Lust leads to violence in The White Devil. In committing and aiding acts of murder, Flamineo and Vittoria might be looking mainly to improve their social status, but Brachiano is all about lust. It seems that, aside from the desire for power, the desire for sex is the main force at play in Webster's world. Sex isn't typically a positive force in this play, either—it's destructive. Even Zanche's lust for "Mulinassar" ends up leading to her own destruction—she's executed along with Vittoria and Flamineo. Webster implies that there needs to be some sort of regulation of the sex drive for people to find peace and sleep easy at night, without dreaming of murder.
Questions About Lust
- Why is lust so destructive in The White Devil? Does sexual desire need to be that disastrous in real life?
- Is lust ever fulfilling for any of these characters? Do they ultimately feel pretty content or discontent?
- What's the difference between lust and love? Do the Duke and Vittoria move from lust to love?
Chew on This
Sexual desire is an unstoppable destructive force—it needs to be curbed, restricted, and repressed to some degree.
Sexual desire is a potentially positive, creative force—you just need to channel it wisely.