Giovanni tries to justify his feelings for his sister, he says, 'Are we not therefore each to other bound so much the more by nature'. Giovanni's argument is that as they are brother and sister and also from the same womb, that they are bound to each other all the more as 'one soul, one flesh, one love, one heart, one all'. John Ford presents this incestuous relationship in many aspects, here the relationship is shown in a positive light. Giovannis naive argument is compared to the views of society and of the Church.
The friar describes Giovanni as 'thou art lost', the friar feels ashamed of his tutelage , that he should have such sinful feelings.
The friar advises Giovanni to 'look thee fast alone within thy chamber' to 'cry to thy heart' pray and repent. John Ford presents this relationship as 'the leprosy of lust'. The word 'leprosy' is emotive as it gives us an image of something dirty, wrong, unworthy, and someone who is an outcast from society. In some aspects, we can compare Leprosy to this incestuous love as incest is also immoral, and would be an outcast to society.
John ford also presents Giovanni and Annabella's feelings for each other as an ocean, Giovanni says, 'It were more ease to stop the ocean', this view of the relationship is brought across as sympathetic as the relationship seems 'normal'. This describes how Giovanni feels about Annabella, he says that it would be easier to stop the oceans tides than to dissuade his vows towards his sister.
From the outset, John Ford presents dramatic tension in the atmosphere, he sets a comparison between the religious and societies view compared to Giovanni's argument. As the audience we know that Giovanni and Annabella's relationship cannot last and their future together is doomed.
In scene two, we can see how Giovanni feels through his soliloquy, Annabella and Giovanni declare their love for each other and also swear an oath to each other.
This scene is presented in a romantic and typical love scene, where Giovanni expects rejection but finds that his love is returned. In Giovanni's soliloquy, he feels full of self pity, he describes himself as being 'lost. I am lost, my fates have doomed my death'. He decides to leave the situation to fate and sees that he is doomed and ruined. At this point in the play, the audiences view of this incestuous relationship changes as we see Giovanni as a lovesick youth and feel pity towards him.
During the conversation between Giovanni and Annabella, John Ford presents another view of their relationship. Giovanni describes Annabella's forehead, eyes, cheeks, lips, and hands as beauty. Annabella is clearly struck by his praises as she says 'D'ee mock me, or flatter me?' After Annabella returns her love for Giovanni, they come down on one knee to swear an oath to each other. John Ford presents this relationship in a sweet and romantic way, this changes the audiences attitude as we do not see them as 'brother and sister' but as a 'normal' couple.
In scene one and also scene two, we can see that Giovanni and Annabella are fully aware of the disruptive force of this incestuous love, they can see how awful their love for each other is, but continue to do so.
'The love of thee, my sister, and the view
Of thy immortal beauty hath untuned
All harmony both of my rest and life.'
John Ford has presented Annabella and Giovanni in this way, it changes the view of the audience as we see that even though they are both aware of the inevitable consequences, they still do not want to part as they are so deeply in love with other. This further enhances the idea of the 'normal' relationship.
In conclusion, John Ford uses many techniques to express many different views of this incestuous relationship. In scene one, we see the religious and societies view, and in scene two, Ford changes the audiences view by presenting Giovanni and Annabella as a 'normal' couple.
