The Duchess Of Malfi by John Webster
A Tragedy
The play is a dark Renaissance tragedy that tells the story of a young widow, the Duchess, who defies her two corrupt brothers by secretly marrying her steward, Antonio, with whom she has three children. Her brothers, one a twisted cardinal and the other a mentally unstable duke, are driven by greed and power. They employ a spy, Bosola, to uncover her secret, leading to a series of tragic events. The brothers' quest for control results in a bloody and vengeful cycle of murder, madness, and betrayal, ultimately leading to the downfall of almost every main character in a grim commentary on the corrupting nature of power and the vulnerability of women in a male-dominated society.
The 4476th greatest book of all time
- Published
- 1623
- Nationality
- British
- Length
- Very Short
- Pages
- 80-120
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
-
(3.0)
- Alternate Titles
- None
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This book is on the following 2 lists:
- Classics Revisited (Kenneth Rexroth)
- Harold Bloom's The Western Canon (The Western Canon (Book) by Harold Bloom)