The Duchess of Malfi (Annotated Edition)
Scene-by-scene “What’s Just Happened”, Context Snacks, key quotes, themes & critics
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John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi (first performed around 1613) is one of the darkest and most powerful tragedies of the Renaissance stage. A story of forbidden love, tyranny, madness, and revenge, it tells of the Duchess who secretly marries beneath her station and is destroyed by the cruelty of her brothers. With its haunting imagery and violent intensity, the play shocked Jacobean audiences — and still grips readers and performers today.
This TritonLit Annotated Edition makes Webster’s masterpiece accessible for modern students and readers:
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Scene-by-scene guidance: concise “What’s Just Happened” summaries after every scene.
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Context Snacks: quick, memorable background notes on Jacobean drama, gender, and politics.
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Character insights: analysis of the Duchess, Ferdinand, the Cardinal, Bosola, and Antonio.
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Key quotes with commentary: close readings that highlight Webster’s imagery, language, and stagecraft.
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Themes and critics: perspectives on power, corruption, gender, class, and tragedy.
Essential for students, teachers, and performers, this edition reveals why The Duchess of Malfi is a cornerstone of early modern tragedy.
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