An Actor in the Main of All: Individual and Relational Selves in The Duchess of Malfi

Abstract

At the climax of John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi (1613–4), the heroine is murdered. Although her brother, Ferdinand, orders his sister’s murder, he is not present at it; he comes to view the result of his commands only when their object is safely (though, as it proves, not definitively) dead. Even then it remains difficult for him to look on her. ‘Cover her face,’ he bids his suborned assassin, Bosola: ‘Mine eyes dazzle. She died young.’¹ Then, ignoring Bosola’s bitter comments on the Duchess’ ‘infelicity’ (4.2.265), Ferdinand produces some hitherto unmentioned information: ‘She and I were twins/And should I die this instant, I had liv’d / Her time to a minute’ (4.2.267–9).