The Revenger's Tragedy is defined by the cynical, world-weary tone that pervades the entire play. One of the most prominent objects of the play’s cuttingly cynical perspective is the moral corruption of characters drawn from all levels of courtly society. With very few exceptions, characters are generally depicted as morally bankrupt, driven by self-interest, and largely devoid of any ethical principles whatsoever. Their actions and choices reflect the play’s cynical and misanthropic view of human nature, suggesting that most people are motivated by base desires such as greed and lust. Besides Castiza and perhaps Antonio, the play offers no clear representative of virtue who might offer relief from, or a contrast to, the play’s unrelenting portrayal of immorality and decadence.
The play's cynical tone is further emphasized through its exploration of themes such as deceit, manipulation, and treachery. Rather than fighting out in the open, characters in The Revenger's Tragedy often resort to cunning, disguises, and subterfuge in order to achieve their goals, outmaneuver their enemies, and shift the balance of power at court in their favor. The sneaky, back-handed nature of these machinations, such as the struggle for power between the Duke's various suns, underscores just how far this court society has fallen from the chivalric ideals of the Middle Ages. Indeed, the play repeatedly insists that European society has undergone a steep and perhaps irreversible decline.
