Duchess of Malfi & her relationship with Antonio
Comments(3) At the end of act I we experience a very bizzare moment in which the Duchess and Antonio perform a weird marriage ceremony. As I wondered whether this is actually even legally binding, it puzzled me. The Duchess’ strenght and perserverance must have been great, when she decided to marry again, outside of her social status, against her brothers’ will. I know it was quite common for men to marry someone of a lower social status, but it must have been unusual and almost unheard of for a woman like the Duchess to marry outside of her status, and she would have to deal with that going forward. I see the Duchess as a strong character that is somewhat revelutionary because she is portrayed as a powerful woman in times where women’s rights were somewhat questionable, especially in the theathre where women were not even allowed to act on stage. When i think of the Duchess, Queen Elizabeth also comes to mind, as she was also a strong, powerful woman in charge who did not fit into a stereotyped view of a powerless woman at that time. The Duchess seems like a woman who takes charge of her own fate. She does not listen to what her brothers have to say about her marrying again, and she goes after what she wants. One line was very refreshing in particular in which she states: “The misery of us that are born great! We are forced to woo, because none dare woo us” (ActI) She acts like a man in power, only thing is she’s a woman, and its refreshing to see.
After finishing the play, I could see why she is powerful and admirable. The language that she utilizes and the way that she faced her inevitable death was amazing. Her nobility is untouched as she goes through various hardships that would definitely tempt those with a less noble character. The path she chose was a path that she knew would be filled with sadness and would have a bloody end.
Her noble character was able to soften even the murderous Bosola, which at the end of the play was willing to avenge her death. The lesson seems that if a woman of higher status marries a man of much lower status they will be met with death. No matter how much you try to fight there will be a blood death. It is a quite dark play, everything leads to death.
Her power is not only within her title but the noble way that she carried herself and the language used is what made her so untouchable and a forever paragon for women of all time.
At the end, she became a sort of monument, statue that will be admired for all time. Her struggles in a world where powerful men rule and would try anything to get what they desire which in this case, Ferdinand had a inappropriate feeling with his sister. It seems like he did not what to share her with anybody else. It is not only what he was talking about, honor, but of the need to sort of own her but in an obsessive way.
It is sad but it’s true like you said women had almost no rights and if they had they would be oppressed by the men. It ended with two different points of view. You could argue that she was noble and was able to do what she wanted and fight them back up to her last breath and she won because she controlled her fate. Or you could say that she was caught up with powerful men and still was unable to win because she became a monument and a lesson to all that if a woman would dare to marry out of her status then she will suffer these consequences and was not able to control her fate.
Either point of view, it is very refreshing to see such a powerful female characters. There are very few that are as noble as the Duchess of Malfi. I am glad that we were able to read this play, otherwise, I would never have read such an enjoyable play (even though it was quite dark).
I absolutely can relate to the Duchess and Queen Elizabeth comparison when discussing her nobility. When it’s time for the Duchess to remain poised, even before her death she remains calm. With dignity her life is taken from her. With that said, however, when it comes to romance.. Elizabeth’s was non existent. I have to disagree with your first statement about the marriage being awkward. I find it flirty and romantic- how the Duchess’ and Antonio’s relationship is. I love how we get little glimpses of cute moments between the two, it makes the duchess more realistic, and more woeful for her murder.
I agree that the she was strong and very well kept together except when she is eating the apricots. But throughout the play even when she is about to die she still remains calm and believes that she has done nothing wrong. I hated how Cariola would die with her an says of all the things a proud servant should say but when the Dutchess dies, she has a 180 and says everything she can so that they wont kill her. One of your comments said that it was uncommon for women to marry below there status but in Faversham we had Alice whose family wanted her to marry below her social status. So maybe it all depended on what the family needed. If they had a title and no money and the man that they would marry off their daughter was of lower social status but had more money than them, then it would make sense for the daughter to marry him.