[Vwoolf] really obscure Elizabethan reference

Tue Jul 7 03:54:06 EDT 2020

“‘mongst women howling” is from “The White Devil” (5.3.36–7).

Stuart
(Day 112)

From: Elisa Sparks via Vwoolf 
Sent: Tuesday, July 7, 2020 1:34 AM
To: vwoolf at lists.service.ohio-state.edu 
Subject: [Vwoolf] really obscure Elizabethan reference

Dear all--
I am researching ivy in Virginia Woolf and have discovered a pattern of references to owls in the ivy.  I have not been able to find any literary origins for this association which appears no les than six times in Woolf's writing.  Particularly curious is this allusion in her 1925 essay "Notes on an Elizabethan Play":   
             and we scarcely recognise any likeness between the knight who imported timber and died of pneumonia at Muswell Hill and the Armenian Duke who fell like a Roman on his sword while the owl shrieked in the ivy and the Duchess gave birth to a still-born babe ‘mongst women howling (E4 67)

Does anyone have any idea what minor Elizabethan dramatist Woolf is citing here?  I am at an utter loss.

Thanks,

Elisa

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