Duchess of Mali critics

"[Bosola is] a twisted misanthrope and cut-throat"

Christopher Hart on Bosola

"The Duchess’s brothers are the primary mouthpieces for the misogynist discourse of the era”

Dymphna Callaghan on the brothers

"The ultimate tragedy of Webster's world is not the death of any individual but the presence of evil and decay which drags all mankind to death."

Travis Bogard - on death and ending of the play

“the radiant spirit of the duchess can not be destroyed”

critic on the duchess

“humble and holy she is the anecdote to the brothers evil”

Jacki Moore on the duchess

“he doesn’t control them, they control him”

John Marie on Ferdinands desires

“maze of madness and death”

Rupert Brooke on the ending

“her brothers assume patriarchal control over her body and sexuality which extends over her political state”

Kate Aughterson on the brothers control of the duchess

“female desire was seen as a disease and a monstrous abnormality”

Callaghan on female desire

“when confronted with female power and sexual desire, male characters react with extreme violence”

Grace Windsor on violence, masculinity

the duchess navigates “by the compass of her own will and power”

Findley

the duchess’ and Antonio’s son I a hopeful figure and a testament to Webster’s “ultimate belief in a better age”

Ray

Ferdinand turns the intimate space of the Duchess’ chamber into a “public theatre of cruelty”

Johnny Patrick