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    The Spanish Tragedy
    The Spanish Tragedy
    The Spanish Tragedy
    Ebook179 pages1 hour

    The Spanish Tragedy

    By Thomas Kyd

    3.5/5

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    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherArchive Classics
    Release dateJan 1, 1948

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    Reviews for The Spanish Tragedy

    3.5/5

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    • 5/5
      Many claims have been made about this play written for the Elizabethan theatre:It contains the first Machiavellian Villain,it contains the first play within a play,It is the first modern revenge tragedyThe first play that can be considered as an art formThe first play to represent human causality skilfullyHowever we cannot be certain when it was written or when it was first performed. A consensus seems to be around the year 1587, but I would not be surprised if it was a year or two later than that. The Spanish Armada was defeated in 1588 and although Spain remained a threat to England this victory may have given Kyd the impetus to launch a play that depicts the fall of the Spanish Royal family. Certainly there is no doubt about its popularity with the theatre going public, because since its appearance in the list of plays performed starting in 1592, there were 29 performances recorded. We are talking of a play probably performed before Shakespeare’s successes, but continuing well into the next century and up to the closure of the theatres.It is not difficult to see why so many claims have been made for The Spanish Tragedy because it feels to me like a watershed. On one side is the early Elizabethan theatre of courtly performances and rigid acceptance of the style of classical theatre and the other side being a step towards characterisation and drama that would appeal to all levels of Elizabethan society and point the way to modern theatre. It has been revived in modern times notably by Londons National Theatre in 1982 and then by the Royal Shakespeare company in 1997. The play is steeped in the language of rhetoric with much of it appearing to be versed in antique styles of expression, so there are awkward passages where two sides of an argument are rehearsed followed by a conclusion of sorts, which bears little relation to everyday speech, but the edges are starting to get blurred and a more natural voice is starting to come through. The play still wears its classical garb having something like a Greek chorus providing commentary, but here it is reduced to a ghost (Andrea) accompanied by the allegorical figure of Revenge and they are not present throughout the play and their thoughts are more like a conversation between the two of them. There are still some latin phrases interjected and at one point Hieronimo sings a dirge in latin in commiseration to his murdered son. The play starts with a long speech by the ghost of Andrea setting the scene and describing his journey through the underworld and the following scene contains a report from the general of the Spanish forces to his king of the battle with the Portugueses army and so in typical fashion all of the action has taken place off stage. A sort of pageant in front of the king of the victorious army follows and up until this point there is little to distinguish the play from previous efforts. Then things get more interesting; Lorenzo starts scheming with Balthazar, there is a charming love scene between Bel-imperia and Horatio before Horatio is viciously murdered on stage, by the schemers before the screams of Bel-imperia awaken Hieronimo who is left to mourn the butchered body of his son. Real drama with good use of the spaces on stage and from this moment on there is action aplenty and the body count rises; the play moves steadily towards its climax, the characters of Hieronimo, Isabella and Lorenzo emerge with soliloquies that enable the audience to glimpse their thoughts and feelings. There are more onstage murders and suicides and possibly the first black comedy scene where Pedringano jokes with the hangman believing that his pardon is contained in the box held aloft by a Page. The climax is dramatic leaving a pile of bodies onstage with Andrea and Revenge having the last word:“Then haste we down to meet thy friends and foes,To place thy friends in ease, the rest in woes.For here, though death hath end their misery,I’ll there begin their endless tragedy”The plot is fairly complex with action taking place in the courts of both the Spanish and Portuguese Royal families. Andrea a Spanish gentleman and lover of Bel-imperia has been killed in the wars against Portugal, after a journey through the underworld his ghost returns to earth with Revenge to seek retribution. Balthazar; the son of the King of Portugal has been captured by Lorenzo of the Spanish Royal family and Horatio the son of Hieronimo; Knight Marshall and chief Justice of Spain. After the death of Andrea Bel-imperia appears to have fallen in love with Horatio, but Lorenzo persuades Balthazar that they must kill Horatio in order that Balthazar can woo the beautiful Bel-imperia. Lorenzo schemes and using Pedringano the servant of Bel-Imperia as a fall guy, murders Horatio leaving Hieronimo to mourn over the death of his precious son. Hieronimo seeks revenge, but the Royal family close ranks. Lorenzo arranges the deaths of Pedringano and Seberine; Balthazars servant to cover his tracks. Hieronimo is almost driven insane, but his sense of justice prevails and when he uncovers the identity of the murderers, he enlists the help of Bel-imperia to stage his revenge by way of a play put on in front of the two Royal houses who have got together to conclude a peace treaty and the marriage of Bel-imperia to Balthazar.The play was popular because it would have appealed to the groundlings