Duchess of Malfi Notes

The Duchess of Malfi is a dark, tragic drama that follows the story of a noble widow who defies her corrupt brothers - the Cardinal and Duke Ferdinand - by secretly marrying her steward, Antonio. Set in Catholic Italy, a place English audiences associated with moral decay, the play explores themes of power, gender, and betrayal. The Duchess’s defiance of patriarchal control leads to a brutal chain of events: her brothers, obsessed with preserving their honour and inheritance, employ the cynical Bosola to spy on her. When her secret is discovered, the Duchess, Antonio, and their children are hunted down, leading to torture, murder, and madness. Bosola, initially complicit, becomes disillusioned and seeks revenge, but his actions only add to the bloodshed. In the end, nearly all major characters perish, leaving a grim reflection on tyranny, loyalty, and the cost of integrity in a corrupt world.

Themes

Power and Corruption

In The Duchess of Malfi, politics and corruption are central themes, explored through a stark contrast between the ideal French court and the morally decayed Italian setting. Webster presents Italy as a place of “sophisticated corruption”, where power is wielded though outwardly noble, are deeply corrupt - engaging in bribery, espionage and ruthless abuse of authority to control the Duchess and preserve their status. Their actions reflect a poisoned political system, where law is twisted into a weapon and advisors serve ambition rather than truth. The play warns that such corruption leads not only to physical destruction - as seen in the brutal deaths of the Duchess and her family - but also to spiritual damnation and the collapse of governance itself. The final absence of leadership, marked by a lowly courier delivering the closing lines, underscores the devastating consequences of unchecked political immorality.

Love and Male Authority

The Duchess of Malfi explores the tension between love and male authority in a patriarchal society where women are expected to submit to the will of men. The Cardinal’s control over Julia exemplifies traditional gender dynamics, portraying love as a male-dominated experience. Similarly, the Duchess’s brothers, Ferdinand and the Cardinal, attempt to dictate her romantic choices, forbidding her from remarrying to protect their honour and secure her wealth. Yet the Duchess defies these constraints by secretly marrying Antonio for love, reversing conventional courtship roles and asserting her autonomy. Her continued resistance - through marriage, motherhood, and even in the face of death - challenges male dominance, though her execution underscores the tragic cost of defying societal norms. Ultimately, the play presents the Duchess as both a symbol of female agency and a victim of entrenched male power.

Guilt, Death and suffering

The Duchess of Malfi is saturated with death and suffering, portraying a world where cruelty is rampant and guilt is inescapable. The Duchess endures imprisonment, torture, and execution with remarkable dignity, viewing death as a release from worldly torment and a gateway to peace. Her composed acceptance contrasts with the psychological unraveling of her tormentors: Ferdinand is consumed by guilt and descends into madness, while the Cardinal, though a religious figure, is spiritually paralyzed by his conscience and haunted by thoughts of hell. Bosola, caught between duty and morality, is plagued by guilt throughout, ultimately seeking redemption through revenge but sharing the tragic fate of those he served. Webster uses these arcs to show that guilt, whether repressed or acknowledged, leads to further suffering and destruction, making it a central force in the play’s tragic vision.