Thomas Kyd The Spanish Tragedy introduces us to the concept of ‘revenge tragedy’ in Elizabethan drama. Though, the play did not receive much acclamation but inspired many of Thomas’s contemporary playwriters like Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. A classic example of ‘revenge tragedy’ was later found in Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’.
Kyd’s Spanish Tragedy outlines the foundation for a new genre of revenge play with violent murders, climax scenes and beautiful rendition of characters.
The play beautifully portrays the love triangle between the three main characters of Balthazar, Bellimperia and her deceased lover Horatio. The play gradually develops and unfolds events where Bellimperia will avenge the death of Horatio by killing Balthazar.
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Thomas Kyd The Spanish Tragedy Characters
Contents
Hieronimo
Hieronimo is the Marshal of Spain and one of the leading characters in the play. At the beginning of the play, he grieves the death of his son Horatio who is killed by Balthazar in a crime of passion. In the later part of the play, Hieronimo becomes the main protagonist of the play and avenges the death of his son.
Bellimperia
Bellimperia, the daughter of the Duke of Castile plays the female lead in the play. Beautiful and headstrong, she goes against her father’s will and falls in love with Andrea and later Horatio. After Balthazar kills both his lovers, she will later join hands with Hieronimo and plot a devious plan to seek revenge against Balthazar.
Lorenzo
Lorenzo is deceitful, secretive and a cunning manipulator. He is the brother of Bellimperia, but that does not stop him from killing his own sister’s lover. Lorenzo is a complete contrast of the character of Horatio who is honest and genuine. Lorenzo never supported his sister’s relation with Horatio and schemes to murder him along with Balthazar.
Balthazar
The main villain of the story. Balthazar is the Prince of Portugal and is in love with Bellimperia. He is extremely proud and it was his rage that makes him kill Andrea. Though he was hotheaded his love for Bellimperia was truthful and it was this love that later drove him to murder Horatio.
Horatio
The character of Horatio personifies honor, passion, and valiance. He is the deceived son of Hieronimo and the lover of Bellimperia. He is loyal and dutiful and performs all the funeral rites for his friend Andrea who is killed by Balthazar in the battle in Act I. Horatio helps Andrea’s ghost to cross River Acheron and travel to the underworld. Horatio is proud and confident and has confronted Lorenzo many times in front of the King, a reason why he is detested so much by Lorenzo.
Revenge
The spirit of Revenge is an interesting character who befriends Andrea and epitomizes the forces of revenge.
Ghost of Andrea
The Ghost of Andrea is the first character that speaks to the audience in the play. He is denied entry to the underworld by Persephone, Queen of the Underworld because he has not yet received his closure. The character signifies the wandering spirit of death who is vengeful and restless and seeks closure for his death.
Isabella
Isabella is the tormented wife of Hieronimo who suffers throughout the play witnessing the death of his son Horatio. The pain and suffering drive her mad and in the end, she commits suicide.
The King of Spain
The King of Spain as described in the play is unsure and indecisive. He trusts and supports Hieronimo when Lorenzo tries to dismiss Hieronimo from his post. The character is of contradictory nature and is not aware of the events of his own kingdom. He comes to know about the death of Horatio at the end of the play.
The Viceroy
The Viceroy of Portugal is the father of Balthazar and is depicted in the play as a weak king.
Pedringano
Pedringano is Bellimperia’s servant but of deceitful nature. He later takes bribe and betrays Bellimperia and is among the four people who killed Horatio.
Serberine
Serberine is Balthazar’s servant and one of the four members who kill Horatio. He will later be killed by Pefringano on the orders of Lorenzo who suspects that Serberine was an informant for Hiernimo.
Bazulto
Bazulto another supporting character in the play. He is an old man who visits Hiernimo and seeks his help to avenge the death of his own son.
The Portuguese Ambassador
The Ambassador is a liaison between the King and the Viceroy and exchanges information between them.
Alexandro
Alexandro is a nobleman and a valiant warrior who is betrayed by Villuppo who falsely accuses him of the murder of Balthazar.
Villuppo
Villuppo, as described in the play, is deceitful and a liar who accuses Alexandro of the false murder of Balthazar.
