Why is “The Duchess of Malfi” called a decadent play?
The Duchess of Malfi is a notable literary work by John Webster. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of The Duchess of Malfi.
Answer
Discuss the theme of corruption as reflected in ‘The Duchess of Malfi.’
Or, Why is “The Duchess of Malfi” called a decadent play?
Or, Write on “The Duchess of Malfi” as a portrait of a corrupt society.
A decadent play is a kind of drama that shows a corrupt society that is full of evil, selfishness, and moral decay. The term ‘decadence’ means ‘decline’. In this type of play, we see a decline in moral values. The characters are full of greed, power, lust, and cruelty.
“The Duchess of Malfi,” first performed in 1613 or 1614, is a perfect example of a decadent play. In this play, John Webster (1578-1632) portrays a corrupt society that is full of greed, jealousy, lies, cruelty, and bloodshed. This play shows a decline in moral values after Shakespeare’s time. In Shakespeare’s time, plays were full of life, energy, and hope. But in the Jacobean era (1603- 1625), plays became full of bloodshed, madness, and death.
Let us look at some important parts of the play to understand how Webster shows a corrupt society.
Corrupt Rulers/Brothers: The two main villains of the play are the Duchess’s brothers: Ferdinand and the Cardinal. They are both powerful men, but they use their power for evil. Ferdinand is the Duke of Calabria. He is cruel, proud, and mentally unstable. The Cardinal is a high-ranking churchman, but he is not holy at all. He is greedy and full of sin. He has a secret affair with Julia, Castruccio’s wife.
Ferdinand and the Cardinal do not care about their sister’s happiness. They only care about her wealth. They do not want the Duchess to marry again after her first husband dies. Ferdinand even has an incestuous desire for the Duchess. He is full of rage and jealousy when he learns that the Duchess has secretly married Antonio. These two brothers set Bosola to spy on the Duchess. Later, they plan to take revenge on her. Ferdinand has her imprisoned, tortured, and killed. Ferdinand says:
“I would have
Unlock this study guide now