At least three characters refer to Vittoria by the title epithet of "devil," and her actions -- especially in the first act -- do prove that she has done something to earn it. However, where and how does the paradoxical "whiteness" of The White Devil come into play? Does the title imply that, in accordance with the moral connotations of the color white, there is some redemptive or positive element about Vittoria? Or is it simply that she performs an outward appearance of whiteness/goodness whilst being a "devil" in actuality? If the latter is true, why is Vittoria the character singled out for this title distinction? Given the other characters in the play, would the title perhaps more accurately be plural? Why or why not?

Like Monticelso's book, The White Devil is a catalog of the worst elements of humanity; those characters that are not actively engaged in murderous plots are still deeply duplicitous and unpleasant. Even the few "virtuous" characters are forced to channel their decent acts through deceit. For example, Cornelia lies to protect Flamineo after he murders his brother, and Isabella is similarly driven to prevarication in order to save her uncaring husband from the consequences of his cruelty. Further, the only rewards for these acts of deceitful decency are madness and death. Given these circumstances, what should we as readers do with the play's ending? At the end, is any lesson learned or alternate (less bleak) vision of the world conceptualized, or is life really just as brutal and pointless as several key characters imagine? Can Giovanni's appearance and a scant few lines of dialogue really fix the mess made within the play? Are they meant to?