Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi

John Webster's play "The Duchess of Malfi" is a violent play that presents a dark, disturbing portrait of the human condition... The title character is a widow with two brothers: Ferdinand and the Cardinal. In the play's opening act, the brothers try to persuade their sister not to seek a new husband. Her resistance to their wishes sets in motion a chain of secrecy, plotting, and violence. The relationship between Ferdinand and the Duchess is probably one of the most unsettling brother-sister relationships in literature. The play is full of both onstage killings and great lines. The title character is one of stage history's intriguing female characters; she is a woman whose desires lead her to defy familial pressure. Another fascinating and complex character is Bosola, who early in the play is enlisted to act as a spy. Overall, a compelling and well-written tragedy. --Michael J. Mazza at Amazon.com.

John Webster’s "The Duchess of Malfi". Going above and beyond one's station

Essay from the year 2021 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7, LMU Munich (Anglistik), course: The Woman Question - Seminar, language: English, abstract: Essay on John Webster's "The Duchess of Malfi", portraying the way the characters aspire above and beyond their own station in society, in a very conservative circle that does not allow for following one's heart. The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster is a compelling and timeless story that provides for a diverting read. One of its most interesting aspects is the way people move outside their ‘station’, i. e. their role assigned by society, especially in terms of gender and class. Attentive readers will remember that the play was written in about 1614 and goes back to the true story of an Italian Duchess’ life in the late 15th and early 16th century (Webster [1614] 1997). Social conventions were much stricter in those days, so The Duchess of Malfi provides some interesting insights into “aspiring above one’s station” and “overreaching” one’s gender. This essay investigates in what way the Duchess moves above her station and how much she overreaches her gender in order to be with the man she loves.

The Duchess of Malfi