The Duchess of Malfi (originally published as The Tragedy of the Dutchesse of Malfy) is a macabre; tragic play written by the English dramatist John Webster in 1612ndash;13. It was first performed privately at the Blackfriars Theatre; then before a more general audience at The Globe; in 1613ndash;14. Published in 1623; the play is loosely based on events that occurred between about 1508 and 1513. The Duchess was Giovanna drsquo;Aragona; Duchess of Amalfi (d. 1511); whose father; Enrico drsquo;Aragona; Marquis of Gerace; was an illegitimate son of Ferdinand I of Naples. As in the play; she secretly married Antonio Beccadelli di Bologna after the death of her first husband Alfonso I Piccolomini; Duke of Amalfi. The play begins as a love story; with a Duchess who marries beneath her class; and ends as a nightmarish tragedy as her two brothers exact their revenge; destroying themselves in the process. Jacobean drama continued the trend of stage violence and horror set by Elizabethan tragedy; under the influence of Seneca. The complexity of some of its characters; particularly Bosola and the Duchess; plus Websterrsquo;s poetic language; ensure the play is often considered among the greatest tragedies of English renaissance drama.
#1045651 in eBooks 2015-12-11 2015-12-11File Name: B0182XGNOS
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Give Apocalypse a ChanceBy kddThis is a novel about art installations that never happened. told through a series of academic papers written in the future. There are some fun diversions from apocalypse as well. It is also a kind of introduction to drone music. If that doesnt scare you off then give this book a try. specially while listening to the drone music as you read.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Boy is this something differentBy Jo WebberDemers is a music professor who specializes in post WWII music. In this book she creates a fictional character who delivers a series of essays (chapters) linking drone music to her belief in the upcoming apocalypse. The concept of an apocalypse is one we all learn when we are growing up and have our own understanding of what it means to us - religious or otherwise. Growing up in Britain in the 1980s many people thought the apocalypse would occur with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM"S) - as they were being positioned on British soil. Fast-forward 25 years and you dont hear much mention of them. As a scientist I have a tendency to apply a very analytical scientific filter to the concept and I think thats why I found this book to be so interesting and so different. Demers links drone music (not something Im familiar with) to the apocalypse in a series of short essays from her protagonist. This is not an easy read especially if you have no background or knowledge of drone music. However Demers references to historical events made the journey possible and enjoyable for me.
