A Woman Killed with Kindness

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A main theme in early modern domestic tragedy was not marital discordas such but violent - usually unreasonably violent - behaviour on thehusband's part. At a time when husbands were not only allowed butobliged to rule their families, including their wives, the definitionof 'lawful and reasonable' measures of punishment were opened todebate. The marriage of John Frankford, a middling country gentleman, and his wife Anne is comfortable if uneventful, until Wendoll, anacquaintance of her husband's, confesses his passionate love to her.Anne yields to him, they are discovered. Instead of killing the twoadulterers on the spot - a vengeance that society would condone -Frankford banishes his wife from the house and their two children.Racked by guilt and remorse, Anne starves herself to death, but Heywoodallows a scene of deathbed reconciliation to wife and husband.

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