An Analysis of Bosola in the Duchess of Malfi Essay

Bosola can be described as a convincing character as unlike some of the characters in the play, his opinions and principles change throughout, therefore constantly altering the audiences feelings about him. He is the only character to communicate to the audience via soliloquy, divulging his true thoughts and intentions which often differ from his outward appearance, making him psychologically realistic and interesting. Although this would suggest he is a convincing character, Bosola, at times, falls into set roles of the Jacobean Tragedy; malcontent, satirist and avenger. Webster uses Bosola to fulfill these conventions of the genre and to direct and drive the plot, especially after the Duchess death. Even though Webster uses Bosola in†¦show more content†¦One of the interesting aspects of the play is that it goes beyond the boundaries of its set time, giving its characters a past as well as a present. The audience learns straight away that Bosola was in prison, hinting at p revious experiences shaping his hatred for the Aragon brothers, `I fell into the galleys in your service. Bosola exists outside the plays timeframe, making him more convincing. All through the play, small references to Bosolas past are made, `I knew him in Padua, a fantastical scholar; he is not confined to the play, therefore he is more convincing as a character. As a spy, Bosola most frequently uses asides of all the characters. The audience is given an insight into his mind so they can differentiate from what his true intentions are and the lies he tells the other characters. This used is particularly in act 2 scene 1, where Bosola is trying to find out if the Duchess is pregnant or not by giving her apricots, `[aside]-how greedily she eats them. This makes his character more convincing to the audience as they can see the complex workings of his and how he is not always as he appears to the other characters. Throughout the play, Webster frequently reminds us that the world of the characters is not real; it is contrived and can therefore be manipulated by the playwright, `I think this speech between you both was studied, it came so roundly off. Webster never intendedShow MoreRelated The Fourth Act of The Duchess Essay example2050 Words   |  9 PagesThe Fourth Act of The Duchess The first necessity of baroque is that the audience should be gripped, excited, moved [1] - so says Ralph Berry. The fourth act of The Duchess of Malfi certainly succeeds under all these criteria, being the dramatic crux of the play. The events that occur in the first scene are undoubtedly crucial, but it is the characters vastly varied reactions to them that are vitally important. Rich imagery is deeply interwoven with the fabric of play - indeed, it isRead MoreDuchess Of Malf Open Learn10864 Words   |  44 Pagesï » ¿John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi Introduction 3 Learning outcomes 3 Background 3 Description 4 Act 1: setting the scene 5 Courts ideal and real 5 Discussion 5 Description 8 Bosola the malcontent 8 Discussion 9 Marriage for love: family opposition 10 Discussion 10 Love and marriage: Antonio the steward 13 Discussion 14 Love and marriage: the Duchess 15 Description 16 Description 17 Discussion 19 Act 2: discovery 21 Ferdinand 21 Discussion 22 Conclusion 24 References 24 Further reading 25 NextRead MoreThe Duchess Of Malfi By John Webster1260 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Webster, The Duchess of Malfi is an exquisite play filled with plot-twists, tragic moments, and stupendous actors who have studied under some of the greats. One actress in particular, playing the Duchess of Malfi is Ms. Julie Granata-Hunicutt , studied the works of Ms. Uta Hagen. She successfully demonstrated some of these magnificent techniques in the show tonight; I very much urge others to go and see the well-executed work for themselves. For the purpose of this analysis essay, I’ve decided