Question- Character of the Duchess stands supreme among all the other characters in the play.

Or
Write a character sketch of the Duchess in the play "The Duchess of Malfi".

Answer -

"The Duchess of Malfi" has been produced by the great post Shakespearean play- Wright John Webster and the character of the Duchess stands very strongly in the drama. There is fine blending of feminine tenderness and masculine strength in her personality. The Duchess is a royal princess who maintains her womanliness till the last moment of her life. There are some balancing contrasts to enhance the death of the Duchess. Even in the dutches of death, she declares - "I am Duchess of Malfi". The words of Cariola reveals the mystery of her character.

She says, "Whether the greatness of her reign
most in her I know not".

John Webster balances her royal stature in the drama. In the play, the Duchess is presented with qualities like sweetness and tenderness. Antonio describes to Delio in the first Act in the following words -

Antonio also says that Duchess is filled with sympathy and good will for one and all. She has a pious thinking of human life in physical and spiritual angles. The Duchess reflects the combination of physical and spiritual knowledge. She is not a virtuous woman in a wordly sense; but her understanding of life and awaing of reality make her virtuous.

The Duchess has self assessing nature. She is firm in her decision and courageous in her actions, still she does not possess vanity. She does not have any superiority complex.

When the play opens, Antonio introduces the Duchess in lengthy eulogy. Before any poet for this praise, the advice of Ferdinand and Cardinal comes before us. They fear that the young widow-the Duchess might marry again. Actually, the Duchess does not look to satisfy their fears. Her brothers warning is very serious and harsh. The Duchess them that she would not marry a second time after their departure, she declares that she would not care for their advice and she is not scared of their threatening. Her decision comes as a surprise to the readers. Her character is unveiled at this moment. The Duchess does not give way to her pent up feelings and keeps her plans to herself. At the same time, she displays great courage in executing her hidden desire. She has a sense of independence. She says -

The first act closes with the marriage of the Duchess with Antonio. She describes her condition - She is all alone, young and beautiful. The Duchess also has dreams and desires. So she wishes to have a life partner. Her choice of Antonio shows her sense of prudence and judgement.

The Duchess also knows that her marriage with Antonio is a dangerous journey into the dark. She asks Cariola to give her moral support and company. The tenderness of her character and her love for Antonio. Her affection for her children make her special in the reader's eye: Before her death, she requests Cordia to give cough syrup to her child.

The real greatness of the Duchess is revealed in her crisis. She knows that her brothers Ferdinand and Cardinal will trap Antonio. She advises Antonio to escape because all the members of the family should not face the fury of her brothers.

The Duchess of Malfi has been described as a drama of horrors. John Webster's innovative and novel ways of tortures and cruelties and the Duchess faces all of them with great courage. The Duchess is subjected to many torture. The false dead bodies of her husband and son are shown to her.

Ferdinand gives her a dead hand in darkness. The lunateis are sent to her in order to disturb her mentally. Even her death by strangulation with rope is embraced with dignity. She takes all tortures with philosophic detachment. This does not mean that the Duchess is insensitive or void of emotions. She takes life as it is and she knows that her actions would bring tragic consequences. There was a moment when she was completely shoken. She thinks that Antonio is dead and she wishes to die also she comments -

The Duchess has an elevated or lofty attitude to like. She believes that there is life beyond death. She takes up meeting Antonio in the other world. She thinks that in her suffering there is hand of heaven. She believes that though there is suffering and pain in this world of shadow, there is eternal bliss in the other world she says -

She expresses the same hope when she kneels for prayer before her strangulation.

In comparison to the other characters, the Duchess stands supreme. Her benevolent nature holds no grudge for anybody. The character of Bosola is also an anti-thesis in characters of the Duchess. The Duchess dies in the end of the fourth Act. The poetic festice and the revenge motive are fulfilled in the fifth Act. It appears that Bosola takes over the role of the Duchess in the final Act. Thus the character of Duchess reflects magnanimity of heart and rock- solid toughness of self respect. It should be noted that the Duchess is not a paragon of virtues, her hamartia is to attempt a normal life in the midst of kirt and avarice.

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