The Spanish Tragedy

Rating:
Summary: A beautiful, yet forgotten play
Review: "The Spanish Tragedy" is one of the rarest books of its kind, which has revenge as its central theme, and though it portrays other themes, they all, essentially are secondary to the main theme.

What pains me, as a reader is that its worth and merit are so obscurely recognised. It's not given the honour it deserves. Thomas Kyd, the author's life is as obscure as his greatest work. This, despite the fact that he was one of the formative influences on Shakespeare. In fact, much of the technique of dramturgy of Shakespeare, especially in Hamlet, is borrowed from "The Spanish Tragedy"--the enactment of a play within a play, as is done in the climax.

The play reflects revenge at every turn--whether it be of Bellimperia's or Horatio's or Hieronimo's. And Kyd has made masterful use of the blank verse and symbolism to lay before the reader, the emotions which his characters undergo. Hieronimo's incessant lament at the treacherous murder of his son, his almost insane babblings...are but fine examples of the use of blank verse in a play.

It's a pity that this work is so rare--in fact it's almost out of print. Wish someone'll do something to popularise it and give it its due.

Rating:
Summary: peter kline is full ...
Review: Hey everyone! Don't even bother paying ANY attention to the ...peter kline spouted in his horrendous review of The Spanish Tragedy. Shakespeare wrote Kyd's masterpiece? Give me a break! And I suppose you're also going to say that Shakespeare secretly wrote Marlowe's plays as well, right? Kudos to Mr. Richard for being a well-informed reader of the English Classics! And as for Mr. Kline, you should do some research ...

Rating:
Summary: Hieronimo is mad againe
Review: I reviewed this play a year ago; my purpose here is only to correct some of the astonishing misinformations given by Mr. Kline for fear that some students or others interested in Kyd might be misled.

First of all, there is no evidence that Shakespeare wrote a word of this. The play was ascribed to Kyd by Thomas Heywood in 1612, when Shakespeare was still living. The Spanish Tragedy is not mentioned in Francis Meres's list of Shakespeare's plays made in 1598; and at the very latest The Spanish Tragedy was in existence by 1592, when it was published, and performed as an old play by Henslowe. And how anyone who has read Shakespeare could possibly think the style of The Spanish Tragedy is his is beyond me; both Kyd and Shakespeare possess very distinctive styles, to neither's demerit.

The existence of the earlier version of Hamlet is not doubted. It is mentioned by Henslowe in 1594 as an old play, and alluded to by Thomas Nashe in 1589 and by Thomas Lodge in 1598 (I think). Nashe links the old Hamlet to Thomas Kyd. The fact that its text did not survive is not extraordinary; most plays in the Elizabethan period have been lost as well. The date of Shakespeare's Hamlet is almost universally accepted to be 1600 or 1601.

It is incredibly absurd to even suggest that Henry V may have been written at the same time as TST. Because of a reference to the Earl of Essex's expedition to Ireland, Henry V can be securely dated to the spring or summer of 1599. The Spanish Tragedy was at least 7 years old by then, and probably 12.

I agree that the Spanish Tragedy is worthy of frequent theatrical performance. Just don't pass it off under the mock-guise of Shakespeare.

Rating:
Summary: One of the first important English dramas
Review: It's a pity Kyd has so sunk into oblivion. Right now, according to Amazon.com, all editions of "The Spanish Tragedy" are on special order; none of his other writings are in print, meaning he's practically unavailable, except that The Spanish Tragedy is included in an anthology titled "Four Revenge Tragedies."

"The Spanish Tragedy" was probably first performed in 1587. Since Christopher Marlowe's "Tamburlaine" was performed the same year, there is some disagreement as to which man was the first to introduce the medium of blank verse onto the public stage, but their combined efforts left such an impression that blank verse became the dominant dramatic medium for decades, and played some role in making Shakespeare's achievement possible. In fact, Kyd was a major influence on Shakespeare. Besides Kyd and Marlowe, the only other English dramatist worthy of note before Shakespeare was the anonymous Wakefield playwright of the early 15th century.

The Spanish Tragedy opens after the Spanish army has just defeated the Portugease in battle, capturing the latter's prince, Balthazar. At the Spanish court Balthazar falls in love with Bel-imperia, Lorenzo's sister, who is already in love with Horatio, Hieronimo's son. There is already a rivalry between Lorenzo and Horatio, so Lorenzo has no qualms murdering Horatio in order to give Balthazar a clear shot at Bel-imperia. Horatio's father, Hieronimo, is grief-stricken by his killing and teeters on the edge of insanity as he searches for the identities of his son's killers, the play steadily progressing to its final, bloody denouement.