who paid their penny’s to stand in the pit. They would have enjoyed the drama of the onstage murders and the black comedy of the hanging scenes, being used to the frequent public executions that took place in London. They would have enjoyed the variety with the plays masques, pageants, dumb shows and the drama of the play within the play. They would also be able to appreciate the more sophisticated entertainment provided for the courtiers as allusions to classical references tended to peter out as the drama took over. They might have been able to identify with the sorrows and frustration of Hieronimo whose fight for justice had to overcome the politics of the Royal family and they would have been aware as to how topical it all was with the chance to express their pride and jingoism at the fall of the Spanish Royal family. There was also plenty to enjoy for the more educated playgoer; the constant dichotomy of the themes of justice and revenge, the many mirror images of the scenes in Portugal and Spain, the ironical nature of much of drama as the audience with its all seeing eye would always know more than the characters on stage, who all seem to labour under incomprehension or false knowledge.Reading the text of the play (with some later additions) in the Norton Critical Edition enabled me to appreciate the structure and complexity of the drama. There is much to admire although the prose never really hits the heights of Christopher Marlowe’s blank verse. The prose does however enable some characterisation to shine through and for the reader to appreciate other themes running through the play like the heedless destruction of good local governance by global political ambition. The reader might also pause for thought on the character and actions of Bel-imperia who has to fight the conventions of dynastic political marriages, taking lovers from outside the nobility, and emerging as a sort of femme fatal. The critical essays at the back of the Norton edition are interesting and led me back to re-read the text of the play. Unfortunately there is no video or youtube production of the full play available and so I will have to rest with my own imaginary pictures of how the final scene of the play would be staged - all those dead bodies.This play could be described as the first of the really big hitters of the Elizabethan theatre and so there is much critical commentary to be read. I thoroughly enjoyed my week spent with this play and so five stars.
    • 4/5
      This is--literally--the mother of all English revenge plays. It was such a spectacular hit in London in the 1580s that it likely inspired the young Shakespeare to write Titus Andronicus in an effort to outdo Kyd's talent for bringing violence and the grotesque onstage. I just finished the play with my students, and they were quick to pick up on what Shakespeare had also borrowed for Hamlet: the ghost of a wrongfully murdered man walking the earth; a righteous revenger who doesn't trust the information he is given and goes to great lengths to prove it true before taking action--including writing a play-within-a play; the revenger pretending to be mad (or IS he pretending?) while a woman close to him most certainly goes mad from grief; and, of course, a pile of bodies onstage in the final scene. (Kyd beats Shakespeare; final score 6 to 4 in the last scene, and the total body count comparison is 11 to 9.) Kyd adds a double dose of blood, gore and spectacle to the play. First, he gives us an onstage audience--a kind of chorus--who comment on events between acts. These are the ghost of Andrea, a soldier dishonorably slain in battle, accompanied by Revenge; their purpose is to see justice served to his murderer, Balthazar. When Andrea's friend Horatio (yes, something else for Shakespeare to borrow) reveals the details of his demise to his sweetheart, Bel-imperia, she vows revenge against Balthazar, who has fallen in love with her--and promptly decides that she will love Horatio for his loyalty to Andrea. But in the midst of a rendezvous, Horatio is overtaken by his rival and a company of followers, hanged in the arbor, and stabbed multiple times. Bel-imperia calls for help but is whisked away and locked up. Hieronimo, Horatio's father, responds to the call, only to find the body of his son. This murder--and this body--become the focal points of the play. Hieronimo dips a handkerchief in his son's blood and carries it next to his heart, periodically bringing it out to spur his revenge; and he vows that Horatio shall remain unburied until justice is served.As we're propelled through Act 3, more chaos erupts. I'll spare you the details, in case you're inspired to read the play. In short: suicide threats, people going mad, betrayal and murder among the murderers, a large dose of gallows humor, an execution, a suicide . . . all leading up to Act 4, in which Bel-imperia and Hieronimo join forces to enact their revenge through a play that is supposed to celebrate the peace treaty between Portugal and Spain and the engagement of Balthazar and Bel-imperia. And the body count is on the rise, Horatio's body arriving just in time for the encore. It was a little hard to read my students' reactions to the play (they are always a bit reticent for the first few weeks); I'll know more when I read their written responses over the weekend. But I enjoyed reading the play again after many years, especially as I'm teaching Titus Andronicus in another class. Kyd was certainly less subtle than Shakespeare, but he knew his way around the stage and clearly had his finger on the pulse of the groundlings. I'd love to see The Spanish Tragedy in performance some day.
    • 3/5
      Warning this book is not a tragedy. So don't let the title scare you. It's extremely funny and very odd. Still though entertaining. Just make sure you know what is going on in history during this time. It will help.

