John Webster and the Duchess of Malfi

Webster: The Duchess of Malfi

In this course, Professor John Lennard explores John Webster’s masterpiece, the Duchess of Malfi. The course begins by thinking about John Webster himself, about whom we know very little, and the historical context for the play itself. After that, we think about five key characters in the play—the Cardinal and Ferdinand, Antonio and the Duchess, and Bosola. In the final module, we think about the staging of the Duchess of Malfi, focusing in particular on four recent productions—including the 2014 production at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, starring Gemma Arterton.

John Webster and the Duchess of Malfi

In this module, we think about John Webster himself, about whom we know very little, and the historical context of the play. In particular, we think T. S. Eliot’s description of Webster as a man who “saw the skull beneath the skin”.