The White Devil

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Title page of the 1612 edition of The White Devil

The White Devil (1612) is a revenge tragedy by the English playwright John Webster (c.1580 – c. 1625). The play was a notorious failure when it premiered onstage — Webster complained that it was acted in the dead of winter before an unreceptive audience; and indeed the play's complexity, sophistication, and satire made it a poor fit with the repertory of Queen Anne's Men at the Red Bull Theatre, where it was first performed. The play was successfully revived in 1630 by Queen Henrietta's Men at the Cockpit Theatre, and published again in 1631.

The story itself is loosely based on a real event that occurred in Italy 30 years prior to the play being written — the murder of Vittoria Accoramboni in Padua on December 22, 1585. Webster's rewrite of this historical event focused on his depiction of "the political and moral state of England in his own day," being the corruption at the heart of the court.

The title of The White Devil refers to a popular proverb at the time of Webster penning the play, being that "the white devil is worse than the black." The play itself explores the idea of the difference between the reality of a person and the way they depict themselves as a good, "white" or pure person.

1 Characters
2 Real-life basis
3 Plot
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Characters

MONTICELSO, a Cardinal; afterwards Pope PAUL the Fourth.

FRANCISCO DE MEDICIS, Duke of Florence; in the 5th Act disguised for a Moor, under the name of MULINASSAR.

BRACHIANO, otherwise PAULO GIORDANO URSINI, Duke of Brachiano, Husband to ISABELLA, and in love with VITTORIA.

GIOVANNI — his Son by ISABELLA. LODOVICO, an Italian Count, but decayed.

ANTONELLI, his Friends, and Dependants of the Duke of Florence.

GASPARO, | CAMILLO, Husband to VITTORIA.

HORTENSIO, one of BRACHIANO's Officers.

MARCELLO, an Attendant of the Duke of Florence, and Brother to VITTORIA.

FLAMINEO, his Brother; Secretary to BRACHIANO.

JACQUES, a Moor, Servant to GIOVANNI.

ISABELLA, Sister to FRANCISCO DE MEDICI, and Wife to BRACHIANO.

VITTORIA COROMBONA, a Venetian Lady; first married to CAMILLO, afterwards to BRACHIANO.

CORNELIA, Mother to VITTORIA, FLAMINEO, and MARCELLO. ZANCHE, a Moor, Servant to VITTORIA. Ambassadors, Courtiers, Lawyers, Officers, Physicians, Conjurer, Armourer, Attendants.

[edit] Real-life basis

Webster based The White Devil on newsletter versions of the real life story of the killing of Vittoria Accoramboni. Such recollections detailed how Vittoria, of a proud but poor family, married the nephew of Cardinal Motalto. In 1580, she met Paolo Giordano Orsini, Duke of Bracciano, previously married to Isabella Medici of the famous Medici family. Four years earlier Isabella had been murdered, most probably by her husband due to her infidelity.

Upon meeting Vittoria, the Duke falls desperately in love and arranges for the Cardinal's nephew to be killed off in order to secretly marry Vittoria. The Pope Gregory soon finds out and orders Vittoria and the Duke to part, and even resorts to Vittoria being imprisoned in Castel Angelo under suspicion of killing her husband.

However, in 1585 a new pope is elected and amid the confusion of change, Vittoria and Bracciano married and left Rome. (In the play the Pope is misnamed "Paul IV" - see dramatis personae above. In fact, he was Sixtus V, Paul IV having died in 1559.) Eight months after, the Duke dies and The Medici family, wishing to protect their family interests, challenge his will which dictates Vittoria in charge of his fortune. When Vittoria refuses to cooperate, the Medicis arrange for her to be killed. She dies in Padua. [1]

[edit] Plot

Count Lodovico is banished from Rome for debauchery and murder: his friends promise to work for the repeal of his sentence.

The Duke of Brachiano has conceived a violent passion for Vittoria Corombona, daughter of a noble but impoverished Venetian family, despite the fact they are both already married. Vittoria's brother Flamineo, employed as a secretary to Brachiano, has been scheming to bring his sister and the Duke together in the hope of advancing his own career. The plan is foiled by the arrival of Brachiano's wife Isabella, escorted by her brother and Cardinal Monticelso. They are both outraged by the rumours of Brachiano's infidelity and set out to encourage him to make the affair open, but before it happens Brachiano and Vittoria's brother arrange to have Vittoria's husband and Isabella murdered.

Vittoria is put on trial for the murder of her husband and although there is no real evidence against her, she is condemned by the Cardinal to imprisonment in a convent for penitent whores. Flamineo pretends madness in order to protect himself from awkward suggestions. The banished Count Lodovico is pardoned and returns to Rome: confessing he had been secretly in love with Isabella, he vows to avenge her death, Isabella's brother Francisco also plots revenge. He pens a love letter to Vittoria, which falls into the hands of Brachiano. It fuels his jealousy and forces him to elope with Vittoria. Cardinal Monticelso is elected Pope and as his first act he excommunicates Vittoria and Brachiano.

Vittoria and Brachiano now married hold court in Padua. Three mysterious strangers have arrived to enter Brachiano's service: these are Francisco, disguised as Mulinassar a Moor, and Lodovico and Gasparo, disguised as Capuchin monks, all conspiring to avenge Isabella's death. They begin their revenge with poisoning Brachiano: as he is dying, Lodovico and Gasparo reveal themselves to him. Next Zanche, Vittoria's Moorish maid, who has fallen in love with her supposed countryman Mulinassar, reveals to him the murders of Isabella and Camillo and Flamineo's part in them.

Flamineo is banished from court and sensing that his crimes are catching up with he goes to see Vittoria. He tries to persuade her to a suicide pact but each deceives the other. Lodovico and Gasparo complete their revenge by killing both of them. [2]