My OpenLearn Profile
- Personalise your OpenLearn profile
- Save your favourite content
- Get recognition for your learning
This page was published over five years ago. Please be aware that due to the passage of time, the information provided on this page may be out of date or otherwise inaccurate, and any views or opinions expressed may no longer be relevant. Some technical elements such as audio-visual and interactive media may no longer work. For more detail, see our Archive and Deletion Policy.
Does the Duchess of Malfi have any resonance with modern-day audiences? Are it’s themes of politics and revenge still relevant today? Since it was originally published in the seventeenth century the play has been interpreted in a variety of ways, each different director examining the story and realising a unique translation of the work. In 2010 the Greenwich Theatre performed The Duchess of Malfi and in this collection we follow the cast and crew as they analyse the language used by John Webster, as well as exploring different ways of understanding the text and converting his words into a performance.
This material forms part of The Open University course A230 Reading and studying literature.
- Duration 30 mins
- Updated Wednesday 5th October 2011
- Posted under History & The Arts
Track 1: The Duchess of Malfi
A brief introduction to the play.
© The Open University 2011
- Read a transcript of this track - you'll need a PDF viewer, such as Adobe's free Adobe Reader
- Download this track from iTunes U - you'll need Apple's free iTunes software
- See details of the Open University course this album comes from
- Discover more from The Open University and iTunesU at open.edu/itunes
Tracks in this podcast:
| Track | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Duchess of Malfi | A brief introduction to the play. Play now The Duchess of Malfi |
| 2 | Understanding Webster’s text | The cast discuss examine what the language means and why Webster chose to use those particular words. Play now Understanding Webster’s text |
| 3 | Interpreting Webster’s text for the stage | An exploration of the different ways the text can be deciphered and translated for performance. Play now Interpreting Webster’s text for the stage |
| 4 | Anatomy of a scene | During a workshop day the actors are given the opportunity to work on different interpretations of a scene. Play now Anatomy of a scene |
| 5 | Bosolo | During the course of the play the importance of Bosolo’s character increases. Play now Bosolo |
About the author
Tags, Ratings and Social Bookmarking
Other content you may like
free course icon
Level
History & The Arts
John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi
This free course, John Webster, The Duchess of Malfi, concentrates on Acts 1 and 2 of John Webster's Renaissance tragedy, The Duchess of Malfi. It focuses on the representation of marriage for love and the social conflicts to which it gives rise. The course is designed to hone your skills of textual analysis.
video icon
History & The Arts
Outside the book: Tragedy
Discover how renaissance tragedies such as Hamlet and The Duchess of Malfi emit strong moral and political messages.
article icon
History & The Arts
How do we 'know' Hamlet?
Pulling together a production is more than just the script, Hannah Lavery from the Open University explains the process behind Hamlet and invites us to compare the text.
article icon
History & The Arts
From Page to Stage
How does the casting of Hamlet effect our perception of the play? Hannah Lavery explores different performances of Hamlet and introduces questions to study the play further.
activity icon
History & The Arts
Poetry Prescription
Feeling loving, adventurous or scared? Poetry Prescription will find you the perfect poem to reflect your mood.
article icon
History & The Arts
World-Changing Women: Hildegard of Bingen
Hildegard of Bingen spent many years wiriting her prophetic visions down, helping the sick and preaching in a time of male hierarchy. Read up on her religious life...
article icon
History & The Arts
World-Changing Women: Nur Jahan
In the 17th century Nur Jahan exerted power over her Emperor husband, allowing her to give opportunities to orphaned girls and architectural developments in India. This article outlines her remarkable leadership...
video icon
History & The Arts
The author at home
Why do people visit museums of writers' homes? Discover the secret life of authors in this short video.
article icon
History & The Arts
World-Changing Women: Charlotte Maxeke
A rights activist against the exploitation that was prevalent in South Africa, Charlotte Maxeke was South Africa's first black female graduate and one of the first female freedom fighters. Find out more about her extraordinary story...
©1999-2020. All rights reserved. The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its secondary activity of credit broking.
Be the first to post a comment
We invite you to discuss this subject, but remember this is a public forum.
Please be polite, and avoid your passions turning into contempt for others. We may delete posts that are rude or aggressive, or edit posts containing contact details or links to other websites.