Duchess of Malfi

THE DUCHESS
Duchess is a very fne and a very psychologically complex female

character who is a young widow and listen to her inner secret desires.
She is shown as a young woman lusting after Antonio which later
develops into something meaningful and deeper, that is, love.
She is pious and religious minded even though people think the
contrary.
She is frst seen in Act 1 Scene 2 of the play through Antonios eyes
where Antonios language is not of a lover !ut an onlooker who is flled
with wonder. "e fnds her very di#erent from her !rothers and thinks
very highly of her$
But their sister, the right noble Duchess,
You never fxed your eye on three fair medals,
Cast in one fgure, of so diferent temper.
%he Duchess&s defant insistence on marrying Antonio, her second
hus!and, is an action which shows that she has her own desires, and a
more dominant will than any!ody around her. 'e!ster has given her all
the (ualities that Antonio, her spouse, lacks, (ualities which were not
thought to !e desira!le in a woman of that era) she plots, schemes and
has a !old and impetuous nature.
%he theme of Disguise is so prevalent in the play that even the
Duchess, must employ it. *n her frst appearance on stage, she tells her
!rothers, +*ll never marry, -1.1.2./0, 1ecause she had !een a widow
for some time and her desires of sex remained unsatisfed, so with a
speech that is aggressive and halting she pu!lically confesses her
physical desires !y proposing and marrying Antonio. 2learly, she had
disguised her true intentions from !rothers.
*t is after her marriage that the reader discovers her resourcefulness
and decision making a!ilities. 3ven a clever man like 1osola, who had
!een spying on her for long was duped !y the appearance of the
Duchess in loosely worn clothes, whereas the reality was that she was
!ig with a child. *t is in Act 2 Scene 1 when 1osola presents her with
apricocks that he reali4es the reality of the Duchess !eing pregnant.
!ights to my chamber"...
!ights there, lights" -Act 2 Scene 10
%his comes right after the Duchess goes into la!or !ringing the
concept of light and darkness to the forefront which is interwoven with
the theme of appearance vs. reality. %he light signifes the uncovering
of the truth from false impressions -darkness0.
%he Duchesss skillfulness in de5ecting the suspicions of Antonio !eing
her hus!and, helps her to !e 6seen as chaste and dignifed. She then
manages to have three children with Antonio without ever revealing
their marriage, and even when the discovery of the marriage !ecomes
imminent, she (uickly devises an excuse to send Antonio out of harms
way.
#ith $ould it pleasure me, to have my throat cut
#ith diamonds% &r to be smothered
#ith cassia% &r to be shot to death, $ith pearls% -Act 7 Scene 20
3ven the Duchess !eing at her death !ed the theme of appearance vs.
reality is still present. %he appearance, that is, her clothes and 8ewels
re5ect the image of her dying as a royal, whereas the harsh reality is
that, that she is dying 8ust like any ordinary man !ecause death does
not distinguish !etween royalty or a commoner.
%he Duchess dishonesty is not meant to re5ect poorly on her. *nstead,
it shows 8ust how profoundly corrupt her !rothers have made the
world, in that the Duchess must disguise a good and pure love simply
to survive. "er use of disguise reveals her energy and resourcefulness
in her fght for what is good on this 3arth.
THE CARDINAL
'ome such (ashes superfcially hang on him, for form)
But observe his in$ard character) he*s a melancholy churchman
+he spring in his face is nothing but the engendering
&f toads) $here he is ,ealous of any man, he lays $orse plots for
them. -Antonio. Act 1 Sc. 20
'ome fello$s, they say are possessed $ith the devil, but his fello$
$as able to possess the greatest devil- and ma.e him $orse.
2ardinal, younger !rother of 9erdinand and the Duchess, appears
!rie5y in the frst scene of the play !ut exists soon. "e is the real
villain of the play who remains in the !ackground and works through
9erdinand.
%hese words !y Antonio and 1osola show that this crafty and corrupt
man of religion, as the name says, is very em!odiment of evil and
wickedness. "is outward appearance is deceptive and does not show
his real character. 1ecause in reality he is the one who advises to his
!rother 9erdinand to appoint 1osola as an intelligencer in the :alace of
the Duchess.
*t is in Act 2 Scene 7 that one sees the real 2ardinal. %he 2ardinal who
speaks of the Duchesss infdelity is also not chaste as is seen through
his conversation with ;ulia !ecause even though the Duchesss
relationship started with physical pleasure it ended in love, whereas in
his case ;ulia was already spoken for.
You may than. me, lady,
/ have ta.en you of your melancholy perch,
Bore you upon my fst, and sho$ed you game,
0nd let you (y at it. / pray thee .iss me.
#hen thou $ast $ith thy husband, thou $ast $atche*d
!i.e a tame elephant.
%his shows 2ardinals immoral sexuality.
%hough the 2ardinal does not make his appearance often in the play,
his presence is felt from !eginning to end as it is he who directs
9erdinand to murder the Duchess and suggests that, +strangling is a
very (uiet death.,
*t is 2ardinal who asks 1osola to murder Antonio and appears to !e his
partner in crime !ut the reality was that he was all the while planning
to murder 1osola after that .
So, throughout the play 9erdinand is the appearance and the 2ardinal
is the reality.

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THE DUCHESS

Duchess is a very fne and a very psychologically complex female

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