Kyd is a gifted writer, and dramatic genius. The verse ranges from crisp dialogue to long rhetorical monologues. For some readers it may take a while to get enamored with Kyd's rhetoric (e.g. O eyes, no eyes, etc.), but it is ultimately worth it.

If you like Kyd, there are two books that I recommend you get, although both are rather hard to find. The first is "The Works of Thomas Kyd," edited by Frederick Boas. That is the only place where you can find the rest of his writings --- the plays "Soliman and Perseda" & "The First Part of Hieronimo"; translations of Garnier's "Cornelia" and Tasso's "Householder's Philosophy"; and fragments, poems, letters. The other book is Arthur Freeman's "Thomas Kyd," the only full-length study of Kyd's life and works.

Rating:
Summary: One of the first important English dramas
Review: It's a pity Kyd has so sunk into oblivion. Right now, according to Amazon.com, all editions of "The Spanish Tragedy" are on special order; none of his other writings are in print, meaning he's practically unavailable, except that The Spanish Tragedy is included in an anthology titled "Four Revenge Tragedies."

"The Spanish Tragedy" was probably first performed in 1587. Since Christopher Marlowe's "Tamburlaine" was performed the same year, there is some disagreement as to which man was the first to introduce the medium of blank verse onto the public stage, but their combined efforts left such an impression that blank verse became the dominant dramatic medium for decades, and played some role in making Shakespeare's achievement possible. In fact, Kyd was a major influence on Shakespeare. Besides Kyd and Marlowe, the only other English dramatist worthy of note before Shakespeare was the anonymous Wakefield playwright of the early 15th century.

The Spanish Tragedy opens after the Spanish army has just defeated the Portugease in battle, capturing the latter's prince, Balthazar. At the Spanish court Balthazar falls in love with Bel-imperia, Lorenzo's sister, who is already in love with Horatio, Hieronimo's son. There is already a rivalry between Lorenzo and Horatio, so Lorenzo has no qualms murdering Horatio in order to give Balthazar a clear shot at Bel-imperia. Horatio's father, Hieronimo, is grief-stricken by his killing and teeters on the edge of insanity as he searches for the identities of his son's killers, the play steadily progressing to its final, bloody denouement.

Kyd is a gifted writer, and dramatic genius. The verse ranges from crisp dialogue to long rhetorical monologues. For some readers it may take a while to get enamored with Kyd's rhetoric (e.g. O eyes, no eyes, etc.), but it is ultimately worth it.

If you like Kyd, there are two books that I recommend you get, although both are rather hard to find. The first is "The Works of Thomas Kyd," edited by Frederick Boas. That is the only place where you can find the rest of his writings --- the plays "Soliman and Perseda" & "The First Part of Hieronimo"; translations of Garnier's "Cornelia" and Tasso's "Householder's Philosophy"; and fragments, poems, letters. The other book is Arthur Freeman's "Thomas Kyd," the only full-length study of Kyd's life and works.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent edition, excellent play
Review: J.R. Mulryne's edition of *The Spanish Tragedy* is without a doubt the best that may at present be bought: informative, helpful, intelligent and accurate in introducing the text, presenting it, and glossing difficult words and phrases where necessary. The play is among the most exciting and artistic of its period. Kyd writes, and constructs his plot, with a level of skill comparable to that of Shakespeare, who was much influenced by *The Spanish Tragedy*, particularly in writing *Hamlet*, which is possibly yet "richer", but undoubtedly less clear and focused. Kyd shows us in an extremely sophisticated way the workings of revenge, both at an earthly and at a supernatural level. From the beginning the audience knows, in a way that the characters do not, that the supernatural world will insist on revenge. The pain of those who suffer injustice here on earth and clamour for revenge is painful to behold. Ultimately, however, in a baffling way, evildoers are punished: Hieronimo, the main character, manages to take matters into his own hands after exhausting all other possibilities, and thus ironically enacts the wishes of the higher powers. The FORM of Hieronimo's revenge is extraordinarily interesting: under the cloak of art - of a theatrical plot - he manages to kill his evil opponents quite easily. The tension between "art" and "life" is thus handled by Kyd in a very innovative fashion which still shocks modern spectators and readers. The role of language, too, is called into question: much of the play demonstrates that in real life finally action does speak louder than words, which often do not make their point or simply get ignored. Any reader who wants to get a notion of the superb quality of plays written by Shakespeare's contemporaries is certain to admire and enjoy this striking work of art. - Joost Daalder, Professor of English, Flinders University, South Australia

