The Duchess of Malfi (OCR A-Level English Literature): Revision Notes
Key quotations
Understanding key quotations from The Duchess of Malfi will strengthen your knowledge of the text and help you respond effectively to exam questions. This revision note organises important quotations by theme, with detailed analysis to support your understanding.
How to use quotations effectively
Demonstrating your knowledge of The Duchess of Malfi goes beyond memorising direct quotations. You can reference the text through:
- Direct quotations
- Paraphrasing key moments
- Referencing single significant words
- Summarising plot events
The most effective approach is to develop a strong overall knowledge of the text, rather than learning lists of pre-prepared quotations. This allows you to select the most appropriate references for any exam question you encounter.
If you choose to revise specific quotations, organising them by character or theme works well. The quotations below are grouped by four key themes: morality and sin, power and class, gender and identity, and fate.
Exam tip: Focus on quality over quantity. Making 3-4 thoughtful, detailed references that closely address the question will achieve higher marks than 6-7 brief, undeveloped references.
Morality and sin
Morality and sin is a central theme in Webster's play. The dramatist explores how some individuals resist temptation while others surrender to it for personal gain. Characters express their moral struggles through asides to the audience, lecture others about religious values, and question the true nature of morality beyond formal religious or legal authority.
Religious corruption and the Cardinal
"Some fellows, they say, are possessed with the devil, but this great fellow were able to possess the greatest devil and make him worse" – Bosola, Act I, Scene I
"Sometimes the Devil doth preach" – Bosola, Act I, Scene II
Meaning and context:
Webster immediately introduces themes of immorality within religious institutions through Bosola's descriptions of the Cardinal in the exposition (the opening section of a play where key information is introduced). Bosola's words reveal his knowledge of the Cardinal as a sinful man who previously betrayed him by imprisoning him for a murder that the Cardinal himself ordered.
In Act I, Scene II, Bosola repeats this idea after Ferdinand offers to pay him to spy on the Duchess. He admits he has been tempted by someone he considers to be the devil.
Analysis:
Bosola's hyperbolic (exaggerated) description emphasises his disgust with the Cardinal. Describing a religious man as being possessed by the devil would have been considered scandalous. It becomes even more shocking when Bosola suggests the Cardinal is more powerful than the devil himself.
The adjective "great" works ironically, alluding to the Cardinal's position and title rather than his reputation or moral character. For a Jacobean audience familiar with religious conflict, especially regarding Catholicism, Webster's description of a Roman churchman in these terms may have been darkly humorous.
Bosola's oxymoronic line later in the play links the devil with the idea of preaching, highlighting how easily he (and others) surrender morality for greed. Webster suggests that sinful people can be persuasive and tempting.
Corruption as poison
"Some curs'd example poison't near the head,/Death and disease through the whole land spread" – Antonio, Act I, Scene I
"This foul melancholy will poison all his goodness" – Antonio, Act I, Scene I
Meaning and context:
Antonio opens the play by describing the French court. He suggests that if a leader is corrupt (poisoned near the head), this corruption spreads like a disease and destroys lives.
Later in the exposition, Antonio uses the image of poison to describe Bosola. He says Bosola's bitterness will poison his inherent goodness.
Analysis:
Antonio's references to poison present sin as pervasive and contagious. His metaphor (comparing two things by stating one is the other) uses the word "head" to refer to leaders whose corruption poisons the body (the land). This disease imagery would have been particularly topical for a Jacobean audience who experienced the plague in 1603.
When Antonio describes Bosola, he again employs poison as a metaphor for corruption. Although Bosola is virtuous at heart, his bitterness over mistreatment foreshadows his destructive and immoral actions later. The adjective "foul" meaning corrupted emphasises this idea.
Ferdinand's warped religious values
"And give't his lecherous father to renew/The sin of his back" – Duke Ferdinand, Act II, Scene V
Meaning and context:
Ferdinand speaks these words when furious that the Duchess has remarried despite his orders. His religious values appear warped in this speech where he lists terrible punishments he wishes to deliver to her via her children.
