Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Spanish Tragedy, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Revenge and Justice
Class, Gender, and Society
Love and Madness
Betrayal
Summary
Analysis
Bel-Imperia enters with Hieronimo and asks if this is how he shows his love for Horatio. Hieronimo is yet to avenge Horatio’s death, and Bel-Imperia can’t understand Hieronimo’s inaction. “Hieronimo, for shame,” she says. Hieronimo asks Bel-Imperia to forgive him for not believing her letter about how Horatio died. He begs her not to think that he will leave Horatio’s death unavenged, and he vows again to kill Lorenzo and Balthazar. Bel-Imperia says she would like to help him, and Hieronimo says he already has a plan.
Bel-Imperia clearly thinks that Hieronimo has not exacted his revenge because he doesn’t love Horatio, which is something Bel-Imperia says he should be ashamed of. In this way, Bel-Imperia, unlike Hieronimo, thinks revenge is Hieronimo’s responsibility, and she further thinks it is something that Hieronimo must do to prove his love. Hieronimo, on the other hand, has only agreed to revenge because he has been unable to obtain justice legally.
Themes
Balthazar and Lorenzo enter. They are looking for Hieronimo and need his help. Balthazar asks Hieronimo if he will entertain the Viceroy of Portugal the same way he did the Portuguese Ambassador and stage a play. Hieronimo instantly agrees and says he already has a play in mind. He shows them the book in his hand and asks them all if they will act in the play. They each agree, and Balthazar asks what the play is about. Hieronimo says it is about a Spanish knight who is set to marry a beautiful Italian woman named Perseda. Perseda is loved by all, including Soliman, the most important guest. Soliman tries to win Perseda’s love but fails, so he has his friend kill the knight. In a rage, Perseda kills Soliman and herself.
Here, Hieronimo finally explains the book he has been carrying for the last few scenes. The fact that Hieronimo has been carrying the play around suggests that his plan to kill Balthazar and Lorenzo during the play is premeditated. The plot of Hieronimo’s plan is quite similar to the circumstances of Bel-Imperia and Balthazar’s upcoming wedding, but neither Balthazar nor Lorenzo seem to realize this.
Themes
Balthazar asks Hieronimo what happens to Soliman’s friend, and Hieronimo says he runs into the mountains and hangs himself. Balthazar asks who will play the part of the friend, and Hieronimo says he will play it himself. Balthazar will play Soliman, Hieronimo says, Lorenzo will be the knight, and Bel-Imperia will play Perseda. Balthazar says that he thinks a comedy would be much better, but Hieronimo disagrees. Tragedies are for kings, Hieronimo insists.
Ironically, Lorenzo and Balthazar have no idea that they are discussing their own upcoming deaths. Like the scripts says, Hieronimo runs toward the mountains to hang himself after he murders Lorenzo, but he is apprehended and brought back.
Themes
Hieronimo tells Balthazar, Lorenzo, and Bel-Imperia that they will each perform their parts in a different language. Balthazar will speak in Latin, Hieronimo will speak in Greek, Lorenzo will speak in Italian, and Bel-Imperia will speak in French. Balthazar says that the play is sure to be confusing, but Hieronimo says it must be that way, “for the conclusion.” Everyone exits, except to Hieronimo. “Now shall I see the fall of Babylon,” he says. “Wrought by the heavens in this confusion. / And if the world like not this tragedy, / Hard is the hap of hold Hieronimo.”
Hieronimo wants the audience to be confused, since Hieronimo and Bel-Imperia plan on actually killing Lorenzo and Balthazar during the play, and the differing languages helps to disorient the audience. Furthermore, the use of different languages mirrors the Latin and Italian used throughout the play, which again reflects Kyd’s classical influence. Hieronimo’s comment implies that he knows the audience won’t like his tragedy, and this, too, suggests that revenge is not Hieronimo’s responsibility.
Themes
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