Rating:
Summary: A glimspe into Shakespeare's workshop
Review: There is growing evidence that while this play was attributed to Thomas Kyd on the slimmest possible evidence, it is actually an early play of Shakespeare. It's similarity to Hamlet has so often been noted that Kyd is supposed to have written a hypothetical earlier version of Hamlet that has never been shown to exist. The way to figure out for yourself who wrote this play is to read some of it aloud. You'll find that its speaches have a musical quality that echoes those in Henry V (which may have been written at about the same time). Also, compare one of its early scenes with a very similar one in Macbeth. The more you read this play aloud, considering the music of its poetry rather than just its imagery and thematic strucure (it's very early Shakespeare) the more you're likely to be struck that here is a masterpiee forgotten (except to scholars) that is worthy of frequent theatrical performance. Perhaps you'll be moved to produce it yourself.

Rating:
Summary: A glimspe into Shakespeare's workshop
Review: There is growing evidence that while this play was attributed to Thomas Kyd on the slimmest possible evidence, it is actually an early play of Shakespeare. It's similarity to Hamlet has so often been noted that Kyd is supposed to have written a hypothetical earlier version of Hamlet that has never been shown to exist. The way to figure out for yourself who wrote this play is to read some of it aloud. You'll find that its speaches have a musical quality that echoes those in Henry V (which may have been written at about the same time). Also, compare one of its early scenes with a very similar one in Macbeth. The more you read this play aloud, considering the music of its poetry rather than just its imagery and thematic strucure (it's very early Shakespeare) the more you're likely to be struck that here is a masterpiee forgotten (except to scholars) that is worthy of frequent theatrical performance. Perhaps you'll be moved to produce it yourself.

Rating:
Summary: Heartstopping bloodfest!
Review: This has to be one of the bloodiest and best plays in the English canon. Predating Hamlet, it tells the familiar story but with more vigour. Deservedly one of the most popular plays of its time, recalled and recognised through parody for years to come, this is the play that changed the course of English drama.

Rating:
Summary: New Mermaids Edition is Excellent - Good Footnotes
Review: This is my first reading of The Spanish Tragedy. I often encountered references and comparisons to this play by Thomas Kyd, but I was only marginally aware that it had been a remarkably popular Elizabethan revenge melodrama.

The reader may stumble a bit with its Elizabethan English as well with unfamiliar topical allusions. Likewise, the reader may not immediately recognize the significance of certain dramatic conventions, such as a noose and dagger are symbols of impending suicide. But all in all, The Spanish Tragedy is not a difficult play to read and study.

The Spanish Tragedy did not resonate with me as do many plays by Shakespeare. The characters are less complex, the plot is not always plausible, and the emotional impact is more muted. The Spanish Tragedy is not a masterpiece, but it is undeniably an interesting play and one that warrants reading for more than its historical value.

The editing by J. R. Mulryne in the New Mermaids edition is superb. His introduction is scholarly, but not excessively detailed. Thomas Kyd, born a few years before Shakespeare and Marlowe, is today known for this single play. His other works no longer exist. There is uncertainty regarding the exact date that Kyd wrote The Spanish Tragedy, but it was performed in 1592. It is unusual in that no direct source for this play has been discovered; the plot appears to be largely a creative invention of Thomas Kyd.

The prologue by the ghost of Andrea, the significant role of Revenge, and the scenes in the underworld of Roman mythology all illustrate that Thomas Kyd's dramatic style was highly influenced by the works of the Roman dramatist Seneca. Furthermore, in the plot itself the gods of the underworld play a key role in ensuring that the death of Andrea is revenged. Kyd offers frequent quotations in Latin, many from Seneca. Fortunately, Mulryne provides helpful translations.

The footnotes come in two forms. The first provides definitions for unfamiliar or archaic words, or words whose meanings have changed significantly. The second offers explanations of plot subtleties, differences in interpretations by experts, and possible influences on later plays (especially Hamlet) of Shakespeare and other dramatists.