This image summarizes much of the evil present in this play. If hypocrasy and deceit were to be added to the list of things that lead to the bloody downfall than I think it might be a complete list written specifically according to the lessons learned from The Duchess of Malfi. According to this image adultery, murder, and ambition lead to the bloody downfall. All of these elements do indeed contribute to the large amount of blood and falling downwards at work in Duchess. For me, the two most reprehensible characters in the play are The Cardinal and Bosola. While Ferdinand is detestable, in my mind I write him off as mentally unstable as is. I seem to say to myself, "Yes he did horrible things, which he should be held accountable for, but he had too much power for a man as unbalanced as he was." The Cardinal is guilty of all three of the above-mentioned sins. He is an adulterer, having an affair with Julia. He is a murderer, ordering the killing of his sister. And he is ambitious. He is fond of his status as a "great man" and guards his status agressively out of a love for his power and an ambition for more. Bosola, the other character I respect least, is guilty of murder and amibition. I have no sympathy for Bosola. His melancholy attitude amounts to self-pity in my eyes. In trying to put responsiblity for his bad actions elsewhere he never owns his own actions. He wishes he were a better man than he is, and in his ambition to become a "great man" he just pushes himself further and further from his goal. There is a stark contrast between two ideals of what a great man is. Bosola's goal is to be a great man like the cardinal, one with power and class, but with no integrity. The other great men are not men of status. Antonio, for example, is from a lower class than the others, but he is a posessor of truth and integrity. Delio is another; a true and steadfast friend, which is something none of the other "great men" had. To over-emphasize my point, phony "great men" are ambitious and murder people and have no friends they can truly trust, and real great men are men of integrity, with loving relationships.

-Image: Author: Anon. "The Bloody Downfall of Adultery, Murder, Ambition." 1615...

Printed at London : [By George Eld] for R. H[iggenbotham] and are to be sold at his shop at the Cardinalls Hat without Newgate, [1615