Bosola's description
'oblique character'- Ferdinand
alludes to bosola being the malcontent
bosola murdered for the cardinal
'the only court gall'- Antonio
says it as it is (speaks his mind)
slight admiration from Antonio
perverse honesty
highlights Bosola's selfishness
'your knowledge commends him and prefers him' - duchess
hesitancy
for a long time she deceives bosola
she is intelligent
already she distrusts and is wary of him
'This foul melancholy will poison all his goodness'
means depression and sadness
in the Elizabethan era they believed it was a physical disease
effected by the four humours
too much black bile led to melancholia
'for a notorious murder twas thought the cardinal suborned it' - delio
'breeds all black malcontents'- antonio
'would be as lecherous, covetous or proud/ bloody or envious as any man'- antonio
'keep your old garb of melancholy' - Ferdinand
his bitterness is an act/pose
this notion however is incorrect as bosola is a complex charcter
no different from other sycophants
reflects anti catholic views in the Jacobean era
bosola has worked for the brothers before
common knowledge
'black' emphasizes the darkness and untrustworthiness associated with malcontents
implies that Bosola's melancholia is negative and infectious
reflects common beliefs that melancholia was a disease
he is unpredictable and untrustworthy
nobody knows what to expect from him
syndetic list of negative adjectives
bosola has a reputation for not being a good person