Act II, Scene 5: By looking closely at language and imagery, what impression is created of the brothers in the following dialogue? In what way is this scene significant in the play as a whole?

Juliet Cook 20th January 2001

Act II, Scene 5 of John Webster’s, The Duchess of Malfi is a crucial point for both the plot and of the critical understanding of two of the play’s main characters: the Aragonian Brothers, Ferdinand and Cardinal. The scene is a dialogue between the two brothers and has an abundance of imagery, providing an insight into the pair’s differentiating mentalities, moods and motives.

The significance of this scene can be explained in terms of the recent developments of the plot and how the two brothers react to and intended to deal with them. These developments are the recent news that Bosola has brought to Ferdinand in the form of a horoscope, telling that “The Duchess was deliver’d of a son” [II.3.56]. This must mean that the Duchess has allowed someone to “sway your [her] high blood” [I.2.218].

The revelation of the birth of a son asks the brothers whether or not they are going to carry out their previous threats: “This was my father’s poniard: do you see, / I’ll’d be loathe to see’t look rusty,” [I.2.251-2]. Ferdinand begins to suggest means in which to punish and eventually kill the Duchess and her children: “I’ll bequeath this [his handkerchief] to her bastard / .............to make soft lint for his mother’s wounds, / When I have hewn her to pieces.” [II.5.29-31] “To boil their bastard to a cullis” [II.5.72]. These statements pave the way for a violent conclusion to the tale, and leave the audience questioning the consequences of the Duchess rebellious acts.

As a pair the brothers are united in their disapproval of the Duchess’ actions. They feel angered and undermined at her resistance to their requests. By doing so, she has used the power that widowhood gave a woman in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries, the right to choose her next husband. This repulsion at her independence, may also show a stereotypical fear for widows that existed at the time, widows were seen as threatening, to the patriarchal society. The brothers do not want her to have this right to choose a husband, fearing by doing so she will taint ...

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The anger stemming from the birth of a child is different for the two brothers. Although both feel a severe loss of pride at their authority being ignored by the Duchess, there are contrasting causes for their frustrations. Ferdinand’s storming temper springs from the feelings he has towards his sister, these emotions are definitely of a sexual nature, he is ashamed of her: “she’s loose, i’th’ hilts: / Grown a notorious strumpet” [II.5.3-4]. By calling her “loose” he is saying she has lost her virtue, and therefore this word is used to give a sexual meaning, he seems to see her as someone who is dedicated to sexual fulfilment and lechery. He conjures many vivid (and often pornographic) images about the Duchess being some sort of “whore”, for instance the idea of her making love to many different men below her own social station: “my imagination will carry me / To see her in the shameful act of sin ..... with some strong thigh’d bargemen; / Or one oath’ wood-yard, ...... / or else some lovely squire..” [II.5.41-5] The sexually obsessive thoughts he has towards the Duchess, lead us to believe that Ferdinand has an incestuous desire for her, and this desire will be the main motive for the punishment he gives her.

The Cardinal, however, is far more concerned about the damage that could be done to his family’s reputation: “Shall our blood? / The royal blood of Aragon and Castile, / Be thus attained?” [II.5.21-3]. He blames women for the downfalls within the human race as he blames the Duchess for his family’s loss of honour, and he speaks of women as an evil with “...hearts / So far upon the left side” [II.5.32-3]. When he says this, he is referring to the belief that hearts on the left side “are full of deceit, / Truth freedome and loyalty are rare unknowne and exiled qualities” He continues to state that women consciously try and cause the downfall of men, “Foolish men, / That e’er will trust their honour in a bark, / Made of so slight, weak bulrush, as is woman, / Apt every minute to sink it.” He feels that, men who trust in women are self destructive. His feelings towards the Duchess are far from Ferdinand’s passionate desires, he sees her as an animal, “curs’d creature!” [II.5.31], and perhaps as a tool the family can use as a show piece to society.

Their reactions, springing from different issues and emotions, also show their varying personas. Ferdinand reacts passionately to the news of his sister giving birth. His physical obsession towards her erupts in violent ideas by which to punish her, he threatens to revenge her with a bloody death, and says he will not calm until he has seen her dead: “‘Tis not your whore’s milk, that shall quench my wild-fire / But your whore’s blood” [II.5.48-9]. The monomaniacal nature of his feelings towards her is shown by the ironic combination of medicinal and violent vocabulary which feature in his speeches, “The smarting cupping-glass, for that’s the mean / To purge infected blood, such blood as hers” [II.5.25-6]. Here he is explaining that to purify the tainted blood of his family he must get rid of her ‘infected’ blood, and he chooses to do this by killing her. By the end of the scene Ferdinand has calmed down, and this is perhaps the most dangerous aspect of his character, he is very much a schizophrenic, and this explains his irrational behaviour and actions. Ferdinand is clearly insane, and he admits he has “digg’d up a mandrake” [II.5.1] which not only leads to madness, but also links with the theme of sexuality, as this plant was meant to represent the male sexual organs.

The Cardinal on the other hand is far more cold and calculating. He shows little passion, and merely questions Ferdinand in a very calm and focussed way. His speech shows far less imagery. He simply wishes to learn the facts, and is obviously proud of the poise he maintains throughout the conversation, to say however, that he is not angry would be false; he is certainly upset by this news, and he explains this to Ferdinand: “there is not in nature / A thing, that makes man so deform’d, so beastly As doth intemperate anger” [II.5.58-9].

In conclusion to my character analysis of the brothers, I am looking at the theory of the time of the Cardinal Humours. Ferdinand would be described as choleric. He is fiery, passionate and quick-tempered. On the other hand, the Cardinal is phlegmatic he is in complete control of his emotions, brutally cold and seemingly unbreakable.

This scene brings a real change of tone to the play, the realisation that the Duchess will have to pay for what she has done arrives. We understand the differences between the brothers and now await the outcome of their knowledge. The happy family unit of the Duchess and Antonio is now under threat and the hourglass has been turned; there is only a matter of time before this fresh optimism will be forced to come to an end.

I feel that Webster uses this scene in the play to show his feelings, as an English Protestant, of the Spanish Catholics in Italy. We are already aware that the Cardinal is far from the respectful clergy man he should be, by our knowledge of his mistress, Julia. Now we see Ferdinand’s inner-rage and incestuous wishes he holds towards his sister. By knowing this, the scene persuades the audience to feel for the Duchess, a young woman only trying to live her life as she wishes, under the forceful control of her brothers. We feel proud for her courage to break away from their demanding requests and separate herself from them. At the time it may well have been expected for the widowed sister to do as her brothers said, and by showing us this insight into the brothers’ conversation, Webster has led us to a greater understanding of the Duchess, giving us permission to sympathise with her.