Woman to man is either a god or a wolf" John Websters first independent play The White Devil originally performed in 1612 centres on the beautiful Vittoria Corombona & her lover Duke Brachiano whose passionate adulterous affair unleashes the powerful revenge of their enemies. While clearly guilty of lust & murder these unsavoury characters become startlingly heroic under pressure challenging both conventional moral judgments & oppressive social forces. This revised student edition contains a lengthy new Introduction with background on the author date & sources theme critical interpretation & stage history. The Introduction discusses Websters radical experimentation with tragic modes his interest in the heroic potential of women & evaluates the handling of both in recent stage productions."