Inviting Destruction in the Duchess of MalfiIt has been stated that, through her stubbornness, the Duchess invites her own destruction. However, the statement must be seen from the point of view of the 17th century, as well as from the modern one. The statement is firmly rooted in the issue of human rights, and that issue has changed and evolved enormously in the last few centuries, since Duchess of Malfi was written. Society in the early 17th century was very different from ours today; back then, women were far below men in stature and respect: they had no rights, and husbands and other male family members treated them more like possessions than human beings. Although most women accepted it, there were, as always, those who rebelled: the Duchess is one of these rebels. He refuses to accept society's rules, instead choosing his own path to follow, an unpredictable and dangerous path, as ultimately seen with his capture, torture, and death at the hands of his own brothers. For example, in Act I, Scene II, as soon as Ferdinand and the Cardinal have warned her against remarrying, she and Antonio are arranging to get married – a perfect example of her stubborn attitude. She is also remarkably open with Antonio about the whole affair; indeed, it is she who makes their relationship go from carefree flirting to real marriage, when she gives the wedding ring to Antonio, saying: And I have sworn never to part with it, except from my second husband. they shocked 17th century audiences, who would have expected the man to be the more confident of the two, even though it seems perfectly natural to us today. This is his stubbornness: his rejection of the standard norms......paper medium......accepted and what not, and choosing to do things his own way. The claim that he invited his own destruction is probably valid; however, his stubbornness did not cause his destruction: the madness of his brothers is responsible for it; his stubbornness was simply the match that lit the fuse. It wasn't society's fault, it's the fault of the Duchess and her brothers who didn't adapt to that society. The Duchess would not adapt, so she expected everything else to adapt, and in doing so, she invited her own destruction. Even until the end she remains strong-willed and determined, refusing to show fear for her impending death, or remorse for her past actions: BOSOLA Doesn't death scare you? DUCHESS Who would be afraid of that? Knowing that you meet such excellent company in the other world.