The Duchess of MalfiPresentation

Analysis of the characters;

Antonio and Delio

Nadine Jenkins

Historical Context

• John Webster wrote The Duchess of Malfi during the Jacobean period. (King James 1 reign).

• This period in which the play is written is a vital to our understanding of the play. It is important as topics of the time that were important to the Jacobean audience, will be highlighted in the dramas of the time.

• Thus, in the Duchess of Malfi, Webster writes about un-orthodox marriage. To marry ‘out of class’ was a social misdemeanour for the Elizabethans and Jacobeans.

• Inheritance issues were also a matter of national concern for audiences at this time. The Duchess’ remarriage to Antonio opened for the Aragon brothers a dilemma of inheritance. They would not have any valid entitlement to the wealth and estates that came with the dukedom of Malfi.

Overview

• The play opens with Antonio and his friend Delio as outsiders. As such they can comment dispassionately about corruption at the court from which they have become detached, and compare it with the purity and good order of the court in France, ‘like a common fountain’ (1.1.12)

• Delio and Antonio operate as a team throughout most of the play, though there are significant times when they are geographically apart.

• Often they seem to stand back from the action just to commentate, to help the audience jump the gaps, introduce more actors or understand the plot.

Brief Overview of Characters Roles

AntonioA gentleman newly returned from

France, Antonio was appointed by the Duchess as her

steward.• Antonio later becomes the

Duchess’ husband after she secretly woos Antonio.

• Antonio is a simple, decent man, but no match for the testing circumstances in which Webster pitches him.

DelioDelio is a courtier and also a friend

to Antonio.• Delio is sent to Rome, after

Antonio fears that Bosola may be a spy. Delio intends to discover what he can there.

• His relationship with Antonio has parallels with Cariola’s relationship with the Duchess. They both advise; the difference being that Delio seems more intelligent than Antonio, but Cariola less so than the Duchess.

Antonio

• Critics have seen Antonio as posing some sort of threat to Ferdinand and the Cardinal’s hegemony in Malfi, and attribute this to their accounting for the opposition to the Duchess’ marriage.

• If this is so, the Aragon brothers much overrated the threat Antonio posed.

• It is shown that Antonio is weak from the beginning. Although initially we may interpret this as gentlemanliness. It is only later that we come to recognise this characteristic as innate feebleness.

• Others may consider this opinion unfair, pointing out that the Duchess saw him as worthy. Is her judgement secure? (She appointed and confided in Bosola).

• Antonio is generous, quick to see good in those we dismiss as evil; he is modest, however he appears to be somewhat cowardly in situations where the Duchess had to take control. (He should have been the one taking care of her.)

•Antonio dies in a casual anti-climax. His last thoughts are for his sons escape and to commend himself to his friend.

•We are left with an impression of the emptiness of a life fuller of promise than performance, and which he himself describes: ‘We follow after bubbles’. (V.4.65)

Delio

• When Antonio is down on his luck it is Delio who helps him plan and hopes with him to restore his fortunes.

• It is Delio who petitions Pescara for the Citadel, it is Delio who accompanies Antonio to the Cardinal’s apartment to try and effect a reconciliation and it is Delio who makes sure that Antonio’s son succeeds to his inheritance, ‘To establish this young hopeful gentleman / In’s mother’s right’ (V.5.111-12)

• Antonio uses Delio as his intelligencer when the latter is in Naples, Milan and Rome.

• He is not so effective in this role as Bosola. He is not only a less than admirable best friend; he is not very successful, failing to seduce Julia, or to importune Pescara.

• He is over-concerned with rank, and somewhat under-concerned about his friend’s wife.

•As an audience, we do not part company with Delio with much regret.

•We wonder whether he has not been somewhat of a fair-weather friend.

•He is too much of a courtier, seems to have taken on their attributes of pandering and flattering.

•Cleverer and stronger than Antonio, he is never there when his friend needs him; when Antonio parts finally from the Duchess, and when Antonio is killed by Bosola.

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