The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster

Webster is often associated with Shakespeare and he’s known for his unhealthy focus on blood and
violence in his plays.

This play is based on a real story of duchess who got married at 12 yo and had a baby and two
brothers (one of them was Cardinal). Her husband died when she was 17 and than she gave birth to
another baby, but after more than 9 moth after duke’s death (not his child).

Mannerist tragedy

There has to be a tragedy. Mannerism – away from reality.

Revenge play

The Duchess lies to her brothers.

The town of Amalfi

Cariola - Duchess –-- Antonio - Delio

Milan

Ferdinand -–- Cardinal – Julia

Bosola is in between. Connects the ‘’two worlds’’.

The whole plot covers 7 years.

Antonio has returned from France and he is amazed with how the King rules his court, that he listen
to his people and it shows that Italy’s court lack it.

Antonio and his friend Delio compare Italian court with poisoned fountain. As if the head of fountain
is contaminated (corrupted) sooner or later the whole fountain will be poisoned.

The Cardinal is cold, has an affair despite he’s a cardinal. He uses his position to torture the Duchess.

Ferdinand is hot-tempered.

Antonio calls them ‘’twins in quality’’ because they both use their power, they are evil.

Ferdinand and Cardinal pushes Duchess not to marry again and Ferdinand even threatens her with a
knife.

Antonio consider the Duchess as kind and generous, but he’s also in love with her.

She does what she wants to do, she’s very independent.

By the moment Ferdinand and Cardinal leaves the Duchess proposes to Antonio by giving him her
wedding ring.

The only witness of this marriage was her maid Cariola and that’s why their marriage is legal. She
hide her and Antonio didn’t know she’s here.

She proposed because she thinks she can outsmart her brothers. She is higher in social hierarchy.

Ferdinand – choleric (emotional, under control)

Cardinal – phlegmatic (cold-minded)

The Duchess – sangvinic ( passionate, stubborn)

Bosola – melancholic

The marriage was secret because

She is widow but it’s possible to remarry if you have an option. It is possible according to law and
religion but not very appropriate in society. (Guide for Christian woman)

Unequal – Antoni shares neither her title nor money. Woman without money and title could be
‘’ennobled’’ by titled man, but man couldn’t be ‘’ennobled’’ by noble woman.

Transgressive desire

The Duchess and Antonio

The Cardinal and Julia

Incest

Ferdinand and his preoccupation with the Duchesses’ sexuality. He’s fantasizing about her and
someone else.

‘’to carry coals up to her privy lodgings’’ – to satisfy woman, to please

The sense of possessiveness, unique bond between twins.

Ferdinand is aware that their noble blood will be contaminated.

Revenge tragedy:

Avenger or/and protagonist, antagonist, madness often involved, usually no happy-end and almost
everyone dies, because avenger is also guilty with revenge.

The trigger for revenge tragedy is a crime that escapes punishment and some individual has to make
justice.

Bosola followed the order of Ferdinand to kill Duchess and her children, but then he felt guilt and
decided to kill the brothers and killed them, but he also killed Antonio accidentally.

Ferdinand felt guilt and he’d gone mad, he was diagnosed with lycanthropia (the wolf disease).

Ruler, widow, mother, wife, martyr.

No signs of ruling, neglected her duties.

As a widow she has to mourn, but she never even mentions her husband and moreover she
remarries soon.

She had one children from her first husband and 3 children from Antonio.

Scholars think that Webster changed his mind about The Duchesses’ very first child, but forgot to
correct the part where Ferdinand talks about her first son. And in the end Antonio’s first son
inherited everything. No any reminders about ‘’legit’’ son.

As a mother her last wish before death was cough syrup for her children.

As a wife of Antonio she is not typical. No signs of love or care.

Martyr (the person who suffers for their beliefs).

She is brave, independent, stubborn in a good sense, courageous.

But not really martyr, no big cause to sacrifice her life for, only her happiness.

According to Bosola she behaves so noble even during her imprisonment and tortures.

No religious belief, faking pilgrimage to reunite with Antonio. Doesn’t take the religion seriously,
even when her maid Cariola says that she doesn’t like the idea of mocking religion.

Bosola wants The Cardinal to admit his responsibility for The Duchesses’ death and asks Julia to
make Cardinal admit it. He told her everything, but then made her swear on poisoned Bible and she
dies.

Julia is married but had an affair with The Cardinal. She follows her desires, as do the brothers, but
they forbid their sister to do the same. Hypocrisy.

Both the Duchess and Julia killed by men for their emancipation and not being controlled by men
and society.

Sympathy for the Duchess and Julia. Rebellion against patriarchal social order. Not only mother or
wife, but the main character.

Cautionary tale – example, to warn not to do something.

Difference between the Duchess and Julia. Moral.

Bosola fixated on the fact that human body is disgusting (his words about Duchesses’ pregnancy)
and carriage for diseases and rotting every day, eaten by worms in the end.

Antonio: ‘’we follow after bubbles blown in the air’’. We want something we can’t have or can have
for a moment.

Bosola: ‘’we are merely the stars’ tennis balls’’. We have no control of our life.

Bosola: ‘’O, this gloomy world !’’

Existentialism – rebelling against meaningless world, trying to do something unreachable, acting like
it matters.