Social commentary and the feminine center in John Webster
- UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Somer Marie Stahl (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
- Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
- Advisor
- Lewis Walker
Abstract: In the early seventeenth century, John Webster published two significant works, both of
which examined the societal issues of his day. In The White Devil and The Duchess of Malfi,
Webster made an unprecedented move in placing a strong female character at the center of his
tragic plays. The transition that is evident through these plays goes far beyond the gender shift in
his tragic heroes. Through Webster’s use of satire, societal issues such as the stereotypical role of
the female, elements of class-consciousness, and the role of faith in a patriarchal society are
unmasked and examined throughout each work. However, Webster does not stop at simply
exposing the issues evident to an audience in his time; he also suggests the possibility of a new
social awareness and an interrogation of the struggles that bind his characters to their
stereotypical roles in society. Although this possibility is not fully realized, as Webster’s
characters fail to transcend any major boundaries, small successes and satirical references within
Webster’s work suggest that these issues were significant, both to Webster himself and to the
audience that had a hand in the societal shift taking place.
Social commentary and the feminine center in John Webster
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Created on 1/1/2009
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- A Thesis Submitted to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of Masters of Arts
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- Webster John 1580?-1625? Duchess of Malfi--Criticism and interpretation, Webster John 1580?-1625? The white devil--Criticism and interpretation
- Subjects
- Webster, John, 1580?-1625? Duchess of Malfi -- Criticism and interpretation
- Webster, John, 1580?-1625? The white devil -- Criticism and interpretation