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Core Course 7: British Poetry & Drama: 17 and 18 Centuries

Unit- II Drama- John Webster: Duchess of Malfi For 10 Marks

Q. Character of The Duchess of Malfi.

The Duchess, strong-willed, brave, passionate, proud, and a loving wife and
mother is the most psychologically complex female Character portrayed with great
insight and poetic power. A noble and courageous Duchess is the source of all action
in the play. Because of her beauty, boldness, sincerity, love, devotion, patience and
tolerance, she is placed as one of the best and immortal characters in the world
literature. She has a charming and fascinating personality. Webster’s fame and
recognition as a dramatist can appropriately be said to have depended on The
Duchess of Malfi and its heroine, the Duchess.
In Antonio’s opinion the Duchess is “the right noble Duchess” so very
different in temper from her brothers:
You never fixed your eyes on three medals
Cast in one figure, of so different temper.

Antonio has high words of praise for the Duchess, her sense of dignity and
honour, and her pious life. He pays the following glowing tribute to her:
For her discourse, it is so full of rapture,
You only will begin then to be sorry
When she doth end her speech, and wish, in wonder
She held it less vain-glory to talk much
Than your penance to hear her:

She, who has son from her deceased husband, has unfortunately become a
widow in the prime of life, when she is still in the full bloom of youth. Her two
brothers, the Cardinal and Ferdinand, are against her marrying any man below her
dignity or rank only to have all her property and wealth after her death. In spite of
giving words to her brothers, she falls in love with her own steward, Antonio. Even
when she encounters her executioners, sent by her brothers, she thinks of safety of
her husband and her children than her own life and sends Antonio along with her
eldest child to Milan for the same. Even on the verge of her death, she prays to God
in thankfulness. She instructs her maid Cariolato look after her daughter and son.
One of the dialogues between Bosola and Duchess at the time of when he reaches
her to put her to death, he asks her, ‘Does not death fright you? ‘Her reply is full of
optimism and elevated thinking. She says:
Who would be afraid on’t?
Knowing to meet such excellent company
In th’ other world.
Duchess is a thoroughly virtuous woman. Legous says: ‘The victim, the
Duchess of Malfi, is all goodness and innocence, and is driven to madness and death
by her brothers because she has secretly married her steward, the virtuous Antonio.’
In her innocence, purity and pathetic death, she is often compared to
Shakespeare’s Desdemona, but she is a lady of great tact, courage resourcefulness
and heroic endurance. Her nature is like sweet herbs, it gives out most sweet
fragrance when it is crushed. Adversity brings out to the greatest advantage, her
passionate tenderness and heroic fortitude.
In the words of Frederick Allen, “The horrible tortures, however, inflicted by
her brothers serve to save her mind already half-crazed with grief. Each new horror
seems but to strengthen the resistance of her anguished soul. Even when life has
truly become for her the most horrible curse that one can give, her Spirit remains
unconquered and unbroken. “I am Duchess of Malfi still”, she says.”
At the moment of death, her last words clearly bring out her faith in religion
and the grace of God. She is deeply religious and this gives her strength to bear the
horrible textures that are inflicted upon her and the cruel death that is her lot.
To conclude, the question is often asked as to why the Duchess was murdered.
Was she really lustful, immoral and irreligious as her brothers think her to be? She
was living in a corrupt court, and is there anything surprising or unnatural if its
general corruption has also infected her? No concrete answer can be given to these
questions but as there is enough evidence in to play to show that she is chaste,
virtuous, pure and religious. Perhaps the real answer lies in the fact that Ferdinand
felt incestuous love for her, and it was sexual jealousy and not any fault of the
Duchess herself, which prompted the murder.
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Core Course 7: British Poetry & Drama: 17 and 18 Centuries. Unit II

John Webster: Duchess of Malfi

Q. Role of Bosola

In The Duchess of Malfi Bosola’s character is next only to that of the duchess in
interest and significance. According to Shelling, “he remains the most consummate
character in The Duchess of Malfi.” Una-Ellis Fermor in her admirable book The
Jacobean Dramas points out that the main interest of the character of Bosola arises
from, “the strange discrepancy between the man he appears and the man that
unknown to himself he really is”. Certainly a complex and intricate character, he
remains a mystery and an enigma both to himself and to the readers.
Daniel de Bosola, a former servant of the Cardinal, now returned from a sentence
of imprisonment in the galleys for murder and was sent by Ferdinand to spy on the
Duchess as her provisor of horse. He is employed by Ferdinand to spy on the
Duchess in hopes of keeping her away from marriage. He is involved in the murder
of the Duchess, her children, Cariola, Antonio, the Cardinal and Ferdinand, and a
servant. Upon witnessing the nobility and fearlessness of the Duchess and Antonio
facing their deaths, he then experiences guilt. Though he was the one who arranged
her death, he then seeks to avenge it. Bosola can be considered the most complex
character in the play since he goes from being a killer without regret, and then
changes and is filled with regret. Being the malcontent of the play, he tends to view
things cynically, and makes numerous critical comments on the nature of
Renaissance society.

