It is easy for a modern audience to look at Master Frankford's actions in Thomas Heywood's A Woman Killed with Kindness and recoil in disgust. Although today his actions may be crudely seen as emotional abuse, in the world of opera his punishment of Anne is praised as a gentlemanly solution to his wife's adultery. Close readings of the text provide insight into Frankford's actions and allow the reader to see beyond the initial perception that he is more of a domestic abuser. Analyzing how A Woman Killed with Kindness presents the acts of kindness committed by Frankford and the subplot characters, the difference between the emotions found in the main plot and the subplot, and how it juxtaposes her actions with alternative solutions she would have could have taken, I will attempt to demonstrate through comparisons with the secondary story involving Sir Francis, Sir Charles, and Susan that A Woman Killed with Kindness sees Frankford's actions as genuine acts of kindness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The most immediately obvious signifier that Frankford's actions are genuinely kind is how the play distinguishes false kindness from true kindness. The juxtaposition of the characters' actions brings into sharp relief the differences between sincere and false acts. For example, after offering a loan to Sir Charles and hearing him declare that he has only a small sum of money and a summer house, Shafton says aside: "I must have it, it suits me..." It is not out of love that I gave him offered this coin, / But for my gain and pleasure” (5.49-53). The text wastes no time in explaining what Shafton is really looking for; it is clearly stated with very little room for interpretation beyond speculation. Another example can be found with the “kindness” Sir Francis Acton shows Susan after Sir Charles is locked up in debt prison: “To woo her with gifts I cannot… How then? / Well, I will apply to her such kindness / that it will overcome her hatred and overcome it” (9.62-67). This is an even more obvious display of false kindness. Unlike Shafton, Sir Francis doesn't even bother to pretend why he wants to be generous to Susan. Both displays of “kindness” clearly define what Shafton and Sir Francis hope to gain through their actions – Mountford's summer home and Susan's favor, respectively – and how they hope to achieve it. These two examples serve as a contrast to Frankford's two main acts of kindness. The first, offering his house to Wendell, shows none of the "tales" discussed in the previous two. When Frankford suggests that Wendoll take up lodgings in his house there is no digression or mention of ulterior motives. The only explanation given as to why Frankford is doing this is that Frankford has "preferred [Wendoll] second place / In [his] opinion and [his] best estimate" (4.32-33). Frankford's other major act of kindness, sending Anne away once he discovers her affair with Wendoll, is more controversial but is still depicted as having no ulterior motive. There are no digressions detailing a master plan to shame Anne until her death, nor does the text provide reasons for Frankford to discard Anne other than those he says outright. He does so because he feels betrayed and because he fears that the corruption Anne has suffered will reflect negatively on their children, calling into question their legitimacy. To summarize: If the show wanted the audience to see Frankford's actions asfalsely kind, it would be more obvious about it, as it was with the actions of Shafton and Sir Francis. Following this pattern, it becomes apparent that Frankford's actions in A Woman Killed with Kindness are seen by the play as true acts of kindness. Just like the way the play subtly conveys the difference between true kindness and false kindness.kindness to highlight Frankford's true nature, a key piece of evidence that shows that A Woman Killed with Kindness sees Frankford's actions as genuinely kind are the indications of the emotions that accompany acts of generosity during the work. For example, compare Frankford's emotions during his acts of kindness to those of the characters in the subplot. During his confrontation with Anne after discovering her affair, Frankford expresses his grief over his wife's betrayal, saying, "Spare your tears, for I will cry for you / And keep your face, for I will blush for you" ( 13. 84-85). Here Frankford is vulnerable, almost empathetic. His confession acknowledges Anne's humanity by acknowledging that she feels pain and shame and forbids her from feeling anything because her feelings take precedence. He was the one who was betrayed by his bride and best friend, not by Anne. This is significant because it further demonstrates that Frankford's intentions were pure. If he had planned to cause Anne or Wendoll's downfall, he would not have shown the level of emotion that he does without any hint to the audience that there was a sinister intent behind his actions. The show allows the audience to sympathize with Frankford. Compare this to Sir Francis, who falls in love with Susan and decides to free her brother from prison so that she will have no choice but to have sex with him: “In her I will bury my hatred of [Sir Charles]” (9 72). Sir Francis' emotions tend to focus on less sympathetic outlets. Yes, he claims he will give up his hatred, but his words are strangely sexual and exploitative. It is an uncomfortable pun for those who notice it and further depicts Sir Francis as an indifferent man towards Frankford's wronged philanthropist. This parallel further demonstrates that Frankford's actions in A Woman Killed with Kindness are seen by the play as true acts of kindness. A Woman Killed with Kindness not only conveys the point of view that Frankford's acts are genuinely kind through her indications of emotion, but also conveys her point of view by suggesting an alternative, more severe action that Frankford could have taken. For starters, when he finally discovers Anne and Wendoll in bed together, he considers killing them but stops himself, saying, “But that I would not damn two precious souls / Bought with my Savior's blood and send them charged / With all their scarlet sins. " on his back” (13.44-46). This parallels an earlier scene in which Sir Charles kills two of Sir Francis's men in a fit of rage: "It was not I, but anger, that did this vile murder" (3. 51). It serves as a reminder of what men in show business can do when they're enraged. Yet he does not take violent action. True, in the direction it is noted that he is chasing Wendoll off stage with his sword drawn, but he gave him a scratch. This shows that his character is fundamentally superior to many men of his time who would continue to pursue him even after the maid attempted to stop him. This is also reflected in Anne's gruesome expectations for Frankford's punishment when his affair with Wendoll is discovered; this may also serve as another example of an alternative path Frankford could have taken. As she kneels, guilty before her husband, Anne says, “Though I deserve a thousand thousand times / More than.