Question- Bosola is called "a villain in the beginning turns to be a tragic hero of the play."

Or
Write a character analysis of Bosola in "The Duchess of Malfi" by John Webster.

Answer - 

The character of Bosola has a special place not only in play "The Duchess of Malfi" but in the areana of Jacobean drama. In this play, Bosola is transformed from a villain to a tragic hero. At the end of the play, the dismal and bright in Bosola are skillfully blended by John Webster. The character of Bosola has a vital role in the play. Dr. Fermor describes Bosola as "a villain in the beginning turns to be a tragic hero of the play."

Character Analysis of Bosola

In the first Act, Antonio states that Bosola was a very diligent student and was a scholar. He was not a born villain but was an honest and faithful man. The poverty and adversity makes Bosola a mercenary or a professional murderer. He indulges in crime and murder for earning his livelihood. It is Bosola's misfortune to meet the "Aragonian Brothers" Ferdinand and Cardinal. He lives in their shade with hope of bright future. He always thinks that some day he will have a stable job and happy life. At the beginning of the play, Bosola returns from the gallys. He was sentenced to punishment because he committed a murder on order of Ferdinand and Cardinal. After his return, Bosola approaches the brothers for a reward, Cardinal disowns Bosola, but Ferdinand gives him another job and promises a greater reward.

Bosola is appointed as a sentinel whose duty is to spy on the Duchess and to find out if the Duchess attempts to marry or if she has any relation with someone. Bosola, during this period, as described as a 'devil incarnate'. He becomes a lethal weapon in the hands of Ferdinand. Antonio and Delio conclude that Bosola's melancholic nature shall change him into a cynic.

Bosola possesses a cunning nature and he is ironical in speech and malicious in bahaviour. His actions are cruel. It seems that the spring of love and compassion have dried up in the desert of humanity. In the talk with Duchess, he uses derogatory language and makes ugly gestures.

Bosola is a misanthropist and attains success in finding out the secret of the Duchess relationship with Antonio. Bosola suspects that Duchess is pregnant and he tests his doubt by offering apricots to her. He tells Ferdinand about the Duchess adventure. He arrests the Duchess, her children with unscrupulous nature. While doing all these inhuman acts, Bosola expects a great reward from the brothers.

Bosola imprisions the Duchess and this action of Bosola puts him in the lowest and meanest position. The innocent and proud Duchess reveals her inner secret to Bosola. He becomes in-charge of the prison. The purpose is to torture the Duchess by employing cruel methods; he executes all orders effectively.

Bosola becomes the devil's agent to practice severe horror on the Duchess. When he tortures the Duchess, he puts on a mask in order to hide. his identity, the symbolic gesture of "mask" reveals the split personality.

Bosola becomes the coffin maker and also the hangman for the Duchess. His conversation with her at the end of the Act IV is full of double meaning. On one side he ironically increases the suffering of the Duchess and makes her aware of her helpless and low condition. On the other hand, his speech is a kind of spiritual consolation. Bosola tells the Duchess that the cause of her suffering is her ego. At one stage, Bosola requests Ferdinand to stop this cruel game and to spend the Duchess to nunnery. However, Bosola is responsible for the suffering of the Duchess.

A drastic change in the character of Bosola at the end of the IVth Act. After strangulating the Duchess, he demands his reward from Ferdinand. Instead of reward, Ferdinand charges Bosola with the murder of the Duchess. Ferdinand would only give Bosola a reward of an escape to some other country. This changed behaviour of Ferdinand opens Bosola's eyes; he feels deceived and betrayed by the brothers and feels sorry for the Duchess, he is deeply mortified. When the Duchess dies. Bosola decides to take revenge on the brothers and help Antonio.

The fifth Act, deals with Bosola's revenge on Ferdinand and Cardinal. He visits Cardinal and receives passive response from him. He informs Antonio of the Duchess's death. Bosola gets success in killing of the two brothers. This transformation of Bosola is a structural necessity for the plot construction of the play.

The controversy is about the fifth act, where Bosola is changed character is presented by the playwright. The Duchess dies in the fourth Act. It may be said that fifth act is superfluous.

Some critics justify the fifth act because it is only in this part of the play that the poetic justice, the Hemesis, and the revenge are presented. All the doubts are cleared through the character of Bosola. Bosola makes use of Julia to know about the melancholic attitude of Cardinal.

In the flow of incidents, the so called poetic justice is a nieved. Bosola rises above the reality and realizes the essence of truth. Thus, the character of Bosola is an original and significant thing in the play; and its execution and conception are novel and artistic.

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