 By 'distancing' the character in this way, the audience is more likely to think about the situation/issue (a man using a woman for sex/the issue of sin and punishment/witchcraft) rather than become over-absorbed in who the characters are.Reviews of the initial production included a positive review in the "Tribune" and a more mixed review from the "Financial Times".The "Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature" (2006) describes "Vinegar Tom" as "a complex and historically expansive investigation of the policing of women's bodies and desires".