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Questions and Answers
What is the setting of the play The Duchess of Malfi?
What is the setting of the play The Duchess of Malfi?
What is the occupation of Bosola in the play?
What is the occupation of Bosola in the play?
Why do the Duchess's brothers want her to remain a widow?
Why do the Duchess's brothers want her to remain a widow?
What does Antonio reveal about the Duchess's brothers in his conversation with Delio?
What does Antonio reveal about the Duchess's brothers in his conversation with Delio?
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What does the Duchess's brothers hope to achieve by instructing her not to remarry?
What does the Duchess's brothers hope to achieve by instructing her not to remarry?
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What is the character of the Duchess according to Antonio?
What is the character of the Duchess according to Antonio?
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Why does Bosola agree to be a spy for Duke Ferdinand?
Why does Bosola agree to be a spy for Duke Ferdinand?
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What is the position that Bosola is given on the Duchess's estate?
What is the position that Bosola is given on the Duchess's estate?
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What is the relationship between Antonio and Delio?
What is the relationship between Antonio and Delio?
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What is the motivation behind the Cardinal and Duke's actions towards the Duchess?
What is the motivation behind the Cardinal and Duke's actions towards the Duchess?
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What does Ferdinand condemn Bosola for?
What does Ferdinand condemn Bosola for?
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What is Ferdinand diagnosed with?
What is Ferdinand diagnosed with?
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What does the Cardinal instruct Bosola to do?
What does the Cardinal instruct Bosola to do?
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What happens to Julia?
What happens to Julia?
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What does Bosola intend to do after overhearing the Cardinal's plan?
What does Bosola intend to do after overhearing the Cardinal's plan?
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Who does Bosola accidentally stab in the darkness?
Who does Bosola accidentally stab in the darkness?
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Why do the Cardinal's courtiers stay away from his room?
Why do the Cardinal's courtiers stay away from his room?
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What does Ferdinand mistake his brother for when he stabs him?
What does Ferdinand mistake his brother for when he stabs him?
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Who enters the scene after all the deaths?
Who enters the scene after all the deaths?
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What does Ferdinand use his dying words to say?
What does Ferdinand use his dying words to say?
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What is the Duchess's plan after knowing that her brothers have discovered her secret marriage?
What is the Duchess's plan after knowing that her brothers have discovered her secret marriage?
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Why does Bosola give the Duchess apricots?
Why does Bosola give the Duchess apricots?
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What does Antonio inadvertently drop, which reveals the Duchess's secret to Bosola?
What does Antonio inadvertently drop, which reveals the Duchess's secret to Bosola?
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What is Ferdinand's reaction when he confronts the Duchess about her marriage?
What is Ferdinand's reaction when he confronts the Duchess about her marriage?
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What is the Cardinal's response to the Duchess's situation?
What is the Cardinal's response to the Duchess's situation?
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What does Ferdinand use to trick the Duchess into believing Antonio is dead?
What does Ferdinand use to trick the Duchess into believing Antonio is dead?
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What is the fate of the Duchess, her children, and Cariola?
What is the fate of the Duchess, her children, and Cariola?
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How does Ferdinand feel after seeing the Duchess's dead body?
How does Ferdinand feel after seeing the Duchess's dead body?
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What is Bosola's role in the play?
What is Bosola's role in the play?
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What is the Duchess's attitude when faced with death?
What is the Duchess's attitude when faced with death?
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What drives the tragic forces of the play's major plotline?
What drives the tragic forces of the play's major plotline?
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Why is the Duchess's marriage to Antonio remarkable?
Why is the Duchess's marriage to Antonio remarkable?
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What is a prominent theme in The Duchess of Malfi?
What is a prominent theme in The Duchess of Malfi?
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What is distinct about the Duchess's attitude towards death?
What is distinct about the Duchess's attitude towards death?
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What motivates the Cardinal and the Duke's actions towards the Duchess?