However, if there is one character that does have a philosophical input to the play it
is the ever perceptive Bosola, who ironically is a hired killer. Bosola is Webster’s
mouthpiece for the dramatist’s restless, mocking, intelligence. Throughout the play
Bosola reels out pragmatic observation.

Although Bosola is quick to point out other people’s weaknesses, particularly the
vices of the professions, when he talks to Castructio about the legal profession he is
quick to mock.

It is impossible to talk about Bosola without pointing out the fact that he is the
quintessential malcontent. The root of his discontent is his betrayal before the play
by the Cardinal, a betrayal for which Bosola spent time in the galleys as
punishment for a murder at the order of the Cardinal that he took full
responsibility.

“I have done you better service

Than to be slighted thus.
Miserable age, where only the reward
Of doing well, is the doing of it!”

There is no question about the nature of Bosola’s character at the beginning of the
Play. As Antonio puts it:

“Here comes Bosola,

The only court-gall; yet I observe his railing
Is not for simple love of piety:
Indeed he rails at those things which he wants;
Would be as lecherous, covetous, or proud,
Bloody, or envious, as any man,
If he had means to be so.”

However it is a matter of greater debate whether Bosola’s motivation for killing

changes and therefore his morality improves with the course of events. Some argue
that after the death of the Duchess, for whom Bosola feels remorse, he is then driven
to kill his employers through revenge on behalf of the wronged party.
However one would argue that he is still driven by his own self-interest. His
conscience not plagued by the acceptance that he has killed the Duchess for evil
men, but that he is not being paid for the deed.
Because of the nature of his character the audience would not expect Bosola to have
passionate leanings; however he does enjoy some flirtation with Julia at the expense
of the Cardinal.

To conclude; Bosola’s defining characteristic is his intelligence. This is perfectly

demonstrated when he speaks of the sycophants at court and compares them to
parasites getting the best fruit from an isolated tree. “He and his brother are like
plum trees that grow crocked over standing pools… none but crows, pies and
caterpillars feed on them.”
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Core Course 7: British Poetry & Drama: 17 and 18 Centuries. Unit II

John Webster: Duchess of Malfi

Q. The Duchess of Malfi as a Revenge Tragedy

“The Duchess of Malfi” by John Webster is a kind of Revenge Tragedy modelled

on Seneca, the Latin playwright of 1st century A.D. This play is considered as one
of the best plays of Webster and as a Revenge Tragedy, it is considered as the best
tragedy after Shakespeare's containing almost all the characteristics of Revenge
Tragedy. This play contains the depth of extreme violence, plotting and mostly
revenge on the best part which are the chief elements of revenge tragedy. However,
The Duchess of Malfi contains full of such terrifying, hair-raising situations from
the beginning to the end.

The Duke in order to horrify the Duchess gives a dead man’s hand to her and she
kisses it taking it to be the Duke's hand. The spectacle of waxen images of the dead
bodies of Antonio and children presented before the Duchess is another horrid scene.
The unruly dance of the mad men before the Duchess, the appearance of Bosola as
a tomb makes and a bell man and the appearance of the executioners with bell and
core in procession, too are intended to create horror. The next horror is mentioned
in the series of murders committed by Bosola. The last horror comes when Julia is
poisoned in a most cold-blooded manner. Antonio is killed and Ferdinand, Cardinal
and Bosola all meet their death at the end.

Taking revenge and murdering people are the integral part of revenge tragedy. The
revengeful brothers are both villains .They are the victims of an insensate fury that
blinds the eyes, maddens the drain, and poisons the springs of pity. The piteous
sufferings of their victim from the hard heart of Bosola who says,

You may discern the share of loveliness,

More perfect in her tears than in the smile.

We have seen that there was a love affair between the Duchess and Antonio and at
last they marry and they produce three children. On hearing the news of their secret
marriage and their children, the cardinal and The Duke Fardinand react angrily.
Here Ferdinand says, “I’ll find scorpions to string my whips,/And fix her in a
general eclipse" . Hence their deeds of revenge are not a wild kind of justice but
monstrous wrong. Ferdinand gives her the command. He had threatened to use in
the play's first scene:

"Die, then quickly."

There is absolutely nothing unrealistically supernatural in the play. The sorrowful

answers which the echo makes to Antonio's words are the result of a natural
phenomenon. Antonio's words: “and on the sudden a clear light/presented of a face
folded in sorrow”(Act V Scene III)come only from his fancy born out of his
affection for the Duchess. No ghost appears on the scene. In this Webster has
shown vital concern for an artistic atmosphere of supernatural.

It's a tradition of Elizabethan revenge tragedy to show madness on the stage. In this
play we see madness of these mad people. However, hue is some psychological
interest too present in it. The Duke advices the scheme to torture the Duchess with
the intention of turning her mad. But ironically he, not the Duchess, becomes mad.

In summing up we can say that "The Duchess of Malfi" is a revenge tragedy.