    Book preview

    The Spanish Tragedy - Thomas Kyd

    The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Spanish Tragedy, by Thomas Kyd

    This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

    Title: The Spanish Tragedy

    Author: Thomas Kyd

    Release Date: February 19, 2011 [EBook #35330]

    Language: English

    *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SPANISH TRAGEDY ***

    Produced by Richard Schwarz

    THE SPANISH TRAGEDY

    1587

    By Thomas Kyd

    Containing the lamentable end of DON HORATIO, and BEL-IMPERIA: with the pitiful death of old HIERONIMO.

    Newly corrected and amended of such gross faults as passed in the first impression.

    At London

    Printed by Edward Allde, for

    Edward White

    DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

      GHOST OF ANDREA |

      REVENGE | the Chorus.

      KING OF SPAIN.

      VICEROY OF PORTUGAL.

      DON PEDRO, the viceroy's brother.

      DON CIPRIAN, duke of Castile.

      HIERONIMO, knight-marshall of Spain.

      BALTHAZAR, the Viceroy's son.

      LORENZO, Don Ciprian's son [and Bel-imperia's brother].

      HORATIO, Hieronimo's son.

      ALEXANDRO |

      VILLUPPO | lords of Portugal.

      PEDRINGANO, servant of Bel-imperia.

      SERBERINE, servant of Balthazar.

      Spanish General, Portuguese Ambassador,

      Hangman, Soldiers, Attendants, &c.

      BEL-IMPERIA, Lorenzo's sister.

      ISABELLA, Hieronimo's wife.

      PAGE.

      MESSENGER.

      CHRISTOPHEL.

      SERVANT.

      SENEX (DON BAZULTO).

      CITIZENS.

    SCENE: Spain; and Portugal.

    ACTVS PRIMVS.

    [Prologue]

    Enter the GHOST OF ANDREA, and with him REVENGE.

      GHOST. When this eternal substance of my soul

        Did live imprison'd in my wanton flesh,

        Each in their function serving others' need,

        I was a courtier in the Spanish court:

        My name was Don Andrea; my descent,

        Though not ignoble, yet inferior far

        To gracious fortunes of my tender youth,

        For there, in prime and pride of all my years,

        By duteous service and deserving love,

        In secret I possess'd a worthy dame,

        Which hight sweet Bel-imperia by name.

        But in the harvest of my summer joys

        Death's winter nipped the blossoms of my bliss,

        Forcing divorce betwixt my love and me;

        For in the late conflict with Portingal

        My valour drew me into danger's mouth

        Till life to death made passage through my wounds.

        When I was slain, my soul descended straight

        To pass the flowing stream of Acheron;

        But churlish Charon, only boatman there,

        Said that, my rites of burial not perform'd,

        I might not sit amongst his passengers.

        Ere Sol had slept three nights in Thetis' lap,

        And slak'd his smoking chariot in her flood,

        By Don Horatio, our knight-marshall's son,

        My funerals and obsequies were done.

        Then was the ferryman of hell content

        To pass me over to the slimy strand

        That leads to fell Avernus' ugly waves.

        There, pleasing Cerberus with honeyed speech,

        I passed the perils of the foremost porch.

        Not far from hence, amidst ten thousand souls,

        Sat Minos, Eacus and Rhadamant;

        To whom no sooner 'gan I make approach,

        To crave a passport for my wandering ghost,

        But Minos in graven leaves of lottery

        Drew forth the manner of my life and death.

        This knight, quoth he, "both liv'd and died in love;

        And for his love tried fortune of the wars;

        And by war's fortune lost both love and life."

