According to Webster's Dictionary, the definition of "villain" is "a character in a story, film, etc., who does bad things" (Merriam-Webster ). In John Webster's play, The Duchess of Malfi, the plot revolves around a duchess and her two brothers. The Duchess of Malfi is a very twisted and complicated story where the characters are not as they seem. One of the most important parts of the story is that the characters who appear to be the bad guys aren't actually the bad guys. This makes the story complex, but ends up connecting it in unexpected ways. Upon first reading of the play, it is easy to conclude that the Duchess's two brothers, the Cardinal and Ferdinand, are the villains. However, the Duchess lies and manipulates those close to her for her own selfish gain. The Duchess is deceptive when she hides her marriage and children, even though she knows the drama it will cause in her family, which makes her the true villain of The Duchess of Malfi. The story begins with the Duchess's secret marriage. The Duchess asks Cariola to attend a secret engagement between her and Antonio. She then declares: “Good dear soul, leave me, but place yourself behind the arras, for I am going into the desert, where I will find neither path nor friendly clue to guide me (Webster 1.3.64-68 ). So why did the Duchess get married in secret? Why would such a powerful woman want to hide her marriage from the rest of her people? It's easy to assume that she did this to keep Antonio, her love, safe. Her brothers made numerous threats against her and her husband if she were to remarry. It is therefore plausible that she wants to hide her marriage. The power difference between her and Antonio was also something to consider... middle of paper ... others too. Her manipulative ways are visible throughout the novel, particularly when she hides her marriage and pregnancy and when she seeks revenge on others. So it is undoubtedly bad. Ultimately, because it is the Duchess's personal decisions that result in the deaths of everyone involved in the story, she is the true villain of this story. Works Cited "Act III. Scene V. Webster, John. 1909-14. The Duchess of Malfi. The Harvard Classics. Act III. Scene V. Webster, John. 1909-14. The Duchess of Malfi. The Harvard Classics . Np, nd Web. November 26, 2013. “The Duchess of Malfi Summary and Analysis: Act 3 Summary and Analysis.” wicked." Merriam-Webster.com. 2011. http://www.merriam-webster.com (November 14, 2013). Webster, John. The Duchess of Malfi. Hoboken, New Jersey: BiblioBytes, 1990.