Summary: Bosola is the court's malcontent. Quotes Analysis Context Antonio: “Here is Bosola, the only gall of the court” p.10 The adverb “only” in this usage isolates, Quick answer: In The Duchess of Malfi, Bosola is first and foremost an antagonist of the Duchess, having been hired to spy on and kill her, but later he becomes her, Ferdinand orders Bosola to strangle the Duchess, her two youngest children and her servant, then goes mad with guilt. In typical fashion for a revenge tragedy, one of the most profound moments in which Webster comments on the purpose and role of theater is the scene of the Duchess's death. Ferdinand and Bosola are not the only dupes, Quotes and Analysis of the Duchess of Malfi. “He and his brother are like plum trees that grow crooked over standing ponds. They are rich and full of fruit, but only crows, pies and caterpillars feed on them. Could I be one of their flatterers, I would cling to their ears like a leech until I was full, then I would fall.