The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster

 

The Duchess is young and beautiful but unfortunately she has become a widow in the prime of life. Her brothers Ferdinand and the Cardinal warn her against second marriage. Her brothers threat her by saying that if she marries secretly, her marriage will be executed than celebrated. But the Duchess cares little about her brothers' warning and secretly marries her own steward Antonio. 

But her brothers are the embodiment of treachery, cruelty and corruption. They appointed Bosola as a spy in the guise of the provisor of horses at the Duchess's court. Bosola cunningly extracts the secret of the Duchess and informs evetything to her brothers. The Duchess was then arrested and imprisoned by Bosola under the instructions of her brothers. At night she was tormented by the shows of her dead husband and children. This horrifying scene makes her long for death and she says:

I account this world a tedious theatre,

For I do play a part in it against my will.

Her cruel brothers put wild madmen in her lodging in order to torment her. Bosola also torments her in the guise of a tomb-maker. But she does not afraid of death. When the executioners are ready to strangle her, she meets her death heroically and says:

Pull, and pull strongly, for your able strength

Must pull down heaven upon me.

The death of the duchess made a severe effect to the mind of Fardinand. After the death of the Duchess, Ferdinand suddenly experiences a strange and unexpected remorse. He rebukes Bosola for not having opposed his order to murder the Duchess. Bosola accuses him of ingratitude and demands the promised reward. But Ferdinand instead of giving him reward, calls him a villain for killing his sister. Now Bosola is able to understand his misdeeds and feels mercy for the Duchess. He decided to take revenge on the death of the Duchess. 

With an intention to kill the Cardinal, he enters his room and kills Ferdinand by mistaken. Then cardinal and bosola quarrels and died by stabbing each other. Thus, the villains, Ferdinand,  Cardinal and Bosola meet their doom at the end of the play.