Discuss “The Duchess of Malfi” as a revenge tragedy. 

Answer

 Discuss “The Duchess of Malfi” as a revenge tragedy. 

A Revenge Tragedy is a type of drama in which the main story is about taking revenge. These plays often show violence, killing, madness, and people struggling with right and wrong. It ends with the downfall or death of many characters, including the characters who want to take revenge. This genre became very popular in the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. One of the earliest revenge tragedies was “The Spanish Tragedy” by Thomas Kyd. Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is also a famous revenge tragedy. 

John Webster’s (1578-1632) “The Duchess of Malfi” (1613–14) is a perfect example of a revenge tragedy. The play is full of violence, killing, madness, and revenge. The main plot is about the Duchess’s punishment by her brothers and, later, Bosola’s revenge.

Here we will discuss how “The Duchess of Malfi” fits into the revenge tragedy genre.

Violence and Injustice: Revenge is a key element in “The Duchess of Malfi.” It all starts with the injustice and violence against the Duchess. The Duchess is a widow, and she secretly marries Antonio, a man below her class. Her two brothers—Ferdinand and the Cardinal—are very angry about her marriage. They do not care about their sister’s happiness. All they care about is her wealth. Moreover, Ferdinand also has an incestuous desire for the Duchess.

The two brothers hire Bosola to spy on the Duchess. Bosola is a cunning and cruel criminal. When they learn that the Duchess is married and pregnant, Ferdinand becomes blind with rage and jealousy. He says:

“I would have their bodies

Burnt in a coal-pit…”

This line shows his violent nature. Ferdinand has her imprisoned and tortured brutally. They also plan to kill her husband, Antonio, and her children. Eventually, they kill the Duchess and her two children brutally. The murder of the Duchess is very tragic and unjust. She is innocent and kind, but she suffers