The Duchess of Malfi
The Duchess, a young widow and the ruler of the Italian town of Amalfi, is the intelligent, kind, virtuous sister of the Cardinal and the twin of Duke Ferdinand. Her brothers have prohibited her…
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Ferdinand, Duke of Calabria
Duke Ferdinand is the brother of the Cardinal and the twin brother of the Duchess. He doesn’t want his widowed sister to remarry, in part because of his pride and his greed for her…
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The Cardinal
The Cardinal is the brother of Duke Ferdinand and the Duchess. Though he is a religious figure, he is in fact just as immoral and despicable as his brother, facts made clear by his…
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Antonio Bologna
Antonio is the Duchess’s steward, and very capably runs the Duchess’s estate. Despite the fact that he is neither wealthy nor high-born, the Duchess considers him to be a “complete” man, and the two of…
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Daneil de Bosola
Bosola is the spy planted by Duke Ferdinand as the stable master at the Duchess’ estate. He is a man who is used to doing the dirty work for others: before the events of…
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Delio
Delio is Antonio’s friend and is of the same social class. Totally loyal, he is privy to Antonio and the Duchess’ secret marriage, and he looks after Antonio’s sole surviving son at the…
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Julia
Julia is Castruccio’s wife and the Cardinal’s mistress. Julia is the play’s stereotypical fickle female, with constantly changing affections. Near the end of the play, she becomes enamored with Bosola, who then…
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Minor Characters
Castruccio
Castruccio is an old Italian lord, and his name is a pun on the word castrated. This pun is furthered by the fact that Castruccio’s wife, Julia, is having an affair with the Cardinal.
Marquis of Pescara
A soldier and courtier in Ferdinand’s court. Of all the courtiers, he alone seems to have some sense of honor and independence of mind.
Count Malateste
A Roman courtier, friend of Ferdinand.
Silvio
A courtier at Amalfi.
Cariola
The Duchess’s waiting-maid. She is loyal to the Duchess throughout, and dies for it.
Old Lady
A courtier.
Roderigo
A courtier at Amalfi attending the Duchess.
Grisolan
A courtier at Amalfi attending the Duchess.
Doctor
A Doctor to Ferdinand who diagnoses the Duke with the disease Lycanthropia.
Madmen
Several insane people sent by Ferdinand to torment the Duchess, though she actually finds that they distract her from the torture of her thoughts that plague her when there is silence.
Executioners
The executioners work for Ferdinand and carry out the murders of the Duchess, her children, and Cariola.
Pilgrims
Witnesses to the banishment of the Duchess and Antonio.
Servants
Throughout the play there are several servants, some of whom are killed.
Children
Though they are not named and do not speak, the Duchess’s three children appear on stage a number of times. The two younger children wind up murdered, but the oldest survives and under Delio’s care seems likely to inherit his mother’s wealth and lands.
