Publication
Greno 1986
Status
Available
Description
Drama. Fiction. HTML: Shakespeare may get the lion's share of attention when it comes to early modern playwrights, but critics regard the era as something of a golden age of drama. John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi, based on a quasi-fictional Italian tale, continues to receive acclaim today. The play follows the life of the titular duchess, who chooses a husband from a lower socioeconomic class. Outraged by this perceived slight, her family plots revenge -- and falls apart in the process of carrying out their nefarious scheme..
User reviews
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
This is great example of a Jacobean tragedy. There is the virtuous woman, betrayed by her greedy and malicious brothers. There is the instrument of evil deeds that is redeemed (but not saved from his own untimely death). There are the requisite ending scenes full of dead bodies and profound
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speeches from said dying persons. There are some famous lines ("Mine eyes dazzle: she di'd too young" is one that jumped out at me). Drama as a genre isn't one I turn to for entertainment, but this was definitely worth the re-read. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cariola
Reread for a class I am teaching. This is one of my all-time favorite Jacobean tragedies. Forbidden passions, secret marriages, spies, incestuous feelings, political machinations, a malcontent, lycanthropy, torture, and murder--and on top of it all, excellent writing. What more can you ask? I love
Ferdinand: Women like that part that hath not a bone in it.
Duchess: Fie, sir!
Ferdinand: I mean the tongue.
(How can you not love it?)
I just wish there was a DVD version. Back in the 1970s I saw a television production starring Vanessa Redgrave, but so far, it is not available. I'm waiting for one of those BBC collections--"Vanessa Redgrave at the BBC"--to come out. They've done them on Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, and Maggie Smith, and the series is wonderful; that's how I've gotten ahold of some of the classic plays that I teach ('Tis Pity She's a Whore, The Country Wife, etc.). But so far, the students have been enjoying reading scenes aloud.
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teaching this play because it touches on all the aspects of the genre and of early modern court society that are so significant to understanding the period. Daniel de Bosola is my second all-time favorite villain (the first being Edmund in King Lear); I had the good chance of seeing him played by Ian McKellan at the National in 1985.Ferdinand: Women like that part that hath not a bone in it.
Duchess: Fie, sir!
Ferdinand: I mean the tongue.
(How can you not love it?)
I just wish there was a DVD version. Back in the 1970s I saw a television production starring Vanessa Redgrave, but so far, it is not available. I'm waiting for one of those BBC collections--"Vanessa Redgrave at the BBC"--to come out. They've done them on Helen Mirren, Judi Dench, and Maggie Smith, and the series is wonderful; that's how I've gotten ahold of some of the classic plays that I teach ('Tis Pity She's a Whore, The Country Wife, etc.). But so far, the students have been enjoying reading scenes aloud.
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LibraryThing member Shoney
This creep-o macabre drama really appeals to my sick sense of humor. While I hate to admit it, I often have a difficult time getting into literature pre-dating the nineteenth century (blasphemous, I know!) However, this play, like much of Shakespeare's work, is full of poignant observations that
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remind one of the consistency in human nature over centuries, for better or for worse. Show Less
LibraryThing member kant1066
This review contains spoilers.
That John Webster's birth records were quite probably destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 is a fitting biographical fact in light of reading "The Duchess of Malfi." It perfectly highlights the senseless destruction, both physical and spiritual, that permeates
The action is relatively straightforward. The Duchess of Malfi, whose overbearing brothers Ferdinand and the Cardinal insist that she never re-marry for fear that they might have to share her wealth with someone else, disobeys them and asks Antonio, one of her stewards, to marry her. Several years pass, during which the Duchess has two children by Antonio, while the brothers remain ignorant of the marriage, but they eventually find out. In an attempt to escape Ferdinand's wrath, Antonio flees to Ancona. Bosola, the Cardinal's goon, chases them in hot pursuit. The Duchess, her two younger sons, and her female servant are all killed on Bosola's instruction. Bosola, long upset by the Cardinal's venality, decides to revenge the Duchess and her children. The Cardinal, after murdering his mistress to keep her quiet, plans to kill Bosola, too, but instead kills Antonio who has since returned to Malfi. Just to drive home the idea of complete and utter wanton cruelty, the Cardinal, Ferdinand, and Bosola all die in a final melee. Just when you think all hope is lost, the Duchess' oldest son appears on stage in the final scene to take charge of a court that has destroyed itself because of its singular bloodlust. However, Webster leaves little room for the reader to imagine matters getting any better.
