Download John Webster The Duchess of Malfi 9782350305240 Books

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John Webster The Duchess of Malfi 9782350305240 Books Reviews

• This is not a great edition if you are not already familiar with Renaissance drama conventions or even this play in particular. I assigned it in a Renaissance drama seminar, and was disappointed by the cursory critical introduction and especially the lack of depth in the footnotes. Where the footnotes were useful was Shakespearean comparison, but my students struggled with a lot of the other references. For example, the significance of apricots as diuretics/labor inducing was never explained, and the pun in the original manuscript (where it is spelled as apricocks) is at best alluded to. Similarly, there is no explanation of madmen as entertainment - either as a literary trope or a reference to Bedlam Hospital. In short - the text itself is perfectly fine, but for newcomers, there will be some fairly inexplicable scenes and incidents.
• "...One met the duke 'bout midnight in a lane
  Behind Saint Mark's church, with the leg of a man
  Upon his shoulder; and he howl'd fearfully;
  Said he was a wolf, only the difference
  Was, a wolf's skin was hairy on the outside,
  His on the inside; bade them take their swords,
  Rip up his flesh, and try."
  
  The Duchess of Malfi is John Webster's masterpiece, and justly renowned as the Jacobean drama par excellence. A young widow, rich and beautiful, secretly marries her steward, against the wishes of her brothers, a cardinal and a judge, who have insinuated Bosola, a convicted murderer, into her household as "intelligencer." One brother, Ferdinand, is insanely jealous of his sister
  
  "CARDINAL. __ __ __ Shall our blood,
  The royal blood of Arragon and Castile,
  Be thus attainted?
  FERDINAND. __ __ Apply desperate physic
  We must not now use balsamum, but fire,
  The smarting cupping-glass, for that 's the mean
  To purge infected blood, such blood as hers.
  There is a kind of pity in mine eye,--
  I 'll give it to my handkercher; and now 'tis here,
  I 'll bequeath this to her bastard.
  CARDINAL. __ __ __What to do?
  FERDINAND. Why, to make soft lint for his mother's wounds,
  When I have hew'd her to pieces... "
  
  Unlike the edition of The White Devil, this edition has some notes and glosses. Coming as they do at the end, they seem like crossword clues without a crossword
  
  <5> At the expense of. <6> Rolls of lint used to dress wounds. <7> Surgeons. <8> A small horse. <9> Ballasted. <10> A lively dance. <11> Throws into the shade. <12> At the point of. <13> Coaches. <14> Spy. <15> Cheats. <16> Spy. <17> Malfi. Gallery in the Duchess' palace. <18> Lustful. <19> Genesis xxxi., 31-42. <20> The net in which he caught Venus and Mars. <21> Housekeepers. <22> Produced. <23> Qq. read STRANGE. <24> Guess. <25> The phrase used to indicate that accounts had been examined and found correct. <26> Using words of present time; i.e., "I take," not "I will take."
  
  To use the notes, one would have to go to the end of the book, page back to the beginning of the notes, bookmark that location, and then jump to the bookmarked location when needed. Proof that Project Gutenberg started aeons ago.
• This Jacobean masterpiece really should first read in a annotated copy. This book does have a glossary of some terms, but it is difficult to navigate having to jump from the text to the final section. That said, if the plot of the play is too much for the modern reader to absorb or believe, which I doubt, the pure poetry and powerful imagery of the play makes it a worthwhile experience. It it should stimulate any aspiring play write. The cruel humor of some of the lines are certain to bring a grim smile. "Diamonds are of most value, They say, that have pass'd through many hands. Whores by that rule are precious."
• Great price on a schoolbook. Always try to get them on .
• Good travel edition of this work. Play is witty and saucy, with gore to satisfy the most bloodthirsty reader.
• I read this for the first time in my English Honors class in sophomore year in high school as homework and I was intrigued by the tragic tale of the Duchess and her beloved Antonio. Truly a romantic tragedy without overdoing the romance. Definitely a well recommended book!
• Read this for a lit class. Wow, it's gruesome and fascinating. So much imagery and deep meaning. Thanks, for offering it for the for free. You helped this poor student stay on budget and get an A in this class!
• Love it. This classic play is well presented and the extra material was very helpful in understanding the characters and plot.