The Duchess of Malfi, unnamed characters - response paper

We are required to write a 400-600 word response paper to The Duchess of Malfi. I wanted to discuss the fact that two of the three main characters are unnamed (the Duchess and the Cardinal) versus Ferdinand the named antagonist and how this relates to identity. I also wanted to tie into the theme of identity the fact that Ferdinand and the Duchess are twins (only revealed at the end) and Ferdinand and the Cardinal are thought to be twins. I wonder now if I've taken on more than I can chew. Maybe these are not strong enough points...

Here is the start of my paper:

The Duchess of Malfi

John Webster's play The Duchess of Malfi is a tragedy set in the early 16th century. The tale involves conflict and scandal surrounding three siblings; the Duchess, Ferdinand, and the Cardinal. While many themes are central to Webster's play, none stand out as much as that of identity. For starters, both the Duchess and the Cardinal are unnamed characters, and names have power in identity. Second, the relationship of twins is mentioned more than once in the play, and with twinship one thinks of a sort of shared identity.

From the beginning of the play the Duchess and the Cardinal are never referred to by their given names, and instead by their titles. This fact causes the reader to focus more on their actions, their generic roles, rather than who they are as characters. The Duchess, for example, is seen as a walking dollar sign to her brothers, instead of a person with desires of her own. And because she is a duchess, a woman of nobility, she is expected to adhere to class roles, which robs her of her ability to freely marry and lead the life that she sees fit for herself (without consequences). Because she is a woman she is subject to her brothers' power, (whether she obeys or not).

Ferdinand, on the other hand is a named character; we are encouraged to examine the psychology of his character...

Twinship: When Ferdinand reveals that he and the Duchess are twins, the reader finally is able to understand that his hate for his sister stems from his own self-loathing. He sees the Duchess as an outward extension of himself. He projects... A reflection of his own relationship with himself

Also there are hints of Ferdinand's incestuous desire towards his sister that can be thought of as narcissism.

Conclusion...

I am stuck and wonder if I should just start over with a different topic...

Thank you

Is this sentence important or interesting enough to earn this spot at the beginning of the paper?


Identity alone is not a theme. The power of identity, though, is a great theme! When you name this dominant theme, can you call it something more than just "identity?"


If you are stuck on the conclusion, you must not have a central idea for the essay. Look back to the end of the intro. It should have a thesis statement that makes your MAIN observation about the significance. Here is a poem I wrote for you:

Thesis at the end of the intro paragraph
Should express the main idea in a single sentence.
Conclusion should express it in a single paragraph.

Okay, that is not much of a poem, but apply the concept!

:-)