Easy Now Ferdinand

Ferdinand: "Rhubarb, oh, for rhubarb

To purge this choler! Here's the cursed day

To prompt my memory, and here 't shall stick

Till of her bleeding heart I make a sponge

To wipe it out."

(II.5.12-16).

Here we finally see Ferdinand and his outrageous anger/behavior. Not only is he angry, but it appears as though he has become psychotic. However, the entire time the Cardinal is telling Ferdinand to keep his composure. Here is evidence of the dichotomy between the Ferdinand and the Cardinal: Ferdinand wants nothing else but to commit murder, while the Cardinal takes another route by taking self-control. Again, no one can really blame Ferdinand for his quick-thinking scheme. Thankfully, the cardinal puts some sense into Ferdinand and he agrees to do nothing. This is nothing unusual--an overprotective brother wants to seek revenge on the man that impregnated his sister. Ironically however, Ferdinand is not the typical older brother. In fact, he has so much anger that his emotions for her appear to be incestuous.