Ferdinand's references to religious language relate to hell. He implies the children should be sent to hell as punishment for the Duchess and Antonio's sinful relationship. This would redeem Antonio's sin, which Ferdinand describes as a burden.
Analysis:
Ferdinand's religious stance is presented as violent and punitive. He believes killing the children would be an act of redemption for Antonio. His description of Antonio as "lecherous" reflects sinful attitudes in the context of Puritanism, a religious philosophy gaining ground in Jacobean England.
Power and class
Power in The Duchess of Malfi connects closely to class and social status. High-ranking figures regulate and restrict less powerful characters whilst behaving with free agency themselves. Webster explores how oppressive hierarchical systems lead to dissatisfaction and dangerous actions. The play presents power as fluid, showing powerful figures who fall in status at the whims of others.
Exam tip: When exploring power, consider which specific aspect of power dynamics relates to your exam question. For example, if examining power dynamics between the Duchess and her brothers, you might reference Act I, Scene III: "I think this speech between you both was studied,/It came so roundly off." Choose the most appropriate references for the question you've been set.
The Duchess's restricted freedom
"The misery of us that are born great!/We are forced to woo because none dare woo us" – The Duchess, Act I, Scene III
Meaning and context:
The Duchess laments her high status, suggesting it limits rather than empowers her. She uses the word "us" to refer to those born into nobility.
Analysis:
The Duchess exclaims her distress, describing her title as "misery". Her use of the first person plural pronoun highlights differences between social classes, implying "us" and "them".
She appears conceited using the adjective "great" to describe herself, which refers to the power and status high birth affords. This is reinforced with the word "dare", implying a superiority that intimidates others. The verb "forced" emphasises her limited choices regarding her sexuality as a high-ranking woman.
Societal expectations and marriage
"A man merely for worth, without these shadows/Of wealth and painted honours? Possible?" – Bosola, Act III, Scene II
Meaning and context:
Bosola expresses his shock at the Duchess's choice of husband in an aside (words spoken to the audience that other characters cannot hear). He questions whether it's possible a woman could choose a man for his merit rather than his class and power.
Analysis:
Webster highlights societal expectations regarding marriage within the nobility through Bosola's surprise, expressed in rhetorical questions. His words imply he finds it difficult to conceive a woman would choose a husband based on love and respect rather than status.
Bosola qualifies the word "worth" with the adverb "merely" to represent the minimal value society places on merit. He uses dark imagery ("shadows") to refer to hidden flaws within the hierarchical system. His description of "honours" as "painted" suggests he views titles as superficial and based on appearance.
Power and misery in high status
"Men oft are valued high, when h'are most wretched" – The Duchess, Act III, Scene V
"Yes, you see what power/Lightens in great men's breath" – Antonio, Act III, Scene V
Meaning and context:
In this scene, Antonio's low status and class are discussed between the Duchess and Ferdinand. Ferdinand calls him a man of "no birth". The Duchess defends Antonio, suggesting those with high status are often among the most miserable and pitiable.
Later, Antonio acknowledges the power of high-ranking figures after he and the Duchess are banished from Ancona by the Cardinal.
Analysis:
The brothers' high birth and power are qualities Antonio lacks, but the Duchess points out that high status cannot bring happiness or security. The Cardinal is described as "melancholy" and Ferdinand remains frustrated and angry throughout the play. The Duchess notes this when she describes those of high status as "wretched".
Antonio, however, has a different and arguably more realistic perception. His oxymoronic phrase highlights the great power wielded easily and lightly by men of high status.
Gender and identity
Webster's characters face challenges maintaining their identity in a society that restricts personal agency, especially regarding gender expectations. Characters attempting to live with integrity are punished for defying strict codes of conduct about sexuality and marriage. Meanwhile, powerful male authority figures act similarly without shame or punishment, exposing hypocrisies in patriarchal Renaissance society.
