Thomas Kyd - The Spanish Tragedy, pt. 1

What
The Spanish Tragedie, Containing the lamentable end of Don Horatio, and Bel-imperia: with the pittifull death of olde Hieronimo (that's the full title)

The granddaddy of Elizabethan Revenge Tragedy that influenced pretty much all future/contemporary Elizabethan playwrights including Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare. Thomas Kyd (1558-1594) is something of a cipher to the modern world. The son of a London scrivener (a kind of pro writer who copied legal texts and whatnot), he was roomies with Elizabethan bad boy Christopher “Kit” Marlowe for a while, worked as an actor in Lord Strange’s Men (the most awesomely named acting company I’ve ever heard of), and was arrested and tortured in 1593 on charges of treason based on illegal books found in his & Kit’s flat, but released. Kit Marlowe was arrested too, but released with less hassle because of [insert conspiracy theory here]. He died the next year, so its quite possible he got worked over pretty hard. Aside from the Spanish Tragedy, the only other surviving thing that he wrote is a translation of a French play that is neither as famous or as important. He’s been attributed/rumored to have written various OTHER plays, especially something called the “Ur-Hamlet,” which was allegedly the play Shakespeare remade/looted for his own play (not Hamlet performed by cavemen, even though that would totally rule). He was not a 17th century pirate who left a still-undiscovered treasure buried somewhere in the Caribbean, that was somebody else.

Why
Kyd revolutionized the stage, quite simply. How he did this is by adapting elements from the recently rediscovered Sencan Tragedies (ancient Roman “closet drama” plays by Lucius Annaeus Seneca, the tutor of crazytoga emperor Nero) for the (then) modern stage. Basically, he kept the highfalutin speeches and graphic descriptions of violence while making sure the violence described wasn’t just off-stage. Audiences (particularly Elizabethans) love buckets of blood, and boy did he give it to them.
　
The (Spoiler Free) Basics
Bloody-minded revenge is the order of the day in the court of Spain as political maneuvering in a peace treaty with Portugal gets really, really ugly. Take a shot every time you spot something Shakespeare used, it’ll be fun.

From here on there be spoilers….

Act I, Scene 1
Don Andrea and Revenge step onstage. In a long Senecan speech (lots of high language monologuing) Andrea tells the audience that he died in battle, misses his fiancée Bel-imperia, went down to the underworld and was sent back up to earth with Revenge by Prosperine (queen of the underworld) to observe the revenge about to happen to his killers. Revenge tells