The Spanish Tragedy as a revenge tragedy

Thomas Kyd’s ‘The Spanish Tragedy’ established in English literature a form of drama, called Revenge Tragedy following the tradition of Seneca. Revenge tragedy is called so because the driving force of action in it is revenge, a Senecan spirit. However revenge here is not a wild kind of justice but a sacred and solemn duty which may hardly be denied. It is usually characterized by bloody deeds, intrigue, high melodrama, supernatural horror, violent imagery, suicide.

At the time of Thomas Kyd, the English society, full of injustice but not getting proper justice, was in demand to take revenge. Kyd in his tragedy fulfilled the demand of the audience by bringing revenge motive in drama, and made them satisfied by punishing the vice, though the avenger committed suicide. Let us now discuss the elements in the play considered as the elements of revenge tragedy.

At the very first, we are introduced with two ghosts – the Ghost of Andrea and Revenge. Andrea was in love with Bel-imperia, and was killed in a battle by Balthazar, son of Portuguese viceroy. But it could not be decided where to send his soul – to ‘fields of love’ or to ‘martial fields’, because he was both a lover and a soldier. At last Andrea’s ghost is taken back to the human world of the living so that he can see how Andrea’s murderer, Balthazar will be punished by Bel-imperia, Andrea’s beloved. They serve as spectators

“Here sit we down to see the mystery,

And serve for chorus in this tragedy.”

From Andrea’s speech we also know a picture of punishment of sinners in the under-world which produces in our mind a sort of supernatural horror which is an element of revenge tragedy. Some of the description can be mentioned –

Where the userers are chocked with melting gold

And wantons are embraced with ugly snakes,

And murderers groan with never-killing wounds,

And perjured weights scalded in boiling lead,

And all foul sins with torments overhelmed.”

Quest for revenge is the principal motive behind the action of revenge tragedy. In this play, desire for revenge is to be found in the heart of Andrea’s ghost, of Bel-imperia, of Isabella, and above all, of Hieronimo. Even Lorenzo and Balthazar desire to take revenge on their rival, Bel-imperia’s lover, Horatio. Bel-imiperia cannot warmly respond to Horatio’s love because of her quest for revenge:

“How can love find harbour in my breast?

  Till I revenge the death of my beloved?”

Further, Hieronimo, seeing the deadbody of Horatio and wounds with it, says,

“I’ll not entomb them till I have revenged”

But Hieronimo makes delay of action in spite of receiving a ‘bloody writ’ (letter), having proper evidence from Bel-emperio. He tries to identify the actual murderer and make a faultless plan to punish the murderer.

He says,

“Dear was the life of my beloved son

And of his death behoves me be revenged”

However, the revenge is not shown as injustice but a sacred and solemn duty.

Hieronymo reads form Bible,

Vindicta mithi !

Ay, heaven will be revenged of every ill

Nor will they suffer murder unrepaid.

But, he thinks if criminals are allowed more time, they will commit more crimes. So he must take revenge.

As a characteristic of revenge tragedy, we find, in the account of battle given by the Spanish General, violent imagery which produces a feeling of sensational and melodramatic horror in our mind. Some of his account is given below –

“Here falls a body scindered from his head,

There legs and arms lie bleeding on the grass,

Mingled with weapons and unbowelled steeds.”

We find in the Spanish Tragedy a villainous character in the person of Lorenzo, assisted by Serberine and Pedringano. Even Balthazar associates in his villainous deeds.

Intrigue is characterized by Senecan as well as revenge tragedy. There are powerful intrigues in the villainous deeds of Lorenzo. Moreover, Villuppo makes an intrigue against Alexandra who is falsely charged to have killed the prince, Balthazar. He says indicating Alexandra –

“Under the colour of a duteous friend,

Discharged his pistol at the princes back,”

His purpose was to get reward and to be superior him suppressing him.

In The Spanish Tragedy, the action ends with the stage performance of ‘a play-within-a play’ which contributes much to the story and flow of the play. In this short play Hieronima enacts his plan to take revenge on the murderers of his son, Horatio.

    

Insanity is a characteristic of revenge tragedy. Some characters of the play become insane for their dearest relation’s ruthless murder. In this play Isabella becomes insane and “She cuts down the arbour.” Again some of Hieronimo’s activities prove his insanity, partly real partly intended to ease his taking revenge.

Suicide is another characteristic of a revenge tragedy. Three virtuous characters of the Spanish Tragedy commit suicide. Isabella becomes insane for her son and commits suicide –

And with this weapon will wound the breast,

The hapless breast that gave Horatio suck

       [She Stabs herself]

Again Bel-imperia and Hieronimo also commit suicide after performing their ‘play-within-a play’.

Above all, a revenge tragedy is marked by ‘gruesomely bloody ending’. At the end of The Spanish Tragedy, we see a lot of bleeding through some murders and suicides. Though there are some other murders earlier in the play, the ending part is more gruesome. Because the murders happen simultaneously. The king getting puzzled cries out addressing Hieronimo,

“Speak, traitor: damned, bloody murderer, speak!

Why last than done this undeserving deed?”

In fine, we see that Thomas Kyd is the pioneer of revenge tragedy following Senecan tradition, (though Senecan plays were for reading out not for enacting). M.H. Abrams says regarding revenge tragedy and The Spanish Tragedy,

“Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy (1586) established this popular form; its subject is a murder and the quest for vengeance, and it includes a ghost, insanity, suicide a play- within- a play, sensational incidents, and a gruesomely bloody ending.” (First printed in India, 2004)