The White Devil by John Webster/ Author Introduction / Historical Context / About the Work / Themes / Characters/ Summary & Analysis

 ➥The White Devil

by John Webster

Brief Biography of John Webster

Other than the fact that he was born and raised in London, very little is known of John Webster’s life. His father was a carriagemaker and his mother was a blacksmith’s daughter; Webster himself probably made carriages, though records show that he also dabbled both in acting and in legal studies. In 1605, Webster married the 17-year-old Sara Peniall (who was seven months pregnant at the time), and they had several children together. In addition to The White Devil, Webster wrote a host of poems and seven other plays, the most famous of which is the 1613 tragedy The Duchess of Malfi (which, like The White Devil, is set in Italy). Webster also frequently collaborated with other playwrights of the era, writing a few different history and comedy plays, though many of these were never produced. The White Devil was booed upon its 1612 premiere, but fortunately for Webster, his reputation was redeemed a year later when The Duchess of Malfi proved to be a huge hit.

Historical Context of The White Devil

Stylistically, the violence in this piece reflects a larger trend in English playwriting. In the aftermath of the 1606 Gunpowder Plot—in which a disgruntled young man tried and failed to blow up King James I and Parliament—Jacobean drama became darker and more murderous than it had been just decades earlier. In terms of plot, The White Devil is based on an actual historical scandal: there was a real woman named Vittoria Accoramboni, and she really did marry the soon-to-be-Pope’s nephew. When Vittoria’s younger brother Marcello began working for the Duke of Bracciano (who years earlier had murdered his wife Isabella), Marcello and Vittoria saw another chance to advance their family’s standing. Marcello and Bracciano then had Vittoria’s first husband murdered, and they all fled to Padua, where Vittoria and Bracciano were married. Soon after, Vittoria was stabbed to death by a man named Ludovico Orsini, a relative of Bracciano’s who nursed a deep hatred for Vittoria.

Other Books Related to The White Devil

Webster was writing in the heart of the Jacobean period, which spans from roughly 1603 to 1625. William Shakespeare is perhaps the most well-known playwright of this time (though he began writing well before, in the Elizabethan era), but in fact Webster had a number of important contemporaries. Webster’s closest collaborator was Thomas Dekker, with whom he wrote the 1603 satiric play Westward Ho—a work so impactful that it inspired renowned writer Ben Jonson to respond with his own piece Eastward Ho. But while Webster dabbled in comedy (and worked at the Red Bull Theater, known for Dekker’s lighter touch), The White Devil is more in line with the era’s bloodier plays. These include the 1622 play The Changeling and much of Shakespeare’s darker works, like Othello (1603) and Macbeth (1606). Like Macbeth, The White Devil is considered “a tragedy of action,” meaning that more of the drama comes from plot points than from individual suffering.

Key Facts about The White Devil

Full Title: The White Divel; or, the Tragedy of Paulo Giordano Ursini, Duke of Brachiano. With the Life and Death of Vittoria Corombona the famous Venetian Curtizan

When Written: 1611–1612

Where Written: London, England

When Published: 1612

Literary Period: English Renaissance (Jacobean)

Genre: Drama

Setting: Courts and courthouses in Rome and Padua

Climax: In disguise and acting on behalf of Duke Francisco, Count Lodovico poisons Brachiano’s helmet. Brachiano then collapses in the middle of a staged fight.

Antagonist: Everyone is a villain.

THEMES IN THE PLAY

1. Corruption and Decay: The play portrays a corrupt and decaying society, highlighting the moral decay of the characters.

2. Revenge Tragedy: The play follows the conventions of the revenge tragedy genre, exploring themes of revenge, betrayal, and retribution.

3. Deception and Appearance vs. Reality: Characters use deception and disguise, blurring the lines between appearance and reality.

4. Love and Passion: The play examines the destructive power of love, passion, and desire.

5. Morality and Justice: The play raises questions about morality, justice, and the nature of right and wrong.

6. Social Status and Power: The play critiques social hierarchy and the abuse of power.

7. Guilt and Conscience: Characters grapple with guilt, conscience, and the consequences of their actions.

8. Death and Mortality: Death is a pervasive theme, symbolizing the transience of human life.

9. Italian Renaissance Culture: The play reflects Webster's fascination with Italian culture, exploring themes of honor, family, and social status.

