What is the theme of The White Devil?
The play is a revenge tragedy and explores themes of corruption in the court system and delusional notions of “goodness” in immoral people.
Why is The White Devil a revenge tragedy?
The play The White Devil (1631) is a revenge tragedy because there are elements of revenge which is tragic as the characters die at the end. The major characters Lodovico and Francisco takes revenge on the culprits including Brachiano and Vittoria as well as Flamineo.
Who is The White Devil?
The “white” devil is the disguised enemy, the one that cannot be recognized. There are several examples of white devils in this play: Vittoria is Camillo’s white devil, so is Flamineo, each pretends to have his best interests at heart while they secretly plot to kill him.
What is meaning of white devil?
Noun. white devil (plural white devils) (ethnic slur) A white person.
Who is Cornelia in the White Devil?
Cornelia is another one of the play’s few “good guys”—though this doesn’t work out very well for her. She’s the mother of two corrupt children—Vittoria and Flamineo—and one nice boy named Marcello. Naturally, Marcello is the first to die—murdered by his own brother, Flamineo.
What is the story of the white devil?
The White Devil centres on the love affair between the duke of Brachiano and Vittoria Corombona, two of the play’s many unscrupulous characters. Despite her role as a vicious heroine, Vittoria elicits sympathy in her attempt to endure a deeply corrupt society.
How is Francisco related to Isabella?
Isabella’s brother Francisco also plots revenge. He pens a love letter to Vittoria, intentionally allowing it to fall into the hands of Brachiano, in order to fuel his jealousy. Though at first his plan seems to work, Vittoria manages to convince Brachiano that she is faithful and the two elope.
What have I gained by thee but infamy?
What have I gain’d by thee but infamy? Thou hast stain’d the spotless honour of my house, And frighted thence noble society: Like those which, sick o’ th’ palsy, and retain Ill-scenting foxes ’bout them, are still shunn’d By those of choicer nostrils.
Who is Vittoria why is the play called The White Devil?
Vittoria is generally thought to be the “white devil” of the title, a woman who betrays her husband and helps to plan the murders of both her husband and her lover’s wife. Nevertheless, Vittoria reveals herself throughout the play to be independent, strong, intelligent, and logical.
How does Vittoria convince brachiano of killing their respective spouses?
Vittoria tells Brachiano of a portent dream she had, and they make plans to kill their respective spouses so that they can be together. Cornelia makes herself known, and berates her children and Brachiano for their sins. She reveals that the Duke’s wife, Isabella, has come to Rome.
What is the story of the White Devil?
The newspapers hailed him as a hero, but the Abenakis would soon have a new name for him: ‘White Devil’. Susanna Johnson was a typical frontierswoman, living on a farmstead with her family in the 1750s until she was abducted by an Abenaki war party, together with her husband and children.
Why is the White Devil considered a masterpiece?
The White Devil later enjoyed great acclaim, and along with Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi, is regarded as a masterpiece. Considered a revenge play, The White Devil demonstrates many of the conventions of the genre, including a theme of vengeance, use of the supernatural, a dumb show, characters in disguise, madness, and many violent murders.
Why are the dumb shows so important in the White Devil?
Kate Aughterson in her book Webster: The Tragedies argues that the dumb shows are particularly important in The White Devil. She writes, ‘‘Their silent delivery reinforces our sense of a claustrophobic, self-interested political world that is propelled by inner desires and demons which remain hidden by the surface world. . . .
Who are the actors in the White Devil?
The Royal Shakespeare Company performed The White Devil in 1996 at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon (later transferred to London to The Pit at The Barbican), directed by Gale Edwards with Richard McCabe as Flamineo, Philip Quast as Ludovico, Ray Fearon as Brachiano, Jane Gurnett as Vittoria, Stephen Boxer as Francisco and Philip Voss.