The Duchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi is a dark and gripping Jacobean tragedy penned by John Webster in the early 17th century. The play follows the courageous Duchess a young widow who boldly chooses to remarry for love against the will of her powerful brothers. Her defiance sets off a chain of deadly intrigue betrayal and revenge that explores themes of power corruption madness and mortality. Renowned for its poetic language complex characters and intense psychological drama The Duchess of Malfi remains a landmark of English Renaissance theatre and a staple of both scholarly study and theatrical performance.