The Dutchess of Malfi

The Duchess of Malfi I think definitely was a lot of our past reading wrapped into. For example we have a beloved good man which reminds me of Sir Gawain and Lanval. We also have a women who marries more than once and sees no problem with it as our Wife of Bath's character did as well. Also, men who are high in religious affairs are actually very hypocritical about their positions as the cardinal did by having an affair and having people killed and the confessor from The Miller's Tale. Over all, I think this play was affected by its time because a lot of these events like remarried women and religious hypocrites were going on yet they were taboo. Webster, like other author's, were able to bring these subjects into people's lives. The issue of the Duchess remarrying and also marrying below her class were definitely, I think, a major part of why this play became a tragedy because it was looked down upon.