The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster Basics
- Created by: AJ2004
- Created on: 02-05-20 18:44
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- The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster
- Key Events
- Ferdinand tricks the Duchess into thinking that her family is dead using wax models. This leads her to consider suicide.
- The Duchess marries Antonio secretly.
- Ferdinand orders Bosola to kill the Duchess. He strangles her but she shows no fear and does not beg for her life.
- The Cardinal confesses to his hand in the Duchess' and her children's death to his mistress, Julia. He kills her with a poisoned bible.
- Cardinal tells Bosola to kill Antonio.
- Bosola suspects the Duchess is pregnant so he feeds her apricots which induced her labour.
- Ferdinand goes insane. It is said that he believes himself to be a wolf.
- Ferdinand tells the Duchess to kill herself.
- Cardinal plans on killing Bosola after he had disposed of Julia's body for him but Bosola overhears him.
- Antonio loses his child's horoscope which is picked up by Bosola.
- Bosola accidently kills Antonio. He then kills the Cardinal. Ferdinand fights Bosola and they end up killing each other.
- Characters
- Delio
- Roderigo
- Bosola
- Antonio
- Cardinal
- Ferdinand
- Grisolan
- Castruccio
- Julia
- Duchess
- Silvio
- Cariola
- Old Lady
- Malatesti
- Pescara
- Doctor
- Echo
- Story Line
- Ferdinand and Cardinal kill the Duchess and the two younger children.
- Bosola feels guilty for betraying the Duchess and decides that he will seek revenge for the Duchess.
- The duchess has two more children with Antonio.
- The duchess of Malfi tells the story of a young widow (a duchess) who falls in love with her steward, Antonio.
- Her brothers, Ferdinand and Cardinal, did not want her to remarry and made her promise that she would remain a widow. She agrees, but her brothers do not trust her so they hire a servant, Bosola, to spy on her.
- While her brothers were away in Rome, the Duchess and Antonio get married in secret.
- Bosola suspects the Duchess is pregnant and gives her apricots whihch were believed to induces labour. Shortly after eating them, she gives birth to a son.
- Antonio writes his newborn son a horoscope but loses it. Bosola finds the horoscope and tells the Duchess' brothers who are furious at the news.
- Bosola suspects the Duchess is pregnant and gives her apricots whihch were believed to induces labour. Shortly after eating them, she gives birth to a son.
- The Duchess and Antonio attempt to run away but only Antonio and the eldest son escape.
- The Cardinal confesses to his mistress, Julia, but kills her so she cannot reveal his secret.
- Bosola kills Antonio due to believing him to be the Cardinal.
- Bosola eventually kills the cardinal and Ferdinand appears in a crazed state. He and Bosola fight and kill each other.
- With all his family dead, the eldest son of the duchess and Antonio takes place as heir to the Malfi fortune.
- Ferdinand and Cardinal kill the Duchess and the two younger children.
- Main Themes
- Corruption
- Deception
- Death
- Religion/sin
- Reputation
- Key Events
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