Although Webster wrote this drama following the tradition of revenge tragedy, he
has modified some of its aspects to make it unique. And he is perfect enough drawing
the art in his own style that makes it more acceptable to the readers to accept it as a
true revenge tragedy. So, in a word we can say that it is a perfect revenge tragedy.
 Short Questions- The Rivals
Q. Role of Sir Anthony Absolute

Considered one of the most flirtatious men in all of Bath, Sir Anthony is a dualistic
character who is difficult to figure out. This is because his mannerisms change based
on the company he keeps. If he keeps company with a group of young women, he is
a charming and facetious man, while if he keeps company with a group of older men,
he is a staunch, unyielding authoritarian. This dualistic nature of Sir Anthony
ironically conflicts with his name: Absolute. However, in spite of his altering
personality, Sir Anthony is a generally loving father to his son, Jack, and seems to
want only the best for him.

Q. “Then before we are interrupted, let me impart to you some of my distress.”-

Who says this and to whom? How does the speaker narrate his/her distress?
Lydia, the heroine of The Rivals, is the speaker. She says this to Julia, another female
character in the play.
Lydia narrates her distress to Julia. She is in love with Beverly. They do write to
each other. But one of her letters has been intercepted by her aunt. She happens to
be her guardian. She has come to know about the relation between Julia and Beverly.
So she has strictly confined her to the house. Now she cannot move out and Beverly
even if she likes.
Q. “Since she has discovered her own frailty she is become more suspicious of
mine.”- Identify the speaker the persons both spoken to and spoken about.
Briefly describe the frailties referred to here.
Lydia is the speaker. She speaks this to Julia about Mrs. Malaprop. Frailties referred
to here are passionate longing for love and romance. Mrs. Malaprop writes letter to
a tall Irish Baronet. She happened to meet him the night they had reached Bath. As
for Lydia, she is in love with one Beverly. Mrs. Malaprop and Lydia are assailed by
tender sentiments.
Q. “Mild, gentle, considerate father-I kiss your hands.”
- is the speaker’s estimation of his/her father connect? Give reasons for your
answer.
The speaker is Captain Absolute, Sir Anthony Absolute’s son. Tyhis statement about
Sir is as good as correct. He is the only son of his father who loves and adores him.
At the core of his heart he wishes him blisds and happiness in marriage. But marriage
would lack its splendour if it comes without love and romance. Sir Anthony has
selected Lydia to be his son’s spouse in life. He tends to prepare the ground of his
son’s marriage without having an linking of romancing between Captain Absolute
and Lydia. Sir Anthony brims with affection for his son. His treatment is considerate,
no doubt. He could have been harsh and cruel if he so desired. We find his character
light-hearted and jolly. He is spirited and full of good-humour. Captain Absolute is
aware of this side of his father’s character.
Q. “When I was your age, such a description would have made me fly like a
rocket.”- what does the speaker describe? Hoe does the person spoken to
respond to the ‘description’?
The speaker is Sir Anthony, father of aptain Absolute. He goes on to describe the
beauty of Lydia who he has se3lected to be his son’s spouse. Because of a slight
misunderstanding, young captain shows his rejunctance to marry the girl selected by
his father. At this Sir Anthony gives a glowing description of Lydia’s ravishing
beauty. Indeed, Sir Anthony is nearly carried away by enthusiasm while describing
various aspects of Lydia’s beauty. He speaks highly of her eyes, innocently wild but
touched with bashfulness. Her glances are no less tantalizing for she can inflame
passion in the heart of her onlooker with glances. Her eyes are tell-tale in opinion.
Her lips are lit up with her smiles. She also puts sweetly even in sullenness. No
wonder, Lydia is as pretty as a picture in full flow of beauty and its splendour.
Q. “I shall die with disappointment!”
-Locate the context and account for the speaker’s disappointment.
The romance of Lydia comes to an end. There is a heady whiff of marriage in the
air. This is so very upsetting for Lydia who has a romantic bent of mind. To her life
as it unfolds is plain and dreary. It is bereft of the star-dust of dream and romance.
With a settled marriage, she gets sorely disappointed. She was hankering after
elopement and run-away marriage. She had nursed her fantasies of such a marriage
with all its usual paraphernalia of a ladder of ropes, a tender moon in the sky, four
horses and a Scotch person. But real life turned out to be a cheat. It was rather
difficult for her to get reconciled to the dull finish of her romance with Ensign
Beverly.
Q. “I do mean to distress you.” Locate the context and identify ‘I’ and ‘you’
and comment on their relationship.

