Breakfast illustration of bacon, eggs, and coffee with the silhouetted images of the Duchess' evil brothers, one on each side

The Duchess of Malfi

by John Webster

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi aligns with the revenge play tradition through its themes of vengeance, corruption, and moral decay. The play features complex plots of retribution, gruesome violence, and a...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Bosola in John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi is a complex character who embodies both villainy and redemption. Initially, he serves as a spy and assassin for Duke Ferdinand and the Cardinal, driven...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Ferdinand says "Cover her face. Mine eyes dazzle" when Bosola shows him the corpse of the duchess.

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi exemplifies Jacobean tragedy through its focus on violence, horrific imagery, and societal corruption. The play incorporates traditional Jacobean elements such as the Duchess's...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Yes, the duchess can be called a tragic hero, because she is highborn, has a fatal flaw, and dies tragically. Her fatal flaw is that she is too trusting and good. Though this might seem to be a...

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The Duchess of Malfi

In The Duchess of Malfi, major themes include power and corruption, as the characters navigate political intrigue and betrayal. Madness is also a significant theme, exemplified by Ferdinand's descent...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi is called a decadent play due to its morbid sense of horror and violence and the immorality of its various characters.

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The Duchess of Malfi

By the line "Ambition, madam, is a great man's madness," Antonio, the Duchess of Malfi's steward, expresses his concerns about being raised to her level of wealth and power by marrying her. Antonio...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Ferdinand and the Cardinal in The Duchess of Malfi are both devious and immoral, contributing equally to their sister's death. Ferdinand is violent and impulsive, while the Cardinal is cold and...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi offers social criticism and reflects contemporary society by highlighting corruption, the abuse of power, and the oppressive nature of hierarchical structures. Through the tragic...

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The Duchess of Malfi

In The Duchess of Malfi, gender representation critically shapes the narrative and character dynamics. The Duchess, a female protagonist, defies Jacobean norms by actively determining her life's...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Key characters in The Duchess of Malfi include the Duchess, who defies her brothers by marrying beneath her status; Ferdinand, her tyrannical brother obsessed with controlling her; the Cardinal,...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The cardinal kills Julia because he is tired of her. He destroys her because she is a troublesome tool he no longer has any use for.

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The Duchess of Malfi

In The Duchess of Malfi, the duchess is often portrayed as a tragic heroine who defies societal norms by marrying for love rather than status. Interpretations of her character highlight her strength,...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Ferdinand's madness in The Duchess of Malfi signifies the deep emotional bond he shared with his twin sister, the Duchess, despite his cruelty. His descent into madness and belief that he's a...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi is significant for its exploration of power, corruption, and the human condition, reflecting the complexities of Jacobean society. John Webster's life, marked by the turbulent...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi is set in Italy because that is where the historical events it is based on occurred, because Italy was associated with corruption, and because it was safer from the point of view...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess in The Duchess of Malfi faces numerous hardships, including betrayal by her brothers and a cruel imprisonment. Her tragic death comes as a result of the brothers' relentless pursuit of...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Bosola gives the Duchess apricots to confirm his suspicion that she is pregnant. Her subsequent sickness and labor act as evidence of her condition. The scene reflects the period's limited...

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The Duchess of Malfi

In Act 5, Scene 5 of "The Duchess of Malfi," Bosola confronts the Cardinal, declaring his intent to kill him. Despite the Cardinal's cries for help, others dismiss it as a ruse. Bosola kills a...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Webster uses Italy as a dramatic setting because it allows him to explore sensitive domestic political themes.

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The Duchess of Malfi

The play concludes with the deaths of the Duchess's brothers, who kill each other in a fight after murdering the Duchess and her children. Antonio, the Duchess's lover, returns from exile, and their...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Bosola finds confirmation that the duchess has given birth when he discovers her son's horoscope. He discovered she was pregnant in the first place by using apricots to induce labor.

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi: In Act 2, Bosola speaks in prose.

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The Duchess of Malfi

Ferdinand tells the duchess not to get a parrot because the parrot might learn the name of the duchess's secret love (Antonio) and repeat it for others to hear. Ferdinand has heard rumors that the...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess's speech in Act 1, Scene 3 of The Duchess of Malfi is written in blank verse. Although John Webster's verse can often appear irregular and similar to prose, it follows the conventions of...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi is based on the story of the Duchess of Amalfi, who was purportedly murdered by her brothers after being widowed and secretly remarrying.

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The Duchess of Malfi

Both The Duchess of Malfi and Othello explore themes of transgressive love and societal hypocrisy. In both plays, female characters defy societal norms through marriage—Desdemona by marrying Othello...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The nature of power in characters like Cardinal and Ferdinand is characterized by physical coercion, manipulation, and authoritative control. They exercise power over the Duchess through...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Antonio accuses Cariola of betrayal when he believes her to have let Ferdinand into the duchess's chambers. Ferdinand enters the duchess's chambers presumably without permission, and he does not even...

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The Duchess of Malfi

In The Duchess of Malfi, Ferdinand says he is going to go hunt badger in the night after leaving Bosola with the duchess's dead body, but Bosola takes this as mad ranting. Ferdinand next shows up in...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess in "The Duchess of Malfi" remains nameless, reflecting the limited social status of women in the early 16th century. This anonymity underscores the patriarchal society where women's...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Webster's view of women in The Duchess of Malfi contrasts the characters of the Duchess and Julia. The Duchess is portrayed as noble and virtuous, adhering to societal norms while maintaining some...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi and Macbeth are both bloody plays that deal with the catastrophic consequences of ambition

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The Duchess of Malfi

John Webster demonstrates moral nobility in "The Duchess of Malfi" through characters and themes. The Duchess marries Antonio, her steward, despite class differences and her brothers' opposition,...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi can be described as a static protagonist drama because the duchess remains true to herself and her values and is prepared to defend them until death.

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theatre in 1613 or 1614, followed by its first public performance at the Globe Theatre.

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The Duchess of Malfi

The duchess and Bosola both speak in rhyming verse at moments of emotional intensity, the duchess in act 3, scene five when she realizes Bosola has betrayed her and Bosola in act 4, scene two as he...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Bosola's two disguises in the drama reflect his internal conflict between loyalty to Ferdinand and admiration for the Duchess. In one instance, he uses a mask to capture the Duchess, symbolizing his...

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The Duchess of Malfi

Bosola spies on the duchess on the order of her brothers.

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The Duchess of Malfi

The aristocracy as presented in The Duchess of Malfi are almost entirely negative. They are greedy, possessive and murderous. One of the few exceptions is the Duchess herself, who proves that not all...

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess's personality is defined by her strength of character and personality. She is the only truly independent character in the play.

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The Duchess of Malfi

While all three of these texts succeed in portraying social injustices, Othello and The Duchess of Malfi do it very differently since they are tragedies, while Candide is a satire.

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The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess's fate in The Duchess of Malfi is tragic as she is ultimately murdered by her brothers, Ferdinand and the Cardinal, due to their desire to control her and their disapproval of her...

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