The General
The General of the Spanish Army plays a character role and describes the events that take place in the battle of Spain and Portugal in Act I.
Christophil
Christophil plays the role of a servant who visits and serves Bellimperia while she was imprisoned by Lorenzo.
The Hangman
The Hangman is cheerful and good-humored who converses with Pedrigano before he was hanged. He later discovers a letter from Pedrigano’s pocket where he confesses to the truth of Lorenzo and Balthazar’s role in the death of Horatio.
The Page
The Page is a messenger boy who brings an empty coffin of Lorenzo in the court in account to pardon Pedrigano.
Thomas Kyd Spanish Tragedy Summary
The play begins with the ghost of Don Andrea, a Spanish courtier killed in the battle of Portugal. He is accompanied by a character called ‘Revenge’ a spirit guide sent back to earth. Together they sit and witness how Revenge’s former lover Bellimperia avenge his death by killing Balthazar.
Balthazar who is in love with Bellimperia despised the fact that Horatio is her lover. An enraged Balthazar joins Lorenzo who hatches a plan to kill poor Horatio.
Bellimperia who watches the brutal murder of her lover informs Hieronimo by sending him a letter stating that it was Balthazar and Lorenzo who has killed his son. Hieronimo was devastated and decides to avenge the death of his son.
Hieronimo incessantly tries to prove the authenticity of the letter and that Lorenzo and Balthazar are in fact the killers of his son. Eventually, he succeeds and comes up with an ingenious plan to murder his son’s killers.
He decides to stage a play before the Viceroy where he would enact the exact events surrounding the death of Horatio. He invites the killers Lorenzo and Balthazar to watch the play along with the King and the Duke.
In the final climax scene, the characters of Hieronimo and Bellimperia actually stab and kill Lorenzo and Balthazar for the death of Horatio. Later on, Bellimperia commits suicide.
The King, Viceroy, and Duke much to their horror ask Hieronimo of his motives. Hieronimo as a final act of revenge bites of his tongue and stabs the Duke to death and takes his own life.
Thomas Kyd Spanish Tragedy Themes
Revenge: The act of revenge seems to be the prime motive of this play. In this revenge tragedy, all of the characters like Bellimperia, Balthazar, Hieronimo, and even the Ghost of Andrea yearns for revenge.
Love and Hate Relationship: Bellimperia’s love for Andrea instigates hate in the mind of Balthazar. Andrea in return is slain in the hands of Balthazar in the battle which instills hate in Bellimperia for Balthazar. After Andrea’s death, Bellimperia confides to Andrea’s loyal friend Horatio. A jealous Balthazar murders Horatio along with Lorenzo. Bellimperia now seeks revenge against both of them for the murder of her former lovers. All the characters of the play are intertwined and act out of this unique bond of love and hate.
Justice and Loyalty: In the opening scene of the play, Hieronimo receives the order of Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld to seek justice for the death of his son Horatio. Bellimperia’s help seems like a divine vengeance and Hieronimo is now confident that he is on the right path. Horatio is loyal and just and after the death of his friend Andrea, he performs all the rituals and helps him to cross the river and set out for the Underworld.
Similarly, Bellimperia proves herself to be loyal, and trustworthy and at the same time brave enough to avenge the death of her lovers.
Betrayal: Betrayal is a key factor and gives birth to the main plot of the play. Alexandro is betrayed by Villuppo and Horatio is betrayed by Lorenzo. Lorenzo, as is his nature again, betrays his loyal servants and partners of crime Serberine and Pedringano. Lorenzo also allures Balthazar to betray Horatio.
Thomas Kyd Spanish Tragedy Analysis
‘A play within a play’, Kyd unveils a new trend that will later be followed by several of his peers. Though the play is simplistic and rather immature, it is an inspiration for many modern-day writers.
Kyd has interlocked rhyming couplets and blank verses deliberately to portray Hieronimo’s dilemma and madness, chaos, and revenge throughout the story.
The dialogues are quite fascinating and the language is subtle and quite impressive. There is no doubt that Kyd’s revenge tragedy is one of the finest works of art in Elizabethan drama.
