The Duchess of Padua

by Oscar Wilde

"The Duchess of Padua" by Oscar Wilde is a five-act tragedy written in 1883. Set in Renaissance Italy, this blank verse drama follows Guido Ferranti, a young man who arrives in Padua to avenge his father's murder at the hands of the Duke. His mission becomes complicated when he falls deeply in love with the Duke's wife, Beatrice. As passion collides with vengeance, both lovers make fatal choices that bind them in tragedy, leading to devastating consequences neither anticipated.