        Why then, said Eacus, "convey him hence

        To walk with lovers in our field of love

        And the course of everlasting time

        Under green myrtle-trees and cypress shades."

        No, no! said Rhadamant, "it were not well

        With loving souls to place a martialist.

        He died in war, and must to martial fields,

        Where wounded Hector lives in lasting pain,

        And Achilles' Myrmidons do scour the plain."

        Then Minos, mildest censor of the three,

        Made this device, to end the difference:

        Send him, quoth he, "to our infernal king,

        To doom him as best seems his Majesty."

        To this effect my passport straight was drawn.

        In keeping on my way to Pluto's court

        Through dreadful shades of ever-glooming night,

        I saw more sights than thousand tongues can tell

        Or pens can write or mortal hearts can think.

        Three ways there were: that on the right hand side

        Was ready way unto the 'foresaid fields

        Where lovers live and bloody martialists,

        But either sort contain'd within his bounds;

        The left hand path, declining fearfully,

        Was ready downfall to the deepest hell,

        Where bloody Furies shake their whips of steel,

        And poor Ixion turns an endless wheel,

        Where usurers are chok'd with melting gold,

        And wantons are embrac'd with ugly snakes,

        And murderers groan with never-killing wounds,

        And perjur'd wights scalded in boiling lead,

        And all foul sins with torments overwhelm'd;

        'Twixt these two ways I trod the middle path,

        Which brought me to the fair Elysian green,

        In midst whereof there stands a stately tower,

        The walls of brass, the gates of adamant.

        Here finding Pluto with his Proserpine,

        I show'd my passport, humbled on my knee.

        Whereat fair Proserpine began to smile,

        And begg'd that only she might give me doom.

        Pluto was pleas'd, and seal'd it with a kiss.

        Forthwith, Revenge, she rounded thee in th' ear,

        And bad thee lead me though the gates of horn,

        Where dreams have passage in the silent night.

        No sooner had she spoke but we were here,

        I wot not how, in the twinkling of an eye.

      REVENGE. Then know, Andrea, that thou arriv'd

        Where thou shalt see the author of thy death,

        Don Balthazar, the prince of Portingal,

        Depriv'd of life by Bel-imperia:

        Here sit we down to see the mystery,

        And serve for Chorus in this tragedy.

    [ACT I. SCENE 1.]

                    [The Spanish Court]

    Enter SPANISH KING, GENERAL, CASTILLE, HIERONIMO.

    KING. Now say, lord general: how fares our camp?

      GEN. All well, my sovereign liege, except some few

        That are deceas'd by fortune of the war.

      KING. But what portends thy cheerful countenance

        And posting to our presence thus in haste?

        Speak, man: hath fortune given us victory?

    GEN. Victory, my liege, and that with little loss.

    KING. Our Portugals will pay us tribute then?

    GEN. Tribute, and wonted homage therewithal.

      KING. Then blest be Heav'n, and Guider of the heav'ns,

        From whose fair influence such justice flows!

      CAST. O multum dilecte Deo, tibi militat aether,

        Et conjuratae curvato poplite gentes

        Succumbunt: recti soror est victoria juris!

      KING. Thanks to my loving brother of Castille.

        But, general, unfold in brief discourse

        Your form of battle and your war's success,

        That, adding all the pleasure of thy news

        Unto the height of former happiness,

        With deeper wage and gentle dignity

        We may reward thy blissful chivalry.

      GEN. Where Spain and Portingal do jointly knit

        Their frontiers, leaning on each other's bound,

        There met our armies in the proud array:

        Both furnish'd well, both full of hope and fear,

        Both menacing alike with daring shows,

        Both vaunting sundry colours of device,

        Both cheerly sounding trumpets, drums and fifes,

        Both raising dreadful clamors to the sky,

        That valleys, hills, and rivers made rebound

        And heav'n itself was frighted with the sound.

        Our battles both were pitch'd in squadron form,

        Each corner strongly fenc'd with wings of shot;

        But, ere we join'd and came to push of pike,

        I brought a squadron of our readiest shot

        From out our rearward to begin the fight;

        They brought another wing to encounter us;

        Meanwhile our ordnance play'd on either side,

        And captains strove to have their valours try'd.

        Don Pedro, their chief horsemen's colonel,

        Did with his cornet bravely make attempt

        To break the order of our battle ranks;

        But Don Rogero, worthy man of war,

        March'd forth against him

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