Study Guide by Arpita Karwa
The Duchess of Malfi
© Copyright 2020 by Arpita Karwa Education Pvt Ltd
by john webster
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The Duchess of Malfi is a play written by English author
John Webster. Regarded as one of the best English
Renaissance shows of all time, the play was first acted in
1612 and got published in 1623. The story revolves
around The Duchess and her two brothers Cardinal and
Ferdinand. The Duchess marries a man outside of her
a.
societal status. Her brothers seek revenge and resultantly a
series of murders and mishaps occur.
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The Duchess of Malfi, a widow, resides at her palace in
Malfi, Italy. Her brothers Ferdinand and the Cardinal
come to visit her. Antonio (the household manager) also
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returns to the palace from France. Ferdinand hires Bosola
for spying on his sister’s actions and ensuring that she
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doesn’t get remarried. However, The Duchess manages to
discreetly get married to Antonio.
The Duchess gets pregnant. Bosola gets a hint about her
pregnancy and to confirm her pregnancy status, he offers
ta
her apricots. Apricots are known to increase the labour
pain. After eating the apricots, the Duchess falls ill.
Antonio and Delio (a courtier) visit the Duchess. Bosola
finds a horoscope prepared for the baby. He is now
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reassured that the Duchess is pregnant.
Bosola informs Ferdinand and Cardinal about the news.
Both brothers get infuriated and assume that their sister is
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unmarried and the child is alleged. Ferdinand wants to
know the father of the child before taking any action. Two
more years elapse and the Duchess and Antonio have two
more children.
Ferdinand arrives at the palace and is mad at the Duchess.
The Duchess refuses to reveal her husband’s name. She
says if she did, the whole family will be the recipient of
Ferdinand’s anger. Duchess is disowned by Ferdinand. To
ensure that Antonio remains safe, she sends him to
Ancona. To everyone in the palace, she says that Antonio
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has committed a crime and needs to be banished.
Bosola gains the trust of the Duchess, who reveals to
him that she is married to Antonio. She offers Bosola a
huge sum of money to inform Antonio that she will be
joining him soon. Cardinal finds the Duchess and her
family in Ancona and banishes them.
As she prepares to leave Ancona with her family, she
receives a letter from Ferdinand. She decides to leave
with her two children and let Antonio leave separately
with their eldest child. Soon after, Bosola and a few
soldiers detain the Duchess and her two children and
imprison them.
Ferdinand sees the Duchess is relaxed in the prison. To
disrupt her peace, he sends wax-made dead bodies of
Antonio and the eldest son. The Duchess still remains
calm and thinks that she will join her family soon after
being killed. Bosola and a few soldiers choke her and kill
her two younger children and Cariola (Duchess’s maid
and confidant). As the Duchess is breathing her last,
Bosola reveals that those dead bodies are wax statues and
that Antonio and her elder son are still alive.
Ferdinand is filled with guilt as he sees his sister dying in
front of him. Over a period of time, he develops a
disease called lycanthropy (he thinks he is a wolf).
Cardinal now offers Bosola to kill Antonio in exchange
for a sum of money. Bosola joins hands with Julia
(Cardinal’s mistress). Julia confesses to Bosola that she
likes him. Both get Cardinal to hold himself responsible
for Duchess’s murder.
The last part of the play features a series of events.
Cardinal slaughters Julia. Bosola happens to kill Antonio
accidentally. Cardinal and Bosola are stabbed by
Ferdinand, however, Bosola manages to kill Ferdinand.
Before Cardinal and Ferdinand die, Bosola tells the
whole series of events to the attending courtiers
including Delio — who vow to raise the eldest son of
the Duchess, the only member alive from the family.
 Study Guide by Arpita Karwa

Mind Map

Cardinal
Corrupt, calculating, deceitful
Italian noblemen and church official

Siblings

Brothers

Antonio Bologna Duchess of Malfi Ferdinand

Trusted honest employee, then Secret Sensual, gracious, courageous Twin Cruel, tyrannical, unstable nobleman;
husband, father; accidentally killed spouses Italian noblewoman siblings harbors incestuous desires

Spy,
assassin

Manipulator Hired spy,

assassin

Former hired assassin

Daniel D Bosola
Hired spy and assassin; eventually
repents and avenges the Duchess

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