Influence of Sophisticated Corruption in The Duchess of Malfi

The early 1600s was known as the Jocobean era. During this time Roman Catholic Italy was known as a “land of sophisticated corruption” (1571). The Duchess of Malfi was influenced by the politics of that time. The characters, especially, were influenced by that sort of “sophisticated corruption.” You can see that sort of corruption being expressed in the characters of the Cardinal and Ferdinand.

Corruption is clearly evident in the characters of the Cardinal and Ferdinand. In the beginning of the play Bosola expresses his distaste for the Cardinal and Ferdinand saying, “He and his brother are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing pools” (1.1.46-47). Bosola reveals that the Cardinal and Ferdinand are dishonest and devious in the very beginning of the play. The politics of the time has an apparent influence in these two characters since they are of the highest social standing in the play and they are introduced in the beginning of the play as being corrupt.

The Cardinal is a corrupt official in the Roman Catholic Church. In the beginning of the play we even learn that he had convinced Bosola to kill someone for him. Delio tells Antonio that he knew Bosola from the galleys and that he was sent there “For a notorious murder” (1.1.64) and it was thought “The cardinal suborned it” (1.1.65). Having someone killed is not typical behavior for an upstanding cardinal. In the beginning of the play we see the corruption of the Cardinal and that he would be willing to use someone to kill someone else for some kind of gain.

Ferdinand is the second corrupt character in The Duchess of Malfi. In the beginning of the play Antonio describes Ferdinand as, “A most perverse and turbulent nature” (1.2.76). Ferdinand is already characterized as being corrupt and unstable. These characteristics have been evident throughout the play as well. He would become unstable and erupt in anger when he hears about the Duchess’s (his sister) pregnancy and birth of her child, which he vows to find out who impregnated her. Ferdinand says, “Till I know who leaps my sister, I’ll not stir” (2.4.78). He then finds out that Antonio is the father and he has the Duchess killed by Bosola. After her death Ferdinand reveals his true intentions: “Only I must confess I had a hope, / Had she continued widow, to have gained / An infinite mass of treasure by her death” (4.2.260-262). Because he revealed that the only reason that he was so fervently against her remarrying was so that he could inherit her fortune shows his corrupt nature.

The Duchess of Malfi was affected by the corrupt politics of the time period that it was written. The influence of the corruption in politics shows through the characters of the Cardinal and Ferdinand. These two characters are of high social standing and are the most corrupt characters in the play which is much like the way it was during the time that the play was written.