10. Femininity and Women's Roles: The play portrays complex female characters, challenging traditional notions of femininity.

Some key symbols and motifs include:

- The white devil (symbolizing evil and deception)

- Masks and disguise (representing deception and hidden truths)

- Poison (symbolizing corruption and destruction)

- Blood and violence (representing the consequences of revenge)

Here are the main characters in John Webster's play "The White Devil":

Main Characters:

1. Vittoria Corombona (The White Devil): Noblewoman, beautiful and cunning, involved in adultery and murder.

2. Brachiano: Nobleman, Vittoria's lover, and husband of Isabella.

3. Flamineo: Vittoria's brother, a witty and cynical courtier.

4. Francisco De Medicis: Duke of Florence, seeking justice for his nephew's murder.

5. Isabella: Brachiano's wife, innocent and virtuous.

6. Marcello: Flamineo's brother, a young nobleman.

7. Giovanni: Francisco's nephew, murdered by Brachiano.

Supporting Characters:

1. Monticelso: Cardinal, seeking justice and moral order.

2. Gasparo: Francisco's servant, assists in the revenge plot.

3. Lodovico: Exiled nobleman, seeks revenge against Brachiano.

4. Cornelia: Vittoria and Flamineo's mother.

5. Zanche: Moorish servant, loyal to Vittoria.

6. Courtiers, servants, and attendants.

Minor Characters:

1. Camillo: Vittoria's husband, murdered by Brachiano.

2. Jacopo: Flamineo's servant.

3. Ambassadors, lawyers, and other officials.

Character Relationships:

- Vittoria and Brachiano: Adulterous lovers.

- Flamineo and Marcello: Brothers.

- Francisco and Giovanni: Uncle and nephew.

- Vittoria and Flamineo: Brother and sister.

- Brachiano and Isabella: Husband and wife.

Character Traits:

- Vittoria: Cunning, beautiful, manipulative.

- Brachiano: Passionate, impulsive, ruthless.

- Flamineo: Witty, cynical, loyal.

- Francisco: Just, determined, noble.

- Isabella: Virtuous, innocent, tragic.

SUMMARY & ANALYSIS

Count Lodovico is devasted to have been banished from Rome—though he admits that he committed crimes (including murder) to warrant this punishment. Antonelli and Gasparo, Lodovico’s friends, promise Lodovico that they will get the banishment commuted as soon as they can.

Back in Rome, the Duke of Brachiano is desperate to get out of his marriage to Isabella and to get into bed with the beautiful Vittoria, who’s married to Camillo. With the help of Vittoria’s brother Flamineo, Brachiano plots to get rid of Camillo. Vittoria’s maid Zanche and Cornelia, Vittoria and Flamineo’s mother, overhears the conversation. Horrified, she interrupts, scolding her children for bringing shame upon their family. But Flamineo counters that he has no other choice: he was born without money, and the only way to get rich is to do the bidding of a wealthy man like Brachiano, no matter how immoral that bidding might be.

Meanwhile, Isabella returns to Rome after traveling. She discusses her marriage with her brother, the Duke Francisco of Medici, and with a cardinal named Monticelso. Francisco has heard about Brachiano’s romance with Vittoria, and he is angry that Brachiano is treating his sister so carelessly. Francisco and Brachiano meet, and Francisco threatens to go to war to protect Isabella. Before violence breaks out, however, the two men are interrupted by Brachiano’s winning young son Giovanni. Because of Giovanni’s charm, Brachiano and Francisco (temporarily) agree to a truce.

Brachiano tells Isabella that he wants to end their marriage. Ever devoted, Isabella decides to protect Brachiano from Francisco’s wrath by pretending that she is the one who has asked for a divorce.

Meanwhile, Camillo learns that someone has thrown horns through his window, a sure sign that the villagers now view him as a cuckold (a man who has been cheated on by his wife). Monticelso convinces Camillo to go away for a while, with the hopes that time apart will increase Vittoria’s desire for her husband. Once Camillo leaves, though, Monticelso and Francisco reveal their true plan: with Camillo out of the way, Brachiano will act on his lust, and they then will be able to catch him in the act.