Julia and Faulkland are in her dressing room. Although Julia gives one proof
after another of her love for Faulkland, he goes on to find fault with her. Faulkland
is never satisfied with whatever Julia does for him. He thinks that Julia loves him
not because he pleaded so but because of the considerations of some practical
advantage, gratitude or filial duty. He is guided by the belief that if a girl's love has
not been prompted by love alone, but by considerations of worldly advantages like
wealth or handsome ness, it is not true love.
This speech is actually Faulkland's clear insinuation against Julia's
faithfulness andpurity of love. Julia cannot tolerate them any longer and so leaves
disgusted in tears. Faulkland is still not affected and continues suspecting her. This
shows that Faulkland actually distresses her and he is incorrigible.
Q. “I do not mean to distress you.”
-locate the context and identify “I” and “you”. Comment on their relationship.
In R. B. Sheridan's The Rivals the relationship of Julia and Faulkland is entertaining
episode. Their love is a foil to the love between Captain Absolute and Lydia. When
they come to meet after a spell of separation, they pour out their anguished feelings
for each other. Faulkland is very much given to suspicion and jealousy. He is nearly
always haunted by the fear that Julia does not fully & truly love him. She remains
jolly and enjoys merry-making in his absence. So whenever the duo meet, they trade
accusations. Julia, however, tries to prove that she is genuinely in love with
Faulkland. So when Julia is dismayed by Faulkland, he tries smooth her ruffled
feathers. He offers his apologies and regrets. He admits that is far from his intention
to hurt Julia and cause her any bitterness. They behave like two immature kids
swayed by emotions. They lack true understanding of each other feelings. Seen in
any light, there is strong bond of love between them. But their main trouble is they
cannot cope with their emotional hassles. They are hyper-sentimental and behave
childishly. But there is absolutely no reason to doubt the genuineness of their mutual
love attachment.
Q. “Obligation!—Why a water-spaniel would have done as much.” - Who says
this and in which context?
This is from the Act I, Scene II of “The Rivals” by Sheridan where Lydia
utters thewords to Julia.
Lydia says this after Julia suggests saving her life meant she is in some way
obligated to Faulkland. Julia has however remained devoted to him, both by love
and gratitude since he once saved her life. Lydia cannot understand the logic of
giving one’s heart to anyone for the foolish reason of having saved your life. It is
surprising to Lydia that Julia calls this an obligation. She thinks that a dog that can
swim well and is trained to save drowning people could have done the same. She
can never think of falling in love with a man for the simple reason that he could
swim.=
Q. “Since she has discovered her own frailty she is become more suspicious of
mine.”— Contextualise the given quotation and briefly describe the frailties
referred to here.
This is from the Act I, Scene II of “The Rivals” by Sheridan where Lydia utters
thewords to Julia.
Frailty refers to the condition of being weak and delicate; here Lydia refers to the
frailty of her aunt Mrs. Malaprop. Julia informed Lydia that Sir Anthony was to
arrive there soon with Mrs. Malaprop. Then, before they were interrupted by their
arrival, quickly she wanted to share some of her problems with Julia. She knows
for Julia’s gentle nature, she must sympathize with her, though her prudence may
condemn Lydia. She told about the letters by which she informed Julia of her whole
connection with Beverley. But now she thought that she would have lost him and
was in great distress. Her aunt discovered their intercourse by a note she intercepted.
She was strongly opposed to her preference and has since then confined her to her
room. She also informed Julia that she herself has been indulging in a secret
amorous correspondence with an Irish baronet, Sir Lucius O Trigger, under a
feigned name. According to Lydia this frailty of her aunt at this age make her
psychologically suspicious about Lydia’s relationship.
Q. “Out, you poltroon! You haven’t the valour of a grasshopper.”
-Who is dismissing whom? Does the speaker appear valorous to you?
In R. B. Sheridan's The Rivals it is Bob Acres dismissing David as being a base
coward. There are indeed brave words. But they fail to put a halo of heroism about
the speaker. He puts up a show of bravado. But basically he is a coward and chicken-
hearted. Though he castigates David, he is himself a poltroon. He gears up to fight
but at the time of fight, he backs out gallantly. His character is depicted as a foil to
heroic captain Absolute. He has guts and courage to face gun powder. He is no better
than a caricature of gallantly and heroism.
Q. “I shall die with disappointment!”
-Locate the context and account for the speaker’s disappointment.
In R. B. Sheridan's The Rivals the romance of Lydia comes to an end. There is a
heady marriage in the air. This is so very upsetting for Lydia who has a romantic
bent of mind. To her life as it unfolds is plain and dreary. It is bereft of the star-dust
of dream and romance. With a settled marriage, she gets sorely disappointed. She
was hankering after elopement and run-away marriage. She had nursed her fantasies
of such a marriage with all its usual paraphernalia of a ladder of ropes, a tender moon
in the sky, four horses and a Scotch person. But real life turned out to be a cheat. It
was rather difficult for her to get reconciled to the dull finish of her romance with
Ensign Beverly.
Q. Describe the contents of the letter that Mrs. Malaprop gives Absolute to
read.

