The Spanish Tragedy
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Act 1, Scene 1 Act 1, Scene 2 Act 1, Scene 3 Act 1, Scene 4 Act 1, Scene 5 Act 2, Scene 1 Act 2, Scene 2 Act 2, Scene 3 Act 2, Scene 4 Act 2, Scene 5 Act 2, Scene 6 Act 3, Scene 1 Act 3, Scene 2 Act 3, Scene 3 Act 3, Scene 4 Act 3, Scene 5 Act 3, Scene 6 Act 3, Scene 7 Act 3, Scene 8 Act 3, Scene 9 Act 3, Scene 10 Act 3, Scene 11 Act 3, Scene 12 Act 3, Scene 13 Act 3, Scene 14 Act 3, Scene 15 Act 4, Scene 1  Act 4, Scene 2 Act 4, Scene 3 Act 4, Scene 4 Act 4, Scene 5
Themes
All Themes Revenge and Justice Class, Gender, and Society Love and Madness Betrayal
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Hieronimo Lorenzo Bel-Imperia Horatio The Ghost of Andrea Balthazar Revenge Pedringano Cyprian, Duke of Castile Isabella Alexandro Villuppo Bazulto Serberine Viceroy of Portugal King of Spain Lorenzo’s Page Portuguese Ambassador
Symbols
All Symbols Bel-Imperia’s Scarf The Box 
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Dramatic Irony Foil Foreshadowing Genre Hyperbole Idioms Irony Metaphors Mood Motifs Pathos Personification Setting Similes Soliloquy Style Tone
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The Spanish Tragedy

by

Thomas Kyd
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Cyprian, Duke of Castile Character Analysis

Bel-Imperia and Lorenzo’s father and the King of Spain’s brother. The Duke of Castile is a rich and powerful man, and the king orders that Balthazar be held prisoner at Castile’s estate because it is the largest and most luxurious in Spain. Castile does not approve of Bel-Imperia’s relationship with Andrea—whom both Castile and Lorenzo consider to be of inferior social status—and after Andrea’s death, Castile doesn’t approve of Bel-Imperia’s relationship with Horatio either. Castile knows nothing about Horatio’s murder, but after Hieronimo exacts his revenge in the play-within-a-play near the end of the last act, Hieronimo stabs and kills the Duke of Castile before killing himself. In death, Andrea requests that Castile take the place of Tityus—a giant from Greek mythology, who, after an attempted rape, was punished by having vultures eat his liver each day, only for it to grow back each night—and assume Tityus’s punishment as his own.

Cyprian, Duke of Castile Quotes in The Spanish Tragedy

The The Spanish Tragedy quotes below are all either spoken by Cyprian, Duke of Castile or refer to Cyprian, Duke of Castile. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Revenge and Justice Theme Icon
).
Act 2, Scene 3 Quotes

Brother of Castile, to the prince’s love
What says your daughter Bel-Imperia?

Although she coy it as becomes her kind,
And yet dissemble that she loves the prince,
I doubt not, I, but she will stoop in time.
And were she froward, which she will not be,
Yet herein shall she follow my advice,
Which is to love him or forgo my love.

Related Characters: Cyprian, Duke of Castile (speaker), King of Spain (speaker), Bel-Imperia, Balthazar
Class, Gender, and Society Theme Icon
Love and Madness Theme Icon
Page Number: 37
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 14 Quotes

Welcome, Balthazar,
Welcome brave prince, the pledge of Castile’s peace;
And welcome Bel-lmperia. How now, girl?
Why com’st thou sadly to salute us thus?
Content thyself, for I am satisfied;
It is not now as when Andrea lived.
We have forgotten and forgiven that,
And thou art graced with a happier love.

Related Characters: Cyprian, Duke of Castile (speaker), Hieronimo, Bel-Imperia, Horatio, The Ghost of Andrea, Balthazar
Revenge and Justice Theme Icon
Class, Gender, and Society Theme Icon
Love and Madness Theme Icon
Page Number: 99
Explanation and Analysis:
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Cyprian, Duke of Castile Quotes in The Spanish Tragedy

The The Spanish Tragedy quotes below are all either spoken by Cyprian, Duke of Castile or refer to Cyprian, Duke of Castile. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Revenge and Justice Theme Icon
).
Act 2, Scene 3 Quotes

Brother of Castile, to the prince’s love
What says your daughter Bel-Imperia?

Although she coy it as becomes her kind,
And yet dissemble that she loves the prince,
I doubt not, I, but she will stoop in time.
And were she froward, which she will not be,
Yet herein shall she follow my advice,
Which is to love him or forgo my love.

Related Characters: Cyprian, Duke of Castile (speaker), King of Spain (speaker), Bel-Imperia, Balthazar
Class, Gender, and Society Theme Icon
Love and Madness Theme Icon
Page Number: 37
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3, Scene 14 Quotes

Welcome, Balthazar,
Welcome brave prince, the pledge of Castile’s peace;
And welcome Bel-lmperia. How now, girl?
Why com’st thou sadly to salute us thus?
Content thyself, for I am satisfied;
It is not now as when Andrea lived.
We have forgotten and forgiven that,
And thou art graced with a happier love.

Related Characters: Cyprian, Duke of Castile (speaker), Hieronimo, Bel-Imperia, Horatio, The Ghost of Andrea, Balthazar
Revenge and Justice Theme Icon
Class, Gender, and Society Theme Icon
Love and Madness Theme Icon
Page Number: 99
Explanation and Analysis:
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