Character Analysis: Bosola
“You would look up to heaven, but I think
The devil that rules i’th’air stands in your light.” -A Act II Scene II, l91-92
John Webster didn’t write many plays -I remember someone making the joke that The White Devil is a remake of The Duchess of Malfi as it is- but the content of this play is as rich in imagery as Shakespeare or Marlowe, with an inventive cynicism that rivals even the latter. The core is the guts of the human spirit as it sickens with its own self-disgust. Marlowe writes deeply of religion, Shakespeare of dreams, memory, the heart and rulership. Webster explores the self-conscious ability to pursue relentlessly, and to our own detriment both good and bad ends.
It is one thing to say that a government is corrupt. It is another to demonstrate how. And while Ferdinand and The Cardinal are appearing characters to discuss in this; today we will cover Webster’s malcontent Bosola, my personal favourite of the cast, mostly due to the nature of his cynical wit, and phasing through each camp of the Malfi siblings’ civil war and political strife.
The cutthroat, the aspiring middle class to compare with modernity, who thinks nothing of brutality to others, due to keeping their own resentments bleeding.
I found a lot to relate to there…which said a lot about me. About my nature, later about my pretentiousness and mongrel academic streak which I have endeavoured to address:
Delio: “He hath studied himself half blear-eyed to know the true symmetry of Ceaser’s nose by a shoeing-horn, and this he did to gain the name of a speculative man.” -A Act III, Scene III l44-45.
It is also worth noting regarding the rich characterisation of the play, while I can’t find it anymore, the Globe performance possessed really good production and makes a joke highlighting both Bosola’s wit being tiresome (and the sardonic wit and snap of rage from the Cardinal). And for The Last Kingdom fans, in addition to The Hollow Crown you see King Alfred. and Wolfred share the stage in the Globe’s production of The Duchess of Malfi. No threats to ‘pull your guts through your smelly arse’, unfortunately.
Recent personal work studying and meditating upon the ‘Major Arcana’ of the tarot has fired my conviction that the archetype of The Magician – the potent, confident but illusory figure very much permeates this particular Marlowe play, with its European courtly imagery and archetypes The Cardinal, and very much Bosola covet the power archetype of The Magician.
Ultimately the illusion of power causes Bosola, the Fool, the acolyte and ‘younger’ seeming iteration of the magician, while the Cardinal, the politician, the Magician, ultimately utilised illusion for his own gain, the seemingly lily white morality a façade for his brutalistic avarice for power and domination.
Broken by the false allure of ambition derived from the wrong patron, Bosola comes to see life, the entire court thus. It is a hopeless yet addictive place, where he hangs on for more patronage, intellect not possessing the emotional intelligence to deduce that no true appreciation, not gratitude will come for the Cardinal, or his brother Ferdinand when hired as a mercenary. For as the play unfolds further it becomes clear that this coin, appreciation is what Bosola craves, his internal workings and defence mechanisms covering the fact and seeking validation in the wrong areas.
Bosola is notedly not swayed by lustful feelings, like his employer Ferdinand with his debauched desire for the Duchess, nor is he particularly enamoured with Antonio, making quite a good retort and impression of better spirit when threatened:
Antonio: “Saucy slave, I’ll pull thee up by the roots!”
Bosola: “May be the ruin will crush you to pieces.” -A Act II, Scene II l38-39.
Bosola stands as perhaps a precursor to the modern ideal of the grey character or the anti-heroic, but in theatrical convention defined by karmic consequence and psychological introspection, seeing the nobility within the Duchess, ultimately changing sides, and his gristly fall are a testament to conscience and agency. Webster presents a world where great changes in politics or mortality derive from simple human risks. What if even the religiously chaste seize military strength and mistresses? What is a noblewoman commanded to remain chaste choose her own romantic companion? Bosola made such a choice, with both dark and light aspirations in his life. He chose to murder in the pursuit of ambition, and to fight in an act of moral redemption. But it is tragic that desire and murder, not academic intelligence, nor satisfaction are tied to Bosola’s character. It can be argued that both the court and its people, society and his own malcontentedness led to a life of dissatisfaction, bitterness, and no sense of appreciation when he did gain any favour, riches, or notice.
“’Tis great pity
He should be this neglected, I have heard
He’s very valiant. This foul melancholy
Will poison all his goodness.” – Act I, Scene I l72-76
Reference: Webster, J. The Duchess of Malfi. 1612-1613. New Mermaids Fifth Edition. 2014.