In Sheridan’s “The Rivals”, Mrs. Malaprop pulls out a letter that Absolute had
sent to Lydia in his character as Beverley. Under his breath, Absolute curses Lucy
for betraying him to Mrs. Malaprop. He then reads the letter aloud, stopping at
points while he and Mrs. Malaprop interject to scoff at its content. Beverley’s letter
begins tenderly, then says he is alarmed to hear he has a rival in Absolute, who has
the reputation of being an honorable gentleman. It goes on to make fun of Mrs.
Malaprop’s vanity about her looks and pretentious and senseless way of speaking,
and calls her a “weather-beaten-she-dragon.” Finally, the letter promises that
Beverley has a plan to see Lydia with Mrs. Malaprop serving as his unwitting
accomplice by flattering her vanity in order to gain her trust. Mrs. Malaprop laughs
at Beverley’s audacious claim and Absolute pretends to laugh along with her, while
actually laughing at how thoroughly he has tricked her.
Q. Role of Bob Acres
In R. B. Sheridan's The Rivals Bob Acres is was a coward, whose “courage always
oozed out at his finger ends”. An impressionable and naïve country landowner,
Acres is attempting to make himself more fashionable and sophisticated in order to
win over the affections of Lydia Languish. His attempts to swear genteelly, learn
French dances, and change his hairstyle all fall flat. Before Sir
Anthony suggested Absolute as a partner for Lydia to Mrs. Malaprop, Malaprop
supported Acres in his desire to marry her ward. Acres feels upset at then being put
off and supposes that he is being supplanted by “Beverley.” Sir Lucius works him
up and convinces him to challenge Beverley to a duel, but like the other elements of
gentlemanly polish that Acres lacks, he lacks the courage required to fight and
potentially die for his honor.
Q. Comment on the epilogue of the play The Rivals……In R. B. Sheridan's The
Rivals, the epilogue was, in part, a convention common to the eighteenth century.
Sheridan wrote this epilogue in rhyming couplets, and the fact that he wrote it to be
delivered by a female character indicates that he wants to close the play with a
particularly female perspective. Analysing the content, it is clear that the message of
the epilogue focuses on the importance of women in matters of love and the
emotions: Man's social happiness all rests on us--/Through all the drama--whether
damned or not--/Love gilds the scene, and women guide the plot.

Therefore, the epilogue insists that men, for all their knowledge and reason, need to
light their "lamp of knowledge at the torch of love." The epilogue is therefore an
ironic reflection on the way that love controls men and that women are in control of
love, making them the most important characters of this play and in society in
general when it comes to matters of the heart. Even the strongest soldier who likes
to think of himself as being so independent is vanquished by love. The epilogue
therefore picks up on certain themes expressed in the play and draws them together,
presenting a final ironic reflection about man's supposed strength and independence
and his actual weakness when it comes to love, and women's dominance over them
in this arena.

Q. Comment on Role of Lucy's character in The Rivals. ….In R. B.

Sheridan's The Rivals, Lucy is the female counterpart of Fag. She is the maid servant
in Mrs. Malaprop's household where she serves both her and Lydia. She is a
confidante of her mistress' secrets. She believes in exploiting her employers, and
others too, her motive being the extraction of as much money from them as possible,
even if it requires the use of unfair means. Lucy plays false to those who rely upon
her, and laughs heartily at the fact that the so-called superiors believe her to be a
simpleton. She receives money from Lydia and Captain Absolute to keep silent over
their secret romance and from Mrs Malaprop to the same and also to know the secrets
of others even from the cunning old old Lucius she manages to squeeze money by
duping him into the belief that the 'Delia' who has been writing letters to him, is not
Mrs Malaprop but her niece, Lydia. from Mr. Acre she gets money and gifts for
carrying some letters which have to be delivered to Lydia but she never delivered
them to her. Lucy is one of those timeless, immortal characters that has been created
by Sheridan that is the most perfect example of the caricatured double, even triple
agent.

Short Questions- Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe

Q. Briefly summarise Crusoe's reaction on discovering the "print of a man's

naked foot on shore".
 In Daniel Defoe’s world-class masterpiece Robinson Crusoe, Crusoe is
astonished one day to discover the single print of a man’s naked foot in the sand.
Crusoe is terrified and retreats to his “castle,” where he entertains thoughts that the
devil has visited the island. His conclusion that it is not the devil’s but a real man’s
footprint is equally terrifying, and Crusoe meditates on the irony of being starved
for human contact and then frightened of a man. Driven wild by fear, Crusoe fortifies
his home and raises guns around it, keeping watch whenever possible. Concerned
about his goats, he contrives to dig an underground cave in which to herd them every
night and creates another smaller pasture far away to keep a second flock. Crusoe
spends two years living in fear.

Q. Why does Crusoe take Xury with him on his escape but not the Moor?

In Daniel Defoe’s world-class masterpiece Robinson Crusoe, the differences

between Xury and the Moor are multiple, and these differences contribute to Xury’s
superior desirability as a fellow escapee. Xury, for starters, is a boy, whereas the
Moor is an adult. Because the Moor has spent a longer period of his life as a slave,
Crusoe feels he may show too much loyalty to his master and prohibit Crusoe from
escaping. Xury, on the other hand, is too young to have developed such loyalty.
Xury’s youth also lends his character to a more subordinate nature. Furthermore,
Xury is physically much weaker than the Moor, and possesses a smaller likelihood
of physically preventing Crusoe’s escape.

Q. What does Crusoe’s hallucination on the island mean?

In Daniel Defoe’s world-class masterpiece Robinson Crusoe, after much time

on the island, Crusoe eventually suffers a hallucination in which an angelic figure
comes down from the sky and admonishes Crusoe for his actions and separation
from God. This hallucination comes after Crusoe’s sense of time has become so
muddled he can no longer keep track of the Sabbath. To Crusoe, this hallucination
is proof that his shipwreck was God’s punishment for Crusoe’s poor behavior. The
hallucination influences Crusoe to read more scripture and repent for his sins. The
hallucination’s stand-in as a warning and promotion for the importance of
repentance is supported by the fact that once Crusoe begins to repent and repair his
relationship with God, his circumstances on the island and his overall outlook on life
improve.

