Webster is not concerned with humanity. He is the poet of bile and brainstorm, the sweet singer of apoplexy; ideally, one feels, he would have had all his characters drowned in a sea of cold sweat. His muse drew nourishment from Bedlam, and might, a few centuries later, have done the same from Belsen.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- This critic describes Webster as a writer focused on grotesque and violent human experiences.
- In plain terms
- Webster writes about sickness, madness, and violence.
- What can you take from it?
- Some art focuses on the ugliest parts of life.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What value is there in dark art?
- How much negativity should art contain?
Another view
The critique is harsh and may miss redeeming qualities.
More from John Webster
Webster was much possessed by death And saw the skull beneath the skin.
Permalink to quote #14 Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust, Like diamonds, we are cut with our own dust.
Permalink to quote #13 Cover her face; mine eyes dazzle: she died young.
Permalink to quote #12
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