What motivates the Cardinal and the Duke's actions towards the Duchess?
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What is notable about Antonio's behavior during his courtship with the Duchess?
What is notable about Antonio's behavior during his courtship with the Duchess?
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What is a significant aspect of the Duchess's marriage to Antonio?
What is a significant aspect of the Duchess's marriage to Antonio?
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What is associated with the stereotype of 'sophisticated corruption' in English Renaissance audiences?
What is associated with the stereotype of 'sophisticated corruption' in English Renaissance audiences?
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What is a theme explored in the relationship between the Duchess and Antonio?
What is a theme explored in the relationship between the Duchess and Antonio?
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What is the central theme of the play's beginning?
What is the central theme of the play's beginning?
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What is Ferdinand's motivation towards his sister?
What is Ferdinand's motivation towards his sister?
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What is an example of a woman successfully controlled by a man in the play?
What is an example of a woman successfully controlled by a man in the play?
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What is used to describe the relationship between the Cardinal and Julia?
What is used to describe the relationship between the Cardinal and Julia?
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What is the characteristic of the play's ending?
What is the characteristic of the play's ending?
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What is the role of the French king in the play's notion of an ideal royal state?
What is the role of the French king in the play's notion of an ideal royal state?
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What is the theme that is reflected in the character of Julia?
What is the theme that is reflected in the character of Julia?
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What is the tone of the play's portrayal of death and suffering?
What is the tone of the play's portrayal of death and suffering?
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What is the central theme that is explored in the play's portrayal of the Duchess's marriage?
What is the central theme that is explored in the play's portrayal of the Duchess's marriage?
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Study Notes
Setting and Context
- The play is set in Roman Catholic Italy, symbolizing corruption and moral decay for English audiences.
- Action takes place in the palace of the Duchess of Amalfi, a young widow.
Characters
- Duchess: The beautiful, noble, and intelligent ruler of Amalfi, facing constraints from her brothers regarding remarrying.
- Antonio: The Duchess’s steward, fresh from visiting the French court, who represents honor and decency.
- Bosola: A murderer seeking redemption, initially employed as a spy by the Duchess’s brother, Duke Ferdinand.
- Duke Ferdinand and Cardinal: The Duchess's brothers, embodying jealousy and manipulative power dynamics.
Plot Overview
- The Duchess's brothers oppose her potential remarriage to safeguard family honor and wealth.
- Ferdinand employs Bosola to spy on the Duchess, revealing the theme of betrayal.
- The Duchess secretly marries Antonio, challenging societal norms regarding class and gender.
- The brothers discover the Duchess's pregnancy and plot her downfall.
Themes
- Power and Corruption: The Duke and Cardinal represent the corrupt aristocracy of Italy, their actions driven by greed and pride.
- Love and Authority: The Duchess’s marriage to Antonio subverts traditional power dynamics, as she pursues him instead of vice versa.
- Sin and Guilt: The play is steeped in themes of sin, leading to tragic consequences for multiple characters.
- Death and Suffering: Characters face brutal deaths, emphasizing the play’s tragic nature and the horrors of their actions.
Key Events
- The Duchess gives birth and attempts to conceal the truth from her brothers, leading to chaos in her palace.
- Ferdinand, troubled by his incestuous feelings, resorts to extreme measures to punish the Duchess for her perceived disobedience.
- Ultimately, the Duchess and her children are imprisoned and executed, showcasing the brutality of political machinations.
Conclusion
- Following the deaths, Delio echoes the possibility of new beginnings by mentioning the Duchess’s son, hinting at future hope amidst despair.
- The final act underscores how the actions and sins of the characters lead to their own demise and suffering, encapsulating the tragic essence of the narrative.
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Description
Explore the setting and characters of John Webster's play, The Duchess of Malfi, set in Roman Catholic Italy. Learn about the Duchess, her brothers, and other key characters that drive the plot.