Q. Why did Crusoe reject his father’s advice to become a lawyer?

 In Daniel Defoe’s world-class masterpiece Robinson Crusoe, Crusoe exhibits
a grander sense of adventure and rebelliousness than the rest of his family. Mr.
Crusoe advises his son into law for the stability it offers, and also because Crusoe’s
brother was killed when he set off on an adventure to join the military. Crusoe’s
stubbornness and rebellious nature prompts him to reject this advice. This decision
may also be influenced by the fact that Crusoe is the youngest child, and therefore
has and will receive the least inheritance. This predicament causes Crusoe to feel
resentment toward his family.

The Duchess of Malfi-short

Q. Briefly comment on the role of Ferdinand in The Duchess of Malfi.

Ferdinand, the brother of the Cardinal and the twin brother of the Duchess,
whose title is Duke of Calabria, is the most psychologically unbalanced character in
the play, The Duchess of Malfi. Act 1 begins by portraying him as an unpredictable
tyrant, bending his courtiers to his petty whims. But it is soon apparent Ferdinand is
also a master of deception. He engages Bosola as his household spy at the Duchess's
court, where Bosola is appointed master of the horse. Ferdinand's main objective is
to monitor the Duchess's marital status. He hopes to profit financially and harbors
incestuous desires for his sister. After he learns the Duchess has borne a child,
Ferdinand vents his rage, with anger akin to insanity, shocking even the Cardinal.
He acts decisively: he has her imprisoned, tortured, and killed. He seems to enjoy
the torture, and act as if the torture he makes her endure is just payback for torture
that she has made him endure, though the clear implication is that the “torture” he
experienced was his sexual jealousy of the Duchess. From this scene onward,
Ferdinand exhibits a steady decline into sadism and then lunacy—specifically,
lycanthropy, which has him believing he is a wolf. In his madness he stabs the
Cardinal, and is killed by Bosola.
Q. Comment on the significance of the opening scene of the dauchess of Malfi
The play The Duchess of Malfi opens in its primary setting, the "presence-
chamber" of the Duchess's palace in Malfi, Italy, in the sixteenth century. The
opening lines of play set the tone for the struggle between good and evil that is to
follow. Antonio, who we learn later in the scene is, by the Cardinal’s own judgment,
too honest to spy on the Duchess, praises the French court for its lack of sycophants
and corruption. Then the Cardinal and Bosola enter, and Antonio tells Delio that
Bosola “rails at those things”--vices--”which he wants” (1.1.25), so not only is his
appearance of virtue false, it is hypocritical and based around self-interest. The
audience quickly realizes that these characters are the antithesis of the virtues
Antonio praised as reflected in the French court. Further, in his private conversation,
we learn immediately that Antonio is an archetypal man of virtue, one who not only
lives honestly but esteems it in others. This analysis is validated throughout the play,
and makes him something of an anomaly in this twisted court.

From the very start of the play, we are told that death and suffering have the
potential to cascade downward from the head of a government.

Q. Discuss the line “Ambition, madam, is a great man’s madness’’.

The line "Ambition, madam, is a great man's madness" is spoken by Antonio
in act I, scene iii of The Duchess of Malfi. It shows Antonio's ambivalence at the
prospect of marrying the Duchess. Antonio is merely a humble steward, the man
who runs the Duchess's household. He knows that marriage between an aristocratic
lady and one of her servants would cause a huge scandal in such a class-conscious
society.
By the line "Ambition, madam, is a great man's madness," Antonio, the
Duchess of Malfi's steward, expresses his concerns about being raised to her level
of wealth and power by marrying her. Antonio believes that being raised to the level
of such greatness will cause him to suffer the same madness of ambition that he sees
in others, including the Duchess's own brothers, the violent and unstable Frederick
and the corrupt, emotionless, immoral Cardinal.
Q. Describe the murder scene in the play Duchess of Malfi
The murder scene is during Act 5, Scene 5 of the play The Duchess of Malfi.
At the beginning of the scene, the Cardinal is pondering the nature of hell when
Bosola enters, along with a servant carrying Antonio's body. Bosola tells the
Cardinal, "I am come to kill thee."

Bosola tells the Cardinal that he is going to kill him to avenge the Duchess
and Antonio’s deaths, and then stabs him. The Cardinal continues to call for help.
Ferdinand comes in and, not understanding the situation, wounds the Cardinal
further, after which he stabs Bosola. Bosola kills Ferdinand.

