ABSTRACT
Both Mariam and The Duchess of Maifi were published around 1613–1614, though Mariam circulated in manuscript for a number of years prior to this. Mariam is a wife who believes she is a widow; the duchess is a widow who wants to be a wife again. Even though Mariam begins by expressing ambiguous regret over her “public voice,” and she is later chastised by Sohemus and the chorus for her outspokenness, it is questionable whether her speech actually contributes to her death. Mariam and the duchess are dramatic representations of historical women, whose characterization draws both on their authors’ knowledge of earlier accounts, and on contemporary beliefs about women and appropriate female behavior. According to Herod, Mariam’s fault in listening to other men is amplified by her refusal to listen to him. By refusing to listen to Herod, Mariam undermines his authority and demonstrates the tenuous nature of his claim to the throne through marriage.
