The Spanish Tragedy is a good example of a revenge tragedy, a genre that rose to prominence during the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras in England. The central plot of a revenge tragedy generally revolves around a protagonist seeking vengeance for a wrongdoing, often involving murder, betrayal, or injustice. These plays tend to explore the psychological and emotional toll of seeking revenge, both for the individuals directly involved but also for society more broadly. Prominent themes explored in most revenge tragedies include revenge, justice, violence, and moral ambiguity. The Spanish Tragedy not only exemplifies the genre but is generally regarded as the first true revenge tragedy, imitated by many other notable playwrights of the time including William Shakespeare.
In The Spanish Tragedy, the central character is Hieronimo, a Spanish nobleman seeking revenge for the murder of his son, Horatio. The play delves into Hieronimo's quest for revenge and the various layers of deception and manipulation that obstruct justice. A judge in the Spanish court, Hieronimo at first believes in the power of the law and attempts to find a legal route to redress his grievances. However, corruption at the highest levels of the Kingdom forces him to resort to other, more extreme means. In addition to Horatio’s revenge plot, the play also features a number of subplots involving characters who deceive, betray, and murder one another, adding to the overall atmosphere of revenge and violence that saturates the play.
The play's themes and structure have had a lasting influence on later works of drama and literature, shaping the genre of revenge tragedy. Many elements of the plot, including the play-within-a-play and the appearance of a ghost, are now considered hallmarks of the genre and can be seen in such works as Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Thomas Middleton’s The Revenger’s Tragedy.