While Bosola seems like he might be the least interesting character because he has the least qualms with murder, he shows some interesting moments of moral ambiguity and even clarity, which makes his development interesting to watch. Needless to say, by the end, you're left feeling rent in two by the treachery, deceit, and duplicity of it all. The Duchess' son does not provide the necessary Aristotelian catharsis, and instead of a court being wholly purged of bad seeds, you feel that that he will end up a young victim in further machinations, another courtly pawn.
While others seem to not have appreciated the introduction and editorial notes, I rather enjoyed them and thought they shed some light on the production, composition, and historical background (yes, this is based on historical events - can you imagine?) As the footnotes are located at the bottom of the page, you don't have to flip back and forth between pages - one of my bête noirs when it comes to Penguin Classics editions. All in all, I look forward to reading more New Mermaids in the future, and I especially appreciate their effort at trying to revive Elizabethan and Jacobean drama.
That John Webster's birth records were quite probably destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 is a fitting biographical fact in light of reading "The Duchess of Malfi." It perfectly highlights the senseless destruction, both physical and spiritual, that permeates
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this play. The duplicity, violence, and familial division rival anything that you can find in Shakespeare. While the poetry itself doesn't quite reach the Shakespearean firmament in its baroque floridity, the language is wonderful, and just as full of double entendre and puns as the greatest of Shakespeare's plays are.The action is relatively straightforward. The Duchess of Malfi, whose overbearing brothers Ferdinand and the Cardinal insist that she never re-marry for fear that they might have to share her wealth with someone else, disobeys them and asks Antonio, one of her stewards, to marry her. Several years pass, during which the Duchess has two children by Antonio, while the brothers remain ignorant of the marriage, but they eventually find out. In an attempt to escape Ferdinand's wrath, Antonio flees to Ancona. Bosola, the Cardinal's goon, chases them in hot pursuit. The Duchess, her two younger sons, and her female servant are all killed on Bosola's instruction. Bosola, long upset by the Cardinal's venality, decides to revenge the Duchess and her children. The Cardinal, after murdering his mistress to keep her quiet, plans to kill Bosola, too, but instead kills Antonio who has since returned to Malfi. Just to drive home the idea of complete and utter wanton cruelty, the Cardinal, Ferdinand, and Bosola all die in a final melee. Just when you think all hope is lost, the Duchess' oldest son appears on stage in the final scene to take charge of a court that has destroyed itself because of its singular bloodlust. However, Webster leaves little room for the reader to imagine matters getting any better.
While Bosola seems like he might be the least interesting character because he has the least qualms with murder, he shows some interesting moments of moral ambiguity and even clarity, which makes his development interesting to watch. Needless to say, by the end, you're left feeling rent in two by the treachery, deceit, and duplicity of it all. The Duchess' son does not provide the necessary Aristotelian catharsis, and instead of a court being wholly purged of bad seeds, you feel that that he will end up a young victim in further machinations, another courtly pawn.
While others seem to not have appreciated the introduction and editorial notes, I rather enjoyed them and thought they shed some light on the production, composition, and historical background (yes, this is based on historical events - can you imagine?) As the footnotes are located at the bottom of the page, you don't have to flip back and forth between pages - one of my bête noirs when it comes to Penguin Classics editions. All in all, I look forward to reading more New Mermaids in the future, and I especially appreciate their effort at trying to revive Elizabethan and Jacobean drama.
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LibraryThing member BertieMCh
Incredible characters, twisted plot and characters, and an admirable female protagonist with some great lines.
LibraryThing member librarycatnip
Women shucking the trappings of social organization, and dukes who might be werewolves? Yes, yes please.
LibraryThing member jonfaith
Other sins only speak, murder shreiks out:
The element of water moistens the earth,
But blood flies upwards and bedews the heavens.
Oh mercy, revenge upon the cursed Vengeful in five sumptuous acts of poetry, racy bits and bloodshed. The initial revengers are a creepy pair of powerful brothers miffed
The element of water moistens the earth,
But blood flies upwards and bedews the heavens.
