The White Devil | Themes

Appearance and Reality
In The White Devil, Webster reveals his fascination in the difference between the way events and characters appear and the reality of these events and people. The title of the play itself reveals this interest; a popular proverb of the time, according to Margaret Loftus Ranald in her book John Webster, taught that ‘‘the white devil is worse than the black.’’ Critics generally apply the title of the play to Vittoria. Her outwardly stunning and radiant beauty stands in stark contrast to ‘‘the viciousness of her soul,’’...

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