That night at midnight, Brachiano meets with a conjurer who helps him plan the murders of both Camillo and Isabella. To kill Isabella, the conjurer will have his assistants poison the picture of Brachiano she always kisses before bed; as soon as Isabella’s lips touch the poisoned picture, she will die. To kill Camillo, Flamineo will arrange to go to a horse-vaulting contest with his brother-in-law—Flamineo will break Camillo’s neck, making it look like an accident that the horse caused. Brachiano approves of these plans. The conjurer also tells Brachiano that Lodovico is secretly in love with Isabella and that he will be determined to avenge her death.

A few days later, both Isabella and Camillo are dead and everyone is panicking about Camillo’s death. Francisco and Monticelso suspect Vittoria is at fault, but they have only circumstantial evidence tying her to the crime. However, Marcello—Vittoria and Flamineo’s other brother—knows that Flamineo is guilty, and he chastises his brother for committing such a heinous crime.

Francisco takes Vittoria to court, where a pretentious lawyer questions her. When Vittoria refuses to answer the lawyer’s convoluted questions, Francisco and Monticelso take over, calling her a “whore.” Monticelso shows the court a scandalous letter Brachiano has written to Vittoria—but Vittoria points out that a letter doesn’t prove she slept with Brachiano. Still, the jury—made up largely of ambassadors from other European countries—sides with Francisco, and Vittoria is sentenced to a house of convertites (a house for “penitent whores”).

Using a secret list of criminals that Monticelso has compiled, Francisco comes up with a plan: he will hire Lodovico, a known murderer, to assassinate Brachiano. Before he does that, however, he hopes to turn Brachiano against Vittoria by writing a fake love letter to her. When Brachiano sees the letter, he is initially furious at Vittoria, but she defends her honor and the two gradually make up. Moreover, Brachiano—gaining inspiration from ideas written in Francisco’s letter—decides to escape with Vittoria to Padua, where they can get married in peace. Flamineo vows to follow them, reflecting that “knaves do grow great by being great men’s apes.”

The Pope dies, throwing all of Rome into confusion. Vittoria and Brachiano seize this moment to quietly make their exit, and Monticelso is named the new Pope. When he learns that Brachiano and Vittoria have escaped, he orders them excommunicated. Later that day, Lodovico tells Monticelso that he and Francisco are plotting to assassinate Brachiano—and though Monticelso pretends to be horrified, Lodovico learns from Francisco that the new Pope is actually helping to fund the plan.

In Padua, the tension between Flamineo and Marcello escalates, and Flamineo kills Marcello. Grief-stricken, Cornelia tries to stab Flamineo—but she cannot bring herself to do it. Instead, she descends into madness, and Flamineo starts to feel real guilt.

Brachiano is visited by a handsome Moor named Mulinassar—who is secretly Francisco in disguise. Lodovico and Gasparo have also come to Padua, dressed as capuchin monks. Lodovico quietly poisons the front part of Brachiano’s helmet (the beaver), and as soon as Brachiano puts on the helmet he collapses. Before Brachiano takes his final breath, Vittoria learns that he has left his entire fortune to her. Young Giovanni immediately takes his father’s place as duke, and Flamineo notes that the young man has already become “villainous” like the other powerful men.

Fearing that he’ll be found out, Flamineo tries to convince Vittoria and Zanche that they should join him in a triple suicide to avoid being tortured or killed. Privately, Zanche and Vittoria conspire to ensure that only Flamineo dies—they will persuade him to shoot himself first, and then they will escape from Padua with Brachiano’s money. Flamineo shoots himself, and Vittoria and Zanche rejoice. But Flamineo reveals that he was merely testing them, and that the gun he used was fake.

In the play’s final moments, Lodovico and Gasparo come to execute Vittoria, Flamineo, and Zanche. Flamineo is overcome with sadness and regret, while Vittoria and Zanche stay bold in the face of death. Giovanni, now a duke himself, surveys the bloody scene and plans harsh punishments for all involved.

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