Three plays: The white devil, The Duchess of Malfi [and] The devil's law-case

The plays of Jacobean dramatist John Webster are masterpieces of early seventeenth-century English theatre. �The White Devil� depicts a dark, sinister world of duplicity, intrigue and murderous infidelity, while �The Duchess of Malfi� tells the macabre story of a woman who marries beneath herself and sets in motion a terrible cycle of violence. Unlike these revenge tragedies, �The Devil�s Law-Case� asserts social order in a plot filled with twists of fate. Written at a time when the court of King James was rife with instability and corruption, Webster�s disturbing plays reflect this abuse of power and are known for their horrific vision of humanity � yet they are also some of the most rich, sophisticated dramas ever composed.