Ready Reference Treatise: The Spanish Tragedy

By Raja Sharma

“The Spanish Tragedy” is said to be one of the best Elizabethan tragedies written by Thomas Kyd. It is said to have been written between 1582 and 1592.
The play was highly popular in its time, and it created a deep impact on the minds of the readers and viewers.

This very play established a new genre in English theatre that is named as “the revenge play” or “the revenge tragedy.”

One of the characters in the play is the personification of Revenge. The plot is full of many violent murders.

Most of the famous playwrights of the time such as William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and Christopher Marlowe often referred to “The Spanish Tragedy” or the parodied reference to the play in their own works.

Ready Reference Treatise: The Spanish Tragedy
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Characters
Chapter Three: Plot Overview
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Act I
Act II
Act III
Act IV
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Jul 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301234622

Raja Sharma

Raja Sharma is a retired college lecturer.He has taught English Literature to University students for more than two decades.His students are scattered all over the world, and it is noticeable that he is in contact with more than ninety thousand of his students.

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Ready Reference Treatise: The Spanish Tragedy

Copyright

Ready Reference Treatise: The Spanish Tragedy

Raja Sharma

Copyright@2013 Raja Sharma

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Chapter One: Introduction

The Spanish Tragedy is said to be one of the best Elizabethan tragedies written by Thomas Kyd. It is said to have been written between 1582 and 1592.

The play was highly popular in its time, and it created a deep impact on the minds of the readers and viewers.

This very play established a new genre in English theatre that is named as the revenge play or the revenge tragedy.

One of the characters in the play is the personification of Revenge. The plot is full of many violent murders.

Most of the famous playwrights of the time such as William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, and Christopher Marlowe often referred to The Spanish Tragedy or the parodied reference to the play in their own works.

Certain elements from the play The Spanish Tragedy, such as the play within a play, vengeance, etc. also appear in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It seems that Ur-Hamlet which is said to be the primary source of Shakespeare for Hamlet was written by Thomas Kyd.

Chapter Two: Characters

Ghost of Andrea

Ghost of Andrea is the ghost of a Spanish nobleman named Don Andrea. Don has been recently killed in a battle by the Portuguese prince Balthazar.

Don’s ghost comes back from the underworld to see his former lover Bellimperia kill Balthazar.

Revenge

Revenged is the revenge personified. She has been sent by the Queen of Hades, Proserpine.

Revenge becomes the guide of Don Andrea’s ghost when the ghost comes back to the earth from the underworld to witness, or rather create, havoc on earth.

King of Spain

King of Spain happens to be the brother of the Duke of Castile. The king is in favour of the marriage between Balthazar and Bellimperia, the Duke’s daughter.

In the play, the King’s role is quite passive, and he only serves as a good and just king. He obviously seems to be lacking in acumen.

Cyprian Duke of Castile

Cyprian Duke of