Webster was writing at a time when Jacobean tragedies were most popular in the theatre, and in that respect ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ cannot stand out as an “utterly bleak” view of the world. However, Webster maintains striking language and scenes throughout the play, which were extreme even for a tragedy. Playwrights such as Webster were also commonly known to criticise the societies of which they lived in through the ambiguity of their plays rather than directly condemn the court. As ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ is entirely focused on the corruption of those associated with the court, and is portrayed in such a horrific and sometimes “bleak” manner, it could be argued that Webster was using the play as a means of expressing his view of the world in which he lived.
The opening scene of the play presents the court of Malfi in a negative light by contrasting it with the goodness of the French court; this already gives a sense of the darkness in which the court is submerged in.
“Pure silver drops in general; but if ‘t chance
Some cursed example poison ‘t near the head,
Death and diseases throughout the whole land spread.”
Moreover, the introduction of the characters makes some of them appear to be somewhat depraved and unpleasant, and the fact that some are introduced through others’ descriptions ties in with the underlying idea of secrecy and deception. For example, Bosola is revealed by Delio as “a fellow seven years in the galleys for a notorious murder”, making him appear as an evil character that is capable of murder. Bosola’s negative and cynical character is further reinforced by the way in which he speaks:
“He and his brother are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools; they are rich and o’erladen with fruit, but none but crows, pies, and caterpillars feed on them.”
This descriptive and critical tone is an initial hint pointing towards Bosola’s possible role as the commentator of the play, demonstrating Webster’s thoughts and opinions.
Aside from the descriptions of the characters, their relationships in the first scene are also presented as far from amiable. The most distinct relationships are those of the Duchess between her two brothers Ferdinand and the Cardinal. The Duchess is apparently under constant domination of her brothers, which is shown through their attempts to convince her not to marry, and her persistence in claiming her right to decide.
“Diamonds are of most value,
They say, that have past through most jewelers' hands.
Whores, by that rule, are precious.”
The fact that she not only disagrees with her brothers, but attempts to justify her opinions was highly unusual for a woman in that social context. Although the Duchess is clearly under much imposition, it was rare that a woman would uphold such courage and determination, especially against the wishes of men. This is an example of how Webster explores the gender inequalities that were present in society, and could be seen as a criticism of yet another problem contributing to an overall “bleak” world.
The themes of social and gender inequality are further explored at the end of this scene whereby the Duchess attempts to seduce Antonio. Once again, the Duchess takes on a very forward tone, whilst Antonio remains more reserved; this switch in social conventions further highlights the inequalities that Webster’s society was subject to.
“If I had a husband now, this care were quit;
What do you think of marriage?”
Moreover, as Antonio is of a lower social status than the Duchess, their love would have also been considered as unconventional.
“Sir, this goodly roof of yours, is too low built;
I cannot stand upright in't nor discourse,
Without I raise it higher; raise yourself.”
In this instance, the Duchess is literally raising Antonio, but metaphorically raising his social status to her level, although this does still not comply with her brothers’ standards or the conventions of that society. Overall, the opening scene of the play does not look particularly promising as although there are signs of hope in the love between Antonio and the Duchess, the corruption of the other characters makes it seem inconsequential. Webster has thus introduced a court in which malevolence appears to prevail, contributing to the idea that Webster has a similar view of his own society.
The concluding occurrences in the play, as in any play, are important in demonstrating the points that the author is trying to convey to the audience. In this case, the characters that are killed and the nature in which they are killed all contribute to certain aspects of the points Webster is trying to convey, including his view of the world. The murder of both the Duchess and Antonio, the only characters who showed significant love and honesty, shows a lack of any hope for good to survive in a world of corruption. Moreover, the way in which Webster challenges social and gender inequalities through these two characters raises considerable political points, and the murder of these characters also gives the sense that Webster feels that these political points will remain unjustified. Another instance that presents the idea of lack of hope in good overcoming evil is shown in the change of character that Bosola goes through. After the murder of the Duchess, Bosola appears to feel guilty and regrets what he has done, showing signs that he may turn out heroic to a certain extent in fighting the battle against the other corrupt characters. Bosola too, however, becomes tangled further in a web of murder, and ultimately is killed himself.
Throughout the play, Webster explores many themes which appear to be relevant to his society at the time, whether it be the nature of the court, or the general conventions in society. It is arguable that ‘The Duchess of Malfi’ to a certain extent is based upon the world in which Webster lived in; it can therefore be argued that as Webster chooses to create a world in which evil prevails over good whether people are alive or dead, he too sees his own world as “utterly bleak”.
