Mandrakes and Whiblins in 'The Honest Whore'

Abstract

In Act I, scene ii of Thomas Dekker's The Honest Whore (1604), there occurs a dialogue between Viola, the wife of the linen-draper Candido, and her brother Fustigo. Fustigo comments that Candido must be either a mandrake or a whiblin. Daalder considers the context in detail in order to evaluate the correct meanings ascribed to these terms in the text.