Introduction:
In the famous play “The Duchess of Malfi” by John Webster (1580-1632). It is a tragic comedy. Duchess is the central character of this play. The play is mainly based on the ups and downs of her life and the fate of women in the society of that time. At the end of the story of the play, we see the Dutchess is strangled on the orders of her two brothers.
More Notes: The Duchess of Malfi
The scene where the Duchess is strangled:
The Duchess of Malfi is a beautiful young widow. She is the sister of the Cardinal and Ferdinand. she is widowed in the prime of her life. Her brothers warn her not to remarry. Despite the warnings of her brothers, the Duchess secretly marries her steward Antonio and gives birth to three children. When this was revealed, her brothers arrested her and ordered various punishments in prison
The Duchess was admitted to inhumane torture at the order of her brothers. She was tortured by showing wax figures of her husband and children. Her brothers let loose a group of wild madmen around her room and they torture her. He bore all these tortures with courage and patience. Then Bosola appears before her in the guise of an old man and says he has come to build her tomb. Bosola gives the duchess a lot of trouble in disguise. Then the executioners enter with a coffin, rope, and bell. Before the execution, Bosola asks him if he is afraid of death. She said that one does not fear death who knows that after death he or she will meet his best companions. Bosola again showed him the rope and threatened to strangle her with this rope. But she tells Bosola that he is not afraid of it because he knows that man will die one day and all the ways of that death are predetermined. So, it does not matter to the Duchess whether her throat is cut by diamonds, pearls, or strangled with a rope. Instead of being frightened, she asked the executioners to put the rope around her neck and pull it strongly. Then she is strangled.
Conclusion:
The Duchess is an honest woman with mental strength who faces death with patience. He never bowed down to injustice. So, we all should take a stand against injustice or misrule in all walks of life.
