The World of Chaos and Subversion: Dynamics of Language and Imagery in John Webster's The White Devil

Abstract

This paper attempts to ascertain the ways in which John Webster utilizes language and imagery in The White Devil as a way of producing a stunning portrait of chaotic and disintegrated world. With the fragmented and destructive images, I have argued, the playwright succeeds in presenting and representing the endemic chaos of the society which is closely related to the disintegrated principle of justice in the patriarchal order. The dexterous deployment of language and imagery becomes effective in codifying the moments in which the characters strive for defining, but thereby only destroy, one another with their own values and terms. The images of devil, poison, disease, earthquake, witchcraft, and animal serve for a representation of disorder and perversion in the courtly society, inasmuch as the corrupted image of this world is reinforced by the sexualized images of venereal disease, whores, cuckoldry, and adultery. Vittoria's virtuous appropriation of language betrays the fact that the prosecuting male characters are, indeed, prisoners of their own distorted world. With the deliberate juxtaposition of verbal and visual effects, John Webster is able to stage a chaotic and fragmented world which, in turn, proves a scathing criticism on the social injustice of misogynist society. (Sogang University)