Pescara, Malateste, Roderigo, and Grisolan enter. Bosola explains why he has
killed Ferdinand and the Cardinal, but the Cardinal blames Ferdinand for their
sister's death before he dies. Bosola explains that he killed Antonio accidentally, and
then he too dies. Delio enters with the eldest son of Antonio and the Duchess's
marriage, the sole survivor of the family, and the men pledge to help give him a good
life to honor his mother and father.
Q. Role of Cariola. ……..In The Duchess of Malfi, Cariola is the Duchess's maid
and one of the only two people (the other being Delio) who originally knows about
the Duchess's marriage to Antonio. The Duchess trusts Cariola completely, but also
doesn't take her completely seriously. Cariola may be the Duchess's confidante, but
she's also her servant, and the Duchess frequently dismisses her concerns and
suggestions. Duchess dies in a dramatically momentous scene, full of dignity and
resignation, Cariola scrabbles and begs until the bitter end, doing everything she can
to convince Bosola to spare her life.
Q. Role of madmen…….According to Legoius and Cazamain, “Webster has
strange power of evoking shudders.” In The Duchess of Malfi he has used various
devices for it and one of them is insanity. It is a unique device used to raise shudders
and no other writer has made a similar use of it. Madmen are employed by Ferdinand
to torture the Duchess in her imprisonment and thus to terrify her. They make a lot
of noise, sing and dance and thereby disturb the Duchess. Cariola complains against
such a cruel treatment in the following words- ‘tis the wild consort of madmen, lady,
which your tyrant brother hath placed about your lodging.” But the Duchess faces
all this torture with heroic fortitude,” Indeed, I thank him”. The dance of madmen
provides some comic relief though of very grave and serious nature appealing mainly
to the less sympathetic readers and audience.
Q. Macabre scene…….According to Legoius and Cazamain, “Webster has strange
power of evoking shudders.” The Duchess of Malfi is full of such terrifying, hair-
raising situations, from the beginning to the end. They constitute the following
macabre scenes. First, Ferdinand tortures the duchess by putting a dead man’s hand
in her hand. Second, the Duchess is shown the waxen figures of Antonio and his
children as if they were dead. Third, the next horror is the letting loose of madmen
upon the duchess so that she may not be able to sleep and suffer from great mental
torture and pain. Fourth, the next horror to be mentioned is the series of murders
committed by Bosola. The macabre scenes are to cater to the public taste that
Webster has exploited the horrible to the full. His greatness as a dramatist is seen in
the fact that he has made the macabre integral to his theme. The sensational is used
to reveal character.
Q. Role of Cardinal…..The Cardinal, the brother of Duke Ferdinand and
the Duchess is portrayed as evil, cruel, and calculating—more restrained outwardly
than his younger brother in the play, The Duchess of Malfi. The Cardinal, too,
opposes any remarriage by his sister, the Duchess of Malfi, probably for motives of
jealousy and greed. Unlike the wild Ferdinand, though, the Cardinal is careful,
calculating, and controlled: he refuses to interact personally with the spy Bosola, and
he threatens to walk away when Ferdinand becomes too overt about his plans for
revenge on the Duchess. In Act 1, when the Cardinal refuses to compensate Bosola
for his services, the inference is the prelate, a high-ranking "prince of the Church,"
is exploitative and deceitful. He acts menacingly toward the Duchess as well. His
cynical treatment of women is apparent in his dialogue with Julia in Act 2, Scene 4.
Snobbery, too, is part of his character, as shown by his comment on "the royal blood
of Aragon and Castile" in Act 2, Scene 5. In Act 5, Scene 2, he profanes a Bible by
applying poison to it so he can murder Julia, his mistress. Finally, he suffers a
momentary twinge of conscience before Bosola and Ferdinand fatally stab him.
Q. Role of Antonio Bologna….Antonio is the Duchess’s steward, and very capably
runs the Duchess’s estate in the play, The Duchess of Malfi. Despite the fact that he
is neither wealthy nor high-born, the Duchess considers him to be a “complete” man,
and the two of them secretly marry. Antonio Bologna's first extended speech in the
play is an eloquent commendation of the Duchess of Malfi. The ground is thus
prepared for the Duchess's wooing of him later in the act and for their "chamber"
wedding contract. Antonio is uncorrupted and shows himself loyal to the Duchess,
whom he loves and admires. As the play unfolds, Antonio grows steadily in courage
and resourcefulness until he is ready to confront the Cardinal. One of the most
poignant moments in the drama is his farewell with the Duchess when Antonio,
banished from Ancona, flees to Milan. He and the Duchess will never see each other
again despite their love. It has been said that Antonia shows sufficient insight and
depth in some of his utterances to be regarded as a mouthpiece for the delivery of
Webster’s own judgements and opinions about life and people.
Q. The Duchess of Malfi as a Revenge Tragedy

“The Duchess of Malfi” by John Webster is a kind of Revenge Tragedy modelled

on Seneca, the Latin playwright of 1st century A.D. This play is considered as one of the
best plays of Webster and as a Revenge Tragedy, it is considered as the best tragedy after
Shakespeare's containing almost all the characteristics of Revenge Tragedy. This play
contains the depth of extreme violence, plotting and mostly revenge on the best part which
are the chief elements of revenge tragedy. However, The Duchess of Malfi contains full of
such terrifying, hair-raising situations from the beginning to the end.

