the duchess of malfi critic quotes

a cautionary tale

nancy roider

the scene centres not on julia’s immoral action, but on the moral turpitude of those who condemn her as a ‘strumpet’ in order to excuse their own actions

christina luckyj on julia

It is the woman’s title, not her name that appears on the frontispiece of the play

Gillan Bridge

when a high-status man acts improperly, its usually because a woman has caused him to transgress

Painter

early modern victim-blaming

andy kesson

webster removes this frame and encourages us to see things differently

andy kesson on webster

celebrating rather than condemning a woman’s desire

andy kesson on desire

the Duchess describes her sexuality as a form of slavery

andy kesson on the duchess

bosola situation foregrounds contemporary anxieties about the shift from a feudal to a cash economy

lucy webster on bosola

without bosola it would not be a revenge tragedy

lucy webster on revenge

it is no the murder of the Duchess which opens his eyes to the true villainy of the brothers

lucy webster on bosolas redemption

bosola is forced to play any part he can in order to survive

lucy webster on bosolas role

philosopher in the mould of hamlet except he is also a man of action

daniel weston on hamlet/bosola

scholar now reduced to a mercenary

daniel weston on bosola

is bosola merely playing the role of the melancholic

daniel weston on melancholy

misunderstood (on machiavelli)

t.s eliot

we cannot say that webster condemns unequal marriages…he shows what the world thinks of them

clifford leech on marriage

duchess’ dangerous independence of mind and conduct

clifford leech on the duchess

the duchess’ body is threatening to male rule

martha ronk lifson

a woman of sexual energy and vulnerability

christina luckyj on the duchess

some critics sound hysterically like Ferdinand when they claim that…the Duchess like Hamlet’s mother, steps out of her path of duty and marries for lust

christina luckyj on critics

julia is meant to be condemned as a wanton, promiscuous, morally reprehensible woman

christina luckyj on julia

the context of love and sexuality defuses the play’s threatening language

christina luckyj on the play

violated existing patriarchal conventions of marriage to create her own concept of the state

theodora jankowski on the duchess

duchess becomes an uneasy and threatening figure

theodora jankowski on the duchess’ figure

to divorce her natural body from her political body

theodora jankowski on the duchess as a leader

an unease with a woman who pursues self-determination

Kathleen mckluskie

marriage is an act of heroic resistance

leah marcus

masculine in her ability to withstand pain

philip d. collington

the radiant spirit of the duchess cannot be killed

p.b murray on the duchess

virtue is in this disorderly world is merely wasted

william watson

antonio is modelled on the ideals of christian gentility

p.b murray on antonio

webster portrays evil as far more powerful than good

david cecil

the ultimate tragedy is the presence of evil

travis bogard

cardinal thinks nothing of breaking vows

john lennard

the effect is a play that presents an anatomy of the world rather than a replica of it

catherine belsey on the play

Marriage... is also presented in confining and dangerous terms, as a trap

fort

the cardinal's religious hypocrisy is driven by an urge to control female agency

crocker

advice is everywhere shaped by his view of women as naturally lustful and incapable of self-governance

juan luis vives

Clandestine marriage is a form of social resistance

liam mcnamara

widows, gluttony and lust

lina woodbridge

Integrity of life is fame's best friend

lina woodbridge on quotes

The Duchess lacks the moral weakness which the Greek philosopher had claimed the tragic protagonist must possess.

sean mcevoy

play is about the ‘tangled web woven trying to control female sexuality

lydia wilson

julia is designed as a set-off to the Duchess; as an instance of unholy love in contrast to the chaste love of the Duchess

william poel

A play intended as a warning against marrying a social inferior would have to be constructed quite differently

william empson