In Act 1 Sc 1, Bosola is introduced by Delio as someone who spent seven years in the galleys for a notorious murder. This instantly portrays him as an evil individual capable of taking a life. Although Antonio regards him as a potentially courageous person, admitting that “He’s very valiant,” he also recognizes that Bosola has been negatively influenced by his upbringing, causing him to harm others due to a lack of proper guidance. Therefore, Antonio understands that if Bosola is not handled appropriately, he will become immoral.
The concept that the nature of goodness can be overwhelmed by the nurture from ‘black malcontents’ is exemplified in the character of Bosola. Bosola is deemed the ‘court gall’, a bitter individual who would ‘rant about things he desires’ and would stop at nothing to achieve them. The bitterness in Bosola’s character is evident in his conversation with the Cardinal. He mourns over it being a ‘wretched era’, where ‘the only reward for doing well is the act of doing it’. He is perceived as a character who has been taken advantage of by the corrupt court and has learned to cope with the consequences, as he states that ‘blackbirds fatten best in hard weather’.
The character’s hardness is revealed through the necessity of survival. This neglected individual has adapted and thrived in their own unique manner. They express clear anger towards corruption in the Italian court, comparing positions to beds in a hospital. To ensure their survival, Bosola takes on the persona of an invisible devil in human form. Despite agreeing to act as Ferdinand’s avenger for the Duchess and her “marriage” to Antonio, Bosola ultimately views Ferdinand as a corrupter and bold traitor.
One can observe that Bosola possesses a certain moral sensibility, recognizing that he is about to commit a heinous act. One can also discern that Bosola consents to the act of murder not out of pleasure, but out of necessity for his own survival. However, despite these commendable qualities of Bosola, he will forever be linked to darkness. The language he employs is coarse, characterized by grotesque and horrifying imagery. “We delight in a decomposed corpse, concealed within opulent fabric.” He is an unsavory individual, repugnant to our moral sensibilities.
Yet despite his crudeness, there is a certain truth to Bosola’s cynicism. It is through his own experiences in life that he has become so bitter. He believes that people are quick to judge flaws in others but fail to see their own. This revelation uncovers Bosola’s true character — someone who only works for personal gain and seeks justice when they are taken advantage of because there is no other way to attain it.
He acknowledges that the only way to survive in court is by becoming the most wicked person. His motto is: ‘I look no higher than I can reach.’ He does not hope for happiness but only for survival. It becomes evident that true evil is not a part of his nature when he unintentionally causes the Duchess to go into labor and says ‘I am sorry’ before leaving. In fact, even Antonio uses Bosola’s character to spread the rumor that Bosola poisoned them, indicating that while Bosola may play the role of the murderer, he is also a victim of it all. He hides in the darkness to protect himself.
At the end, his true nature overpowers his nurture. However, his character remains relatively unchanged. He can no longer hide his hatred for corruption and his longing for justice after being blamed for the Duchess’ death. This aspect of his character is also evident from the start when he smirks at the thought of causing great anger to Ferdinand and the Cardinal by revealing their sister’s affair, even more so than deriving satisfaction from being the one who killed her.
Undoubtedly, he discusses the concept of ‘this base quality of intelligencer’ and one cannot help but think that he truly believes in it. It is indeed ironic that it is Bosola who confines the Duchess within her own castle because in examining the theme of entrapment and imprisonment in the play, one realizes that Bosola himself is also a victim of entrapment. In order to survive in the dark and corrupt court, he embraces the darkness. He prospers because he willingly abandons his moral principles and love for justice. He murders the Duchess without showing any mercy because it is his occupation to carry out the Cardinal’s commands.
Yet he informs Ferdinand that he can see a greater beauty in the Duchess’ tears than in her smiles. Clearly, he is moved by her stoicism. His anger stems not from the lack of payment for killing her, but from being forced to betray his own character and ethics and then being blamed for it. This conflict between his true character and his facade is evident when he expresses a desire to save Ferdinand’s life and reflects on the tediousness of the world. Therefore, Bosola’s transformation is not from evil to good, but rather a struggle between his conscience and his wicked deeds. He was never inherently evil, but rather bitter about his circumstances. Witnessing the integrity and stoicism displayed by the Duchess allows him to recognize these qualities within himself. In placing the play within a corrupt courtly setting, Webster adheres to one of the main conventions of revenge tragedy, a popular genre in sixteenth- and seventeenth-century England.From the early and influential play “The Spanish Tragedy” (587), to Shakespeare’s renowned “Hamlet” (1601), and even to later works like Thomas Middleton’s “The Revenger’s Tragedy” (1606), revenge tragedies consistently depict decadent courts and irresponsible rulers. These plays reveal the flaws of the existing order, which in turn allows for the emergence of a specific character type known as the malcontent. The malcontent is a character who is consumed with disgust towards the corruption and foolishness of courtly society, and expresses their anger by vehemently criticizing it.
Hamlet and Bosola both fulfill the same role in their respective plays. In Hamlet, Shakespeare’s revenge tragedy, Hamlet assumes this role, while in The Duchess of Malfi, Bosola takes on the same role. When Antonio describes Bosola as the “only court-gall” (1. 1. 23), he uses a metaphor to compare Bosola to a sore or irritation caused by rubbing. This metaphor establishes a closer relationship between Bosola and a “gall” without using the words “like” or “as,” as is typical in a simile. Antonio’s metaphor suggests that Bosola enjoys critiquing and tormenting the court with his verbal abuse. Additionally, “gall” can also mean “bile,” the bitter substance produced by the liver, which intensifies the metaphor’s impact. Like Antonio, Bosola comes from a lower social status and relies on the patronage of higher-ranking individuals for material success. This aspect of his character contributes to the play’s exploration of class relations in a highly stratified society. Throughout the play, Bosola’s wit and satire are directed towards a patronage system that rewards sycophantic behavior rather than merit.
Nevertheless, the play highlights Antonio’s recognition of the difficult position he is in. In fact, Antonio has already expressed his opinion about Bosola, stating that his criticism is not solely motivated by a genuine love for righteousness. He accuses Bosola of railing against things he desires, implying that if he had the opportunity, Bosola would indulge in vice and wickedness like any other person. Bosola finds himself torn between a profound understanding of the flaws in the system of patronage and a strong desire for social progress that keeps him tied to it.
His portrayal of himself as a horse-leech, eagerly feeding off the brothers’ blood until he collapses, reflects this duality: while he may disdain the sycophants who thrive in the courtly environment, he also desires to partake in the material wealth they possess. Bosola shares similarities with Iago from William Shakespeare’s Othello, as both characters are dissatisfied servants. However, Webster imbues his rendition of this character archetype with a moral consciousness that Shakespeare’s bitterly vindictive ensign lacks.