The Duke in order

to horrify the Duchess gives a dead man’s hand to her and she kisses it taking it to be the
Duke's hand. The spectacle of waxen images of the dead bodies of Antonio and children
presented before the Duchess is another horrid scene. The unruly dance of the mad men
before the Duchess, the appearance of Bosola as a tomb makes and a bell man and the
appearance of the executioners with bell and core in procession, too are intended to create
horror. The next horror is mentioned in the series of murders committed by Bosola. The
last horror comes when Julia is poisoned in a most cold-blooded manner. Antonio is killed
and Ferdinand, Cardinal and Bosola all meet their death at the end.

Taking revenge and murdering people are the integral

part of revenge tragedy. The revengeful brothers are both villains .They are the victims of
an insensate fury that blinds the eyes, maddens the drain, and poisons the springs of pity.
The piteous sufferings of their victim from the hard heart of Bosola who says:
“You may discern the share of loveliness,
More perfect in her tears than in the smile”.

We have seen that there was a love affair between the Duchess and
Antonio and at last they marry and they produce three children. On hearing the news of
their secret marriage and their children, the cardinal and The Duke Fardinand react angrily.
Here Ferdinand says, “I’ll find scorpions to string my whips,/And fix her in a general
eclipse" . Hence their deeds of revenge are not a wild kind of justice but monstrous wrong.
Ferdinand gives her the command. He had threatened to use in the play's first scene:

"Die, then quickly."

There is absolutely nothing unrealistically supernatural in the play. The

sorrowful answers which the echo makes to Antonio's words are the result of a natural
phenomenon. Antonio's words: “and on the sudden a clear light/presented of a face folded
in sorrow”(Act V Scene III)come only from his fancy born out of his affection for the
Duchess. No ghost appears on the scene. In this Webster has shown vital concern for an
artistic atmosphere of supernatural.
 It's a tradition of Elizabethan revenge tragedy to show madness on the
stage. In this play we see madness of these mad people. However, hue is some
psychological interest too present in it. The Duke advices the scheme to torture the Duchess
with the intention of turning her mad. But ironically he, not the Duchess, becomes mad.

In summing up we can say that "The Duchess of Malfi" is a revenge tragedy.

Although Webster wrote this drama following the tradition of revenge tragedy, he has
modified some of its aspects to make it unique. And he is perfect enough drawing the art
in his own style that makes it more acceptable to the readers to accept it as a true revenge
tragedy. So, in a word we can say that it is a perfect revenge tragedy.

Q. Role of Bosola
Daniel de Bosola, a former servant of the Cardinal, now returned from a sentence
of imprisonment in the galleys for murder and was sent by Ferdinand to spy on the Duchess
as her provisor of horse. He is employed by Ferdinand to spy on the Duchess in hopes of
keeping her away from marriage. He is involved in the murder of the Duchess, her children,
Cariola, Antonio, the Cardinal and Ferdinand, and a servant. Upon witnessing the nobility
and fearlessness of the Duchess and Antonio facing their deaths, he then experiences guilt.
Though he was the one who arranged her death, he then seeks to avenge it. Bosola can be
considered the most complex character in the play since he goes from being a killer without
regret, and then changes and is filled with regret. Being the malcontent of the play, he tends
to view things cynically, and makes numerous critical comments on the nature of
Renaissance society.

However, if there is one character that does have a philosophical input to the play it
is the ever perceptive Bosola, who ironically is a hired killer. Bosola is Webster’s
mouthpiece for the dramatist’s restless, mocking, intelligence. Throughout the play Bosola
reels out pragmatic observation. Although Bosola is quick to point out other people’s
weaknesses, particularly the vices of the professions, when he talks to Castructio about the
legal profession he is quick to mock.

It is impossible to talk about Bosola without pointing out the fact that he is the
quintessential malcontent. The root of his discontent is his betrayal before the play by the
Cardinal, a betrayal for which Bosola spent time in the galleys as punishment for a murder
at the order of the Cardinal that he took full responsibility.
“I have done you better service
Than to be slighted thus.
Miserable age, where only the reward
Of doing well, is the doing of it!”

There is no question about the nature of Bosola’s character at the beginning of the
Play. As Antonio puts it:
“Here comes Bosola,
The only court-gall; yet I observe his railing
Is not for simple love of piety:
Indeed he rails at those things which he wants;
Would be as lecherous, covetous, or proud,
Bloody, or envious, as any man,
If he had means to be so.”
However, it is a matter of greater debate whether Bosola’s motivation for killing
changes and therefore his morality improves with the course of events. Some argue that
after the death of the Duchess, for whom Bosola feels remorse, he is then driven to kill his
employers through revenge on behalf of the wronged party.
However one would argue that he is still driven by his own self-interest. His
conscience not plagued by the acceptance that he has killed the Duchess for evil men, but
that he is not being paid for the deed.
Because of the nature of his character the audience would not expect Bosola to have
passionate leanings; however he does enjoy some flirtation with Julia at the expense of the
Cardinal.
To conclude; Bosola’s defining characteristic is his intelligence. This is perfectly
demonstrated when he speaks of the sycophants at court and compares them to parasites
getting the best fruit from an isolated tree.
“He and his brother are like plum trees that grow crocked over standing pools…
none but crows, pies and caterpillars feed on them.”