Oh mercy, revenge upon the cursed Vengeful in five sumptuous acts of poetry, racy bits and bloodshed. The initial revengers are a creepy pair of powerful brothers miffed
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that their sis has moved on from bereavement and is now happily shacking up. They enlist the world's most literate assassin for the wet work. I began this a month ago and made it half way. I started over and completed the piece this evening. Touch your caps to the lyrical wizardry of John Webster. Extra points should be awarded for use of a poisoned book. Show Less
LibraryThing member raselyem7
Women shucking the trappings of social organization, and dukes who might be werewolves? Yes, yes please.
LibraryThing member slpwhitehead
I'm torn over what I think about this play. On the one hand, there are some wonderful characterizations and character development in the play. Bosolo, the Steward of the household of the Duchess, has some wonderfully funny and poetic lines. In fact, he has some of the best lines in the play and is
One the other hand, the plot of the play is threadbare in places and has huge gaps in it in other places, which detracts from the character development, the plays on language/words, and the dialogue.
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perhaps is one of the best written characters of the play.One the other hand, the plot of the play is threadbare in places and has huge gaps in it in other places, which detracts from the character development, the plays on language/words, and the dialogue.
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LibraryThing member slpwhitehead
I'm torn over what I think about this play. On the one hand, there are some wonderful characterizations and character development in the play. Bosolo, the Steward of the household of the Duchess, has some wonderfully funny and poetic lines. In fact, he has some of the best lines in the play and is
One the other hand, the plot of the play is threadbare in places and has huge gaps in it in other places, which detracts from the character development, the plays on language/words, and the dialogue.
Show More
perhaps is one of the best written characters of the play.One the other hand, the plot of the play is threadbare in places and has huge gaps in it in other places, which detracts from the character development, the plays on language/words, and the dialogue.
Show Less
LibraryThing member leslie.98
The play itself deserves a higher rating but this free Kindle edition from Amazon was annoying in its formatting so I downgraded the rating.
I have been curious about this play ever since I first read Agatha Christie's [book:Sleeping Murder|806711] as a teenager. I knew very little about it other
I do have some questions about some of the motivations in the play especially one crucial point -- why do Ferdinand and his brother the Cardinal want to prevent their sister from marrying again (she is a young widow)?? It can't really be for inheritance because she has a son from her first marriage (though he never appears). Everything that happens stems from this one point.
I also watched the 1972 performance on YouTube -- as is generally true, plays are better when seen than when read.
I have been curious about this play ever since I first read Agatha Christie's [book:Sleeping Murder|806711] as a teenager. I knew very little about it other
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than what I gleaned from that reference... It is a tragedy very much in the style of Shakespeare's great tragedies, which is not surprising since Webster & Shakespeare were contemporaries, but without the 'comic relief' (a relief to me as I generally hate that part of Shakespeare!). I do have some questions about some of the motivations in the play especially one crucial point -- why do Ferdinand and his brother the Cardinal want to prevent their sister from marrying again (she is a young widow)?? It can't really be for inheritance because she has a son from her first marriage (though he never appears). Everything that happens stems from this one point.
I also watched the 1972 performance on YouTube -- as is generally true, plays are better when seen than when read.
Show Less
LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
When the Duchess of Malfi is widowed, her two brothers are insistent that she not remarry, leaving her fortune intact for them. She remarries, but in secret, to a commoner, and they keep their secret long enough for her to bear three children. Eventually, though, they are betrayed, and by a trusted
This was a surprisingly easy play to read. The play jumps forwards in time without explanation and the character development is minimal, but it's certainly entertaining.
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friend, the desperately ambitious Bosola. The play reminded me of Othello, being similar in the sheer quantity of murders and in increasingly overwrought behavior of everyone involved. This was a surprisingly easy play to read. The play jumps forwards in time without explanation and the character development is minimal, but it's certainly entertaining.
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LibraryThing member pgchuis
Read in preparation for an Open University course.
Again (just also read 'Othello') lots of plotting, deceit and killing. Fascinating that the work 'puke' (for vomit) has been around for 400 years - who knew?
Again (just also read 'Othello') lots of plotting, deceit and killing. Fascinating that the work 'puke' (for vomit) has been around for 400 years - who knew?
LibraryThing member therebelprince
I don't know what John Webster was on, but I want some of it. His plotting is so much more populist than Shakespeare, which ordinarily I would count as a mark against him, yet 'The Duchess' has a rare, guttural power that elevates it above the rest of Webster's output. A joy.
Original language
English
ISBN
3921568900 / 9783921568903
Original publication date
1614 (performed)
1623 (published)