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The Duchess of Malfi, with its graphic content, and gruesome dramatisation, is often referred to as the original ‘Grand Guignol.’ The play satisfied the Jacobeans’ ghoulish obsession with the macabre. In this essay, I intend to discuss the importance of the extract from Act 1V scene 1, and consider the distinctive features of Webster’s language. The essay will explore how Webster skilfully weaved the rampant hypocrisy of the Jacobean era, including inequality, injustice, and moral corruption into the text and theme of the play. In addition, I will explore how Webster’s play differed from other revenge tragedies of the same period. Each of these themes will be closely analysed and discussed in turn, before a closing exploration of the possible performance possibilities based on the language of the extract.

This extract from the opening of Act 1V The Duchess of Malfi is of pivotal importance, and is the main ‘crux’ of the play, as it determines the eventual outcome of the tragedy. The Duchess’s brothers have imprisoned the Duchess for ‘marrying beneath her station.’ Torture and death, are the themes of Act 1V, scene 1 which opens in darkness as Duke Ferdinand had previously vowed, ‘never to see her again.’ (4.1.25)

Webster’s use of contrasting metaphors, such as darkness and light, love and death, provide exposition and structure to the play. Ferdinand is asking the malcontent Bosola ‘How doth our sister Duchess bear herself in her imprisonment?’ (4.1.1.) Ferdinand is not happy hearing the ‘spy’s response with distinctive words, as ‘nobly, majesty, loveliness, and perfect.’ (4.1.5-10.) Bosola’s use of these positive words signifies that whilst it is evident that he admires the Duchess’s fortitude. It also personifies him as a contra...

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...rent coloured costumes such as red/white-to create dramatic effect/shadowing. Props are crucial to create the ‘gruesome shock factor,’ i.e. the dead man’s hand and the wax figures. Equally important is the delivery of the spoken dialogue of the actors, particularly before and after the ‘Duchess,’ kissed the hand and the impact of seeing the ‘dead’ bodies of her family. Another significant factor to the scene is Bosola’s soliloquy divulging his change of heart towards the Duchess’s plight, this is vital as it emphasises the duplicity of his character.

In conclusion, this essay has discussed the importance of the passage, analysed the language of the extract, considered the bigotry and corruption of the era, highlighted the feminine ‘heroine’ aspects of the play and discussed the possible performance possibilities of Act 1V, Scene 4-lines 1-59 of The Duchess of Malfi.