The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster
The Duchess of Malfi is a Jacobean tragedy written by John Webster in 1612-13. It tells the story of the widowed Duchess of Malfi, who secretly marries her steward Antonio, despite the disapproval of her brothers, the Cardinal and Ferdinand. The brothers hire a spy, Bosola, to keep an eye on the Duchess and her new husband. When the Duchess gives birth to a son, her brothers become enraged and order Bosola to kill her. Bosola, however, is unable to bring himself to do it and instead warns the Duchess of her brothers' plans. The Duchess and Antonio flee, but are eventually tracked down and killed. Bosola is also killed in the process. The play ends with the Duchess' funeral, where her son is revealed to be the rightful heir to the dukedom. The play is a tragedy, but also contains elements of comedy and romance. It is a powerful exploration of the themes of power, ambition, and revenge.
By John Webster · First published 1623 · Genre: Tragedy, Revenge Tragedy, Romance · 20 chapters · 25,874 words
First lines
[Enter] FERDINAND and BOSOLA
FERDINAND. How doth our sister duchess bear herself In her imprisonment?
What this Textopian page supports
The Duchess of Malfi is listed on Textopian as a play by John Webster, dated 1623 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Play
- Author: John Webster
- Date: 1623 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Tragedy, Revenge Tragedy, Romance, Drama, Comedy
- Length: 25,874 words
- Structure: 20 chapters, 1,183 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Duchess of Malfi?
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Similar titles
- The Tragedy Of Mcbeth by William Shakespeare
- The Merchant Of Venice by William Shakespeare
- The Tragedy Of Romeo And Juliet by William Shakespeare
- Antony And Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
- Henry Iv Part 1 by William Shakespeare
- King Lear by William Shakespeare
Genres
- Tragedy — The Duchess of Malfi is a classic tragedy, with a protagonist who is brought down by her own flaws and the machinations of her enemies.
- Revenge Tragedy — The play follows the revenge of the Duchess' brothers, Ferdinand and the Cardinal, against her for marrying beneath her station.
- Romance — The Duchess of Malfi is a romantic tragedy, with the Duchess' love for her husband Antonio being a major plot point.
- Drama — The Duchess of Malfi is a dramatic play, with a focus on the characters and their relationships.
Tags
17th century · Corruption · Cruelty · Drama · English drama · Harvard Classics · Retribution · Siblings · Social Class · Tragedies · antonio · art
Contents
- Scene I
- Scene I
- Scene I
- Scene I
- Scene I
- Scene II
- Scene II
- Scene II
- Scene II
- Scene II
- Scene III
- Scene III
- Scene III
- Scene III
- Scene IV
- Scene IV
- Scene IV
- Scene V
- Scene V
- Scene V