The Duchess of Malfi: Key Quotations (OCR A Level English Literature)

The Duchess of Amalfi: Key Quotations

One of the ways to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the text is through the effective use of quotations and references to the text. This means that summarising, paraphrasing, referencing single words and referencing plot events are all as valid as using direct quotations.

Overall, you should aim to secure a strong knowledge of the text, rather than memorising a list of pre-prepared quotations, as this will better enable you to respond to the question. It is the quality of your knowledge of the text that will enable you to select references effectively.

If you are going to revise quotations, the best way is to group them by character, or theme. Below you will find definitions and analysis of the best quotations, arranged by the following key themes:

• Morality and sin

• Power and class

• Gender and identity

• Fate

Morality and sin

Morality and sin is a significant theme in The Duchess of Malfi as Webster depicts how some individuals resist sin and others are tempted to it for personal gain. Characters voice their moral dilemmas in asides to the audience, express their religious values in lectures to others and repeatedly comment on the true nature of morality as found outside of religious or judicial law.  

“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

• Immediately, Webster introduces themes of immorality within religious institutions

• Bosola describes the Cardinal in the the exposition

• His description implies Bosola’s knowledge of the Cardinal as a sinful man:

  • Audiences are told that the Cardinal has betrayed Bosola, having imprisoned him for a murder that he ordered

• Later, in 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 description of the Cardinal emphasises Bosola’s disgust 

• It could be considered scandalous for a religious man to be described as being possessed by the devil 

• It is even more shocking that he is described as more powerful than him

• Jacobean audiences, familiar with religious conflict, especially regarding Catholicism, may find Webster’s description of a Roman “churchman” humorous

• The adjective “great” ironically alludes to the Cardinal’s position and title, not to his reputation 

• Bosola repeats his religious description later, when he accepts Ferdinand’s money:

  • He refers to Ferdinand as the “Devil”

• His oxymoronic line links the devil and the idea of preaching

• He refers to the ease at which he (and others, equally tempted) surrender morality over greed:

  • Webster is suggesting that those who are sinful are persuasive 

“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 describing the French court

• He suggests that if a leader is corrupt (“poison’t near the head”) this spreads like a disease and destroys lives

• Later in the exposition, Antonio uses the image of poison to describe Bosola

• He says his bitterness will “poison” his morality

Analysis

• Antonio’s references to poison in the first scene present the play’s themes of sin as pervasive

• His metaphor uses the word “head” to refer to leaders whose corruption is like a disease that poisons the body (the “land”)

• This is particularly topical for a Jacobean audience, who experienced a plague in 1603

• Antonio again refers to poison as a metaphor for corruption when he describes Bosola

• Although Bosola is virtuous at heart, his bitterness over his mistreatment foreshadows his destructive and immoral actions later:

  • This is emphasised by the adjective “foul” meaning “corrupted”

“And give't his lecherous father to renew/The sin of his back” – Duke Ferdinand, Act II, Scene V

Meaning and context

• Ferdinand is furious that the Duchess has married again despite his orders

• His religious values are portrayed as warped in this speech where he lists the terrible punishments he wishes to deliver to her via her children

• His references to religious language in this speech relate to hell

• He implies the children should be sent to hell as punishment for the Duchess and Antonio’s sinful relationship:

  • This will redeem Antonio’s sin, which he 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” can be considered sinful in the context of Puritanism, a religious philosophy that was gaining ground in Jacobean England

Power and class

The theme of power in The Duchess of Malfi is closely linked to class and status. Powerful, high-ranking figures regulate and restrict other characters who are less powerful, while they behave with free agency. The play explores the way in which oppressive hierarchical systems lead to dissidence and dissatisfaction, which result in dangerous acts being committed. Webster’s play considers power a fluid concept, presenting powerful figures who fall in status at the whims of others. 

