The Duchess of Malfi as a corrupt society
Question: Discuss “The Duchess of Malfi” representing a corrupt society.
Or, how does John Webster dramatize guilt and crime in “The Duchess of Malfi?
Introduction: “The Duchess of Malfi” presents all the horrors of a dead universe on stage. There is no sudden death in the drama, but people die slowly sinking into the morass of disease and rot. There is an indication of something deeper in this decadent play that works in secret to produce a greater horror. The theme of natural evil, to put it differently, social evil which man cannot control is central to the play.
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The bestiality of man
The bestiality of man is a thematic element of the play. It has been presented satirically. In the passage of Bosola, we find a comparison of men with animals, insects, and rapacious birds. Bosola hints at the evil nature of the two brothers, the Cardinal and Ferdinand. In his opinion, they are like crooked plum trees that grow over a standing pool of rotten water. They are rich people but no one except some flatterers and sycophants is benefited from their riches.
“He and his brother, are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools; They are rich and overladen with fruit, but none but crows, pies, and caterpillars feed on them.”
Thus, Webster indicates the corruption of court life. Again, Antonio gives an ugly picture of the Cardinal in the following expression:
“The spring in his face is nothing but the endangering of toads.”
The corruption of the rotting body
The corruption of the rotting body that is accompanied by the images of sexuality and widespread corruption is another satirical thematic element. The degeneration of the body, sexuality, and personal or social corruption is obvious in the play. The pregnancy of the Duchess is described in terms of corruption of the flesh. After the birth of a child, the servants spread different lewd tales and rumors regarding the Duchess. Soon after Ferdinand and the Cardinal swear to take revenge on their sister. Their words are filled with images of bestiality and degeneration.
At the end of the play, the animal image is translated into action through Ferdinand’s madness. Through this metaphoric madness, the cause of evil in the outward form of man is exposed. The scene in which Julia woos Bosola to her bed is a brilliant example of the realization of sexual images in the dramatic action. Similarly, the image of widespread social and individual corruption is exposed by the noiseless attempts of the Cardinal to conceal his crimes. As for the moral degeneration, Bosola willingly embraces such evil.
The intensity of death
Webster touches the depths of the problem of evil by the images of death. Death is everywhere in the play. Ferdinand takes fantastic ways of murdering the Duchess and her husband Antonio. His ways make a terrifying impact. The death of the duchess in the fourth act shows the destruction of good by evil. But the fifth act shows what happens in a world where good is dead and integrity is absent. The lascivious Julia is murdered by her lover. Antonio is killed in error by the man who wants to save him. The Cardinal is trapped by Bosal. A servant who tries to shout for help is stabbed. The Cardinal’s screams for help rouse the lunatic Ferdinand who stabs Bosola. Bosola kills Ferdinand lastly. Thus, evil turns on evil. These are the rampaging disasters that follow the destruction of good.
Religious corruption
Webster satirizes religious corruption. Through the Cardinal, he exposes the deception and evil nature of the catholic priests. The playwright mocks religion when he uses the Holy Bible as a weapon to kill Julia. The pope is also shown to be a corrupted religious leader who has an army of his own. Without justification, the pope confiscates the property of the Duchess at the behest of the Cardinal and is involved in various other mistakes. When religion is corrupt, society becomes polluted from top to bottom.
Conclusion: To conclude, “The Duchess of Malfi” offers a vision of a meaningless universe in which mankind is inherently corrupt. The individual in this universe has no choice but to produce his own values though it may futile. So, in a sense, the theme of “The Duchess of Malfi” is natural evil.
