(full context)
Act 5, Scene 1
...him that she is imprisoned in her chamber and is not even allowed to see Putttana, and that he should not trust Soranzo. The Friar agrees to do so.
(full context)
Act 5, Scene 6
...Cardinal asks if anyone else was complicit in this incest. Vasquez tells the Cardinal of Puttana, and says that he blinded her and kept her alive to confirm Giovanni’s story. The...
(full context)