“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 does not empower her but limits her

• The Duchess uses the word “us” to refer to those who are born into nobility

Analysis

• The Duchess exclaims her distress, describing her title as “misery”

• Her use of the first person plural pronoun highlights the differences between the classes, implying the idea of “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”, which implies a superiority that intimidates others 

• The verb “forced” emphasises her limited choices in terms of her sexuality as a high-ranking woman

“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

• He asks if it is 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

• Bosola’s surprise is expressed in his rhetorical questions

• His words imply he finds it hard 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 placed on merit in the society

• Bosola 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 

“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 is discussed between the Duchess and Ferdinand:

  • Ferdinand calls him a man of “no birth”

• The Duchess stands up for Antonio, suggesting that 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 is something Antonio lacks, but the Duchess points out that high status cannot bring happiness or security:

  • The Cardinal is described as “melancholy” and Ferdinand is frustrated and angry throughout the play

  • This is noted by the Duchess when she describes those of high status as “wretched”

• Antonio, however, has a different perception and, arguably, a more realistic one

• His oxymoronic phrase highlights the great power wielded easily and “lightly” by men of high status
  

Gender and identity

Webster’s characters depict the challenges of maintaining a sense of identity in a society that restricts and limits personal agency, especially regarding gender expectations. Characters attempting to live with integrity are punished for defying strict codes of conduct regarding  sexuality and marriage. Others, powerful male figures of authority, act similarly without shame or punishment, challenging hypocrisies in the patriarchal Renaissance society.

“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:

  • He suggests remarrying will taint the pure bloodline

  • It is later suggested that he actually wishes to claim her full inheritance

• The Duchess replies to Ferdinand’s request for her to remain a widow

• She uses the example of diamonds to refer to women, suggesting that 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

  • She is speaking back to her brothers and defying their instructions

• This is confirmed when Ferdinand replies that “Whores, by that rule, are precious”, highlighting his attitudes to female sexuality 

“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 replies to 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 that the Duchess performs witchcraft, a common insult aimed at women who defy social constructs

• Ferdinand raises questions about restrictive gender expectations via 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

“Why, now 'tis most apparent; this precise fellow/Is the duchess' bawd” – Bosola, Act II, Scene III

Meaning and context

• Bosola has just found out that Antonio is the father of the Duchess’s new-born son

• His words are spoken in an aside and, thus, suggest he speaks his true thoughts

• He calls Antonio the Duchess’s “bawd”, which means he is her servant

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 even for fathering her heir

• He is insulted and demeaned for his relationship with her because she has a higher position, thus reinforcing patriarchal stereotypes regarding gender and marriage

“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:

  • This 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 in which 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 in order 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 her poorly and expects thanks

Fate

The Duchess of Malfi is an exploration of personal agency under societal restrictions. Webster depicts characters who act in order to determine their own future, but who are thwarted by external forces. A typical tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi considers the way individuals respond to choices and whether destiny is determined by supernatural forces or by an individual’s actions. 

“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 in the play, the Duchess believes her future is not determined by her, thus displaying a fatalistic attitude:

  • Nevertheless, her actions in the play (mostly) portray her as a woman who puts her faith in herself rather than in religion or fate

  • This line, thus, emphasises her despair after Ferdinand’s cruel illusion that makes her believe her family is dead

• The Duchess’s metaphor, comparing her life to an actress on a stage, is ironic:

  • This may serve to lighten the intensity of the scene

  • It conveys, emphatically, Webster’s ideas regarding personal agency under corrupt systems

• The adjective “tedious” highlights her resigned attitude at this point in the play, 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 any blame to fate

• Ferdinand’s response to Bosola suggests his detachment from his own actions, suggesting his fatalistic attitude

• The word “doom”, used as a verb, suggests he believes the Duchess has created her own fate:

  • It also distances 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, in particular regarding punishment, in the name of religion

“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 that an individual’s death will occur as a result of sins committed in life, thus suggesting fate can be defined as the consequences of one’s actions

Analysis

• Ferdinand’s dying words refer to Webster’s theme of fate in the play

• 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

“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 seek to aim higher by suggesting his place in society has been decreed by the gods

Analysis

• Bosola’s fatal 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 even more negatively as he is consciously aware his actions are immoral and sinful and that he has become the “devil” he despises (the Cardinal)

• His reference to “winged horses” may imply his jealous admiration of those who control others, like the gods