Exam tip: When considering gender, think about how roles are defined for both women and men, and which characters subvert these roles. Antonio is comfortable in his role as the Duchess's husband despite his lower status and wealth. The Duchess calls him a "complete man" because he is humble and shows integrity. He provides an antithesis (direct opposite) to other male characters who strive for power at all costs, such as Bosola, the Cardinal and Ferdinand.
The Duchess's wit and defiance
"Diamonds are of most value,/They say, that have pass'd through most jewellers' hands" – The Duchess, Act I, Scene III
Meaning and context:
In this scene, Ferdinand tries to persuade the Duchess not to remarry, suggesting remarrying will taint the pure bloodline (though it's later suggested he actually wishes to claim her full inheritance). The Duchess replies using diamonds as an example to refer to women, suggesting remarrying will only make her more valuable.
Analysis:
The Duchess proves her wit as she argues light-heartedly with her brothers. Her metaphor uses diamonds to symbolise women. She argues that female promiscuity or remarriage does not make women less valuable.
Her dialogue defies social conventions and gender stereotypes. She is a Duchess speaking casually about her sexuality and speaking back to her brothers, defying their instructions. Ferdinand's reply confirms his attitudes: "Whores, by that rule, are precious", highlighting his views on female sexuality.
Ferdinand's disgust at the Duchess's marriage
"They are in love./The witchcraft lies in her rank blood" – Ferdinand, Act III, Scene I
Meaning and context:
Ferdinand discusses the recent news about the Duchess's secret marriage. He tells Bosola that she has tainted the royal bloodline by marrying a lower class citizen and that her children are "impure". Ferdinand believes this is "witchcraft" as it has defiled the family name.
Analysis:
Webster highlights Ferdinand's moral superiority in his emphatic statement that leaves no room for disagreement. He states the Duchess performs witchcraft, a common insult aimed at women who defy social constructs. Ferdinand raises questions about restrictive gender expectations through derogatory comments that highlight his disgust at the Duchess's disobedience.
The adjective "rank" implies her marriage has corrupted her blood and made it filthy.
Antonio's subordinate position
"Why, now 'tis most apparent; this precise fellow/Is the duchess' bawd" – Bosola, Act II, Scene III
Meaning and context:
Bosola has just discovered that Antonio is the father of the Duchess's newborn son. His words are spoken in an aside, suggesting he speaks his true thoughts. He calls Antonio the Duchess's bawd (a servant or someone who facilitates immoral activities).
Analysis:
Calling Antonio (now a father to the Duchess's son and heir) her "bawd" is an insult. Webster shows how Antonio does not achieve social mobility and respect due to his marriage to the Duchess or for fathering her heir. He is insulted and demeaned for his relationship with her because she has a higher position, reinforcing patriarchal stereotypes regarding gender and marriage.
The Cardinal's hypocrisy
"When thou wast with thy husband, thou wast watched/Like a tame elephant – still you are to thank me" – The Cardinal, Act II, Scene IV
Meaning and context:
The Cardinal says this to Julia, his mistress and the wife of Lord Castruccio. He attempts to reassure her of the benefits of their affair by comparing her to a "tame elephant" when with her husband. This implies she was sexually frustrated and controlled by her husband, which is why he requests her thanks and appreciation.
Analysis:
The Cardinal's affair with Julia represents a traditional courtship. The imagery relates to a typical Renaissance metaphor where the male is the tamer and the woman is a wild animal, often a bird. Here the Cardinal mixes metaphorical images in his simile to demean her.
He compares Julia to an elephant to highlight how he has released the weight from her, implying she is now free to be wild. The Cardinal's belief that he has saved Julia is ironic as he soon discards her.
Webster highlights the Cardinal's entitled hypocrisy as a powerful male who endorses patriarchal conventions. He is a man who condemns the Duchess for remarrying, yet conducts private affairs with colleagues' wives. He treats Julia poorly and expects thanks.
Fate
The Duchess of Malfi explores personal agency under societal restrictions. Webster depicts characters who act to determine their own future but are thwarted by external forces. A typical tragedy, the play considers how individuals respond to choices and whether destiny is determined by supernatural forces or individual actions.
The Duchess's powerlessness
"I account this world a tedious theatre,/For I do play a part in't 'gainst my will" – The Duchess, Act IV, Scene I
"Did any ceremonial form of law/Doom her to not-being?" – Ferdinand, Act IV, Scene II
Meaning and context:
The Duchess seems aware that her personal autonomy is restricted in the world she lives in. She refers here to her imprisonment by Ferdinand and his cruel punishments designed to drive her mad.
Ferdinand justifies his cruelty to the Duchess by telling Bosola he is not a judge, but that she will be judged by God. He suggests she has doomed herself and that her fate is of her own making.
Analysis:
At this point, the Duchess believes her future is not determined by her, displaying a fatalistic (believing events are predetermined by fate) attitude. Nevertheless, her actions in the play (mostly) portray her as a woman who puts faith in herself rather than in religion or fate. This line emphasises her despair after Ferdinand's cruel illusion makes her believe her family is dead.
The Duchess's metaphor comparing her life to an actress on a stage is ironic. This may lighten the scene's intensity whilst emphatically conveying Webster's ideas about personal agency under corrupt systems. The adjective "tedious" highlights her resigned attitude, suggesting an acknowledgement of her powerlessness.
The scene presents a breaking point for the Duchess. Having seen an image of her dead family, she feels entirely powerless. Still, she blames the world rather than attributing blame to fate.
Ferdinand's response to Bosola suggests his detachment from his own actions and his fatalistic attitude. The word "doom" used as a verb suggests he believes the Duchess created her own fate, distancing him from accountability. He admits he is not a judge but still maintains he has the right to send her to hell to be judged there, confusing ideas of fate with human authority. This highlights hypocrisies and the misuse of power regarding punishment in the name of religion.
Ferdinand's dying words on sin
"Whether we fall by ambition, blood or lust,/Like diamonds we are cut with our own dust" – Ferdinand, Act V, Scene V
Meaning and context:
Ferdinand utters these words just before he dies. He refers to the Duchess's death, which he believes is brought about by her lust. He seems to suggest an individual's death occurs as a result of sins committed in life, suggesting fate can be defined as the consequences of one's actions.
Analysis:
Ferdinand's dying words refer to Webster's theme of fate. His rhetorical line uses a list to highlight the many sins committed by those who are now dead or dying.
His simile comparing humans to diamonds mirrors the Duchess earlier in the play when she suggests women are like diamonds. Nevertheless, Ferdinand describes diamonds crumbling to dust, suggesting death equalises all sin, whether violent, lustful or ambitious.
This idea is juxtaposed by Delio, who ends the play advocating that immortality can be achieved only by honest men.
Bosola's fatalistic acceptance
"I look no higher than/I can reach: they are the gods that must ride on winged horses" – Bosola, Act II, Scene I
Meaning and context:
Bosola is speaking to Antonio and Delio. He responds to Antonio's challenge that he should aim higher by suggesting his place in society has been decreed by the gods.
Analysis:
Bosola's fatalistic attitude is the cause of much suffering and tragedy in the play. Webster criticises his passive and complicit nature as he attempts to detach himself from consequence.
His attitude is presented negatively because he is consciously aware his actions are immoral and sinful, and that he has become the devil he despises (like the Cardinal). His reference to "winged horses" may imply his jealous admiration of those who control others, like the gods.
Key Points to Remember:
- Quality matters more than quantity when selecting quotations. Focus on making thoughtful, detailed references that closely address the exam question.
- Understanding context and meaning is more important than memorising exact quotations. You can also paraphrase, reference single words, or summarise plot events.
- Key themes in The Duchess of Malfi include morality and sin, power and class, gender and identity, and fate. Organise your revision around these themes.
- Webster uses religious imagery, metaphors of corruption and poison, and references to devils and witchcraft to explore moral decay and hypocrisy.
- The play exposes the hypocrisies of powerful male figures who restrict others whilst acting with impunity themselves, particularly regarding gender expectations and marriage.