Discuss The Duchess of Malfi in relation to the revenge play tradition.

Critically speaking, The Duchess of
Malfi is considered to be a Jacobean era (1603-1625) revenge play, or revenge
tragedy. In writing The Duchess of Malfi, Webster borrowed elements
form other sources including William Painter and Sir Philip Sydney. He incorporated
selected elements of revenge tragedy tradition but adopted them to accommodate his theme
and dramatic purpose.

Elements of revenge tragedy
are:
1. A secret murder of a good leader by a bad person.
2. The
visitation of the victim's ghost to someone like a son.
3. Scheming and
plotting with disguise and intrigue conducted by both avenger (revenge taker) and
murderer.
4. Dead bodies slowly increasing in number.
5. The avenger
falls into madness, either real or pretended (feigned), or another character
does.
6. Mass violence of some sort in the resolution.
7. A final
catastrophe that ends in the avenger's own death.