Power is pretty closely related to ambition, because what are people ambitious usually about? That's right: power. Even if the ambition is focused on money—like how Vittoria wishes she was the "ornament" of a larger fortune—that's still the same, since money is really a form of power: crystallized power you can hold in your hand. Everyone in this play is scheming for power. Even the Cardinal manages to become pope, and, given his corrupt proclivities, we can assume this isn't just because he prayed really hard. Flamineo might be the most intensely power-focused, but Brachiano and even Francisco understand how to protect and defend power.
Questions About Power
- What's the point of getting power? When does someone have enough?
- How much power is it healthy for someone to have? Do people lose control when they get too much?
- Why does Flamineo want power? What's he going to use it for?
- Is the Cardinal's religiously authorized power different from the Duke's secular, nobleman kind of power?
Chew on This
Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Actually, if you train and discipline yourself properly, you can handle absolute power—just like some noble emperors did (consider Augustus, Akbar, Queen Elizabeth, and others, generally viewed as good rulers).