William Shakespeare s The Spanish Tragedy - 2479 Words

Within literature, genre is determined by subject, setting and plot. In book shops and library’s, books are organized and categorised by genre, making it extremely easy for the reader to find exactly what they are looking for. Generally, genre is very restricted- often making writers feel as though they must follow a specific set of rules and conventions if they want their piece of writing to fall into a particular genre with a certain theme. Throughout my essay, I will look into how Thomas Kyd’s ‘The Spanish Tragedy’ follows the traditional techniques we typically assume will be in a revenge tragedy, and how Shakespeare’s ‘Hamlet’ follows these conventions as well as how Hamlet sometimes challenges the typical conventions of revenge tragedy plays and pushes them. I will also discuss the notion of revenge, as well as discuss how the two plays use the conventions of the genre to promote different ways of thinking about the ethics of reven ge. Revenge tragedy was a popular genre of drama in the late 16th and 17th centuries in England. People at this time enjoyed the blood and gore filled story lines typically featured in revenge tragedies. Revenge tragedies in there very basic plots contain the quest for vengeance, where carnage, madness, death of a loved one and mutilation are the very basic conventions which we expect to come across when we are reading a piece of this popular genre. Both the Spanish Tragedy and Hamlet are well known revenge tragedies following the same storyShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s Play, Kyd s The Spanish Tragedy And Punishment1270 Words   |  6 Pagesaudience in plays such as Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy; and punishment as it was enacted on the scaffold. In his play, Kyd aligns this parallel with another: that between revenge and justice. Though separate in one sense, revenge can be understood in terms of justice, and justice therefore seemingly has some qualities in common wit h its presumed opposite. On top of this, Kyd superimposes the tension between Catholicism and Protestantism. The Spanish Tragedy, then, sets up and destroys a three prongedRead MoreRevenge Conventions In Hamlet Essay1182 Words   |  5 Pageswritten by William Shakespeare that very closely follows the dramatic conventions of revenge in Elizabethan theater. All revenge tragedies originally stemmed from the Greeks, who wrote and performed the first plays. After the Greeks came Seneca who was very influential to all Elizabethan tragedy writers. Seneca who was Roman, basically set all of the ideas and the norms for all revenge play writers in the Renaissance era including William Shakespeare. The two most famous English revenge tragedies writtenRead MoreThe Use of Supernatural Elements in Shakespeares Hamlet and Kyds the Spanish Tragedy1181 Words   |  5 PagesDiscuss the usage and effects that the supernatural elements have in both Kyds `The Spanish Tragedy and Shakespeares Hamlet. Ghosts or supernatural beings feature both in The Spanish Tragedy, written by Thomas Kyd, in 1587, and in Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, in 1601. Ghosts and the supernatural `remind the characters and the audience of the constraints the past places on the present, and also the obligations the living bear to the departed . There were many superstitions surroundingRead MoreThe Development And Popularity Of The Elizabethan Theatre1289 Words   |  6 Pagesestablished, traveling players toured, reciting tales and performing wherever they could to who ever would listen. b. Laws and Restrictions places on traveling actors 2. Thesis Statement: The development of several theatres, introduction to some of today s favorite playwrites, and the popularity the theatre gained, helped make the Elizabethan era a time of theatrical entertainment. Transition Sentence: Though this era had many arenas and stages provided for animal and human acts, between 1576 and 1642Read MoreHamlet, Prince Of Denmark1869 Words   |  8 Pagesliterature, William Shakespeare.The aura of this play is not at all questionable. The essence it captures down throughout every single scene and dialogues is undeniably recommendable. But in spite of these the play, according to may of the critics is somewhere an artistic failure when it comes to define the over all boundaries of work as an art.The play revolves around the theme of Revenge and it is believed that somehow it is an adaptation as most of the scenes are parallel to that of Spanish RevengeRead MoreSeeking Reveng in William Shakespeares Hamlet1018 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Hamlet,† is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare about a prince seeking revenge. Although this play was written around the sixteen hundreds, its main character is still relatable to people of this era through emo tional issues, relationship issues, and internal conflicts. These categories will be further discussed starting first with a biography of the author, a plot summary, a discussion of how Hamlet relates to people of this time period, and a summary of a critical review of Hamlet. ThoughRead MoreThe Problem with â€Å"Hamlet and His Problems†1862 Words   |  8 Pagesespecially William Shakespeare, have created some of the most stirring and thought provoking stories to be performed on stage. One of the most famous of Shakespeare’s plays is the tragedy of â€Å"Hamlet†. Most people would read â€Å"Hamlet† and come to the conclusion that Shakespeare is a playwright mastermind, however, there are a few that would call it a disaster. One of these few people is T. S. Eliot, who wrote an essay called â€Å"Hamlet and his Problems† in which he verbally attacks Shakespeare and claimsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Elizabethan Era1478 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Shakespeare is one of the most famous poets, dramatists, and actors of his time, let alone all of all of history. Though many details of many aspects of his life are uncertain, it is evident through the popularity of his works that he forever remain a distinguished individual of the Elizabethan era. The stability of England under Queen Elizabeth I allowed artists to flourish as the populations attention turned from that of the political and religious scene to more interest based endeavorsRead MoreThe Elizabethan Er The Golden Age Of English History1527 Words   |  7 Pagesexpansion and naval triumph over England’s hated Spanish enemies ( Elizabethan Era.). Queen Elizabeth I was queen from 1558 until her death in 1603, marking the Elizabethan Era.   Her father was King Henry VIII, who ruled from 1509 until his death in 1547, and was succeeded by Elizabeth s siblings Edward and Mary. Her father’s reign was shaped by his separation from the Catholic Church, which sparked years of religious controversy in England. Queen Elizabeth s mother was Protestant, but Elizabeth’s predecessorRead MoreAntisemitism in the Middle Ages1616 Words   |  7 Pagespeople instantly think of the Columbus’ discovery of the New World. B ut in the joy of the discovery of the New World also comes the tragedy of the Old World. The Spanish Inquisition was one of the darkest periods of time in Jewish history. Christianity’s view of other religions as inferior is portrayed in many well-known pieces of literature, including one of William Shakespeare’s most famous plays, The Merchant of Venice. Towering over Shakespeare’s romantic comedy The Merchant of Venice is the