John Webster

John Webster (c. 1580–c. 1634) was an English Jacobean dramatist renowned for his dark, poetic tragedies. Little is known about his early life, but he worked in London’s theatrical world and collaborated with other playwrights. Webster’s reputation rests chiefly on *The White Devil* (1612) and *The Duchess of Malfi* (c. 1613–14), plays noted for their psychological intensity, moral ambiguity, and vivid imagery of corruption and revenge. He also wrote the tragicomedy *The Devil’s Law-Case* (c. 1617–19) and contributed to collaborative works such as *Westward Ho* (1605) and *Northward Ho* (1607).