The Duchess of Malfi | Page 3

software, but only so long as *EITHER*:
[*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and does *not*
contain characters other than those intended by the author of the work,
although tilde (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may be used
to convey punctuation intended by the author, and additional characters
may be used to indicate hypertext links; OR

[*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at no expense into
plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent form by the program that displays
the etext (as is the case, for instance, with most word processors); OR
[*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at no additional
cost, fee or expense, a copy of the etext in its original plain ASCII form
(or in EBCDIC or other equivalent proprietary form).
[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this "Small
Print!" statement.
[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Project of 20% of the net profits
you derive calculated using the method you already use to calculate
your applicable taxes. If you don't derive profits, no royalty is due.
Royalties are payable to "Project Gutenberg
Association/Carnegie-Mellon University" within the 60 days following
each date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) your annual
(or equivalent periodic) tax return.
WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU
DON'T HAVE TO?
The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, scanning
machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty free copyright
licenses, and every other sort of contribution you can think of. Money
should be paid to "Project Gutenberg Association / Carnegie-Mellon
University".
We are planning on making some changes in our donation structure in
2000, so you might want to email me, [email protected] beforehand.

*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN
ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END*

This etext was prepared by Gary R. Young.

The Duchess of Malfi

by John Webster

Introductory Note
Of John Webster's life almost nothing is known. The dates 1580-1625
given for his birth and death are conjectural inferences, about which the
best that can be said is that no known facts contradict them.
The first notice of Webster so far discovered shows that he was
collaborating in the production of plays for the theatrical manager,
Henslowe, in 1602, and of such collaboration he seems to have done a
considerable amount. Four plays exist which he wrote alone, "The
White Devil," "The Duchess of Malfi," "The Devil's Law-Case," and
"Appius and Virginia."
"The Duchess of Malfi" was published in 1623, but the date of writing
may have been as early as 1611. It is based on a story in Painter's
"Palace of Pleasure," translated from the Italian novelist, Bandello; and
it is entirely possible that it has a foundation in fact. In any case, it
portrays with a terrible vividness one side of the court life of the Italian
Renaissance; and its picture of the fierce quest of pleasure, the
recklessness of crime, and the worldliness of the great princes of the
Church finds only too ready corroboration in the annals of the time.
Webster's tragedies come toward the close of the great series of
tragedies of blood and revenge, in which "The Spanish Tragedy" and
"Hamlet" are landmarks, but before decadence can fairly be said to
have set in. He, indeed, loads his scene with horrors almost past the
point which modern taste can bear; but the intensity of his dramatic
situations, and his superb power of flashing in a single line a light into
the recesses of the human heart at the crises of supreme emotion,
redeems him from mere sensationalism, and places his best things in
the first rank of dramatic writing.

The Duchess of Malfi
Dramatis Personae FERDINAND [Duke of Calabria]. CARDINAL [his
brother]. ANTONIO [BOLOGNA, Steward of the Household to the
Duchess]. DELIO [his friend]. DANIEL DE BOSOLA [Gentleman of
the Horse to the Duchess]. [CASTRUCCIO, an old Lord]. MARQUIS
OF PESCARA. [COUNT] MALATESTI. RODERIGO, > SILVIO, >

[Lords]. GRISOLAN, > DOCTOR. The Several Madmen.
DUCHESS [OF MALFI]. CARIOLA [her woman]. [JULIA,
Castruccio's wife, and] the Cardinal's mistress. [Old Lady].
Ladies, Three Young Children, Two Pilgrims, Executioners, Court
Officers, and Attendants.

Act I
Scene I<1>
[Enter] ANTONIO and DELIO
DELIO. You are welcome to your country, dear Antonio; You have
been long in France, and you return A very formal Frenchman in your
habit: How do you like the French court?
ANTONIO. I admire it: In seeking to reduce both state and people To a
fix'd order, their judicious king Begins at home; quits first his royal
palace Of flattering sycophants, of dissolute And infamous
persons,--which he sweetly terms His master's master-piece, the work
of heaven; Considering duly that a prince's court Is like a common
fountain, whence should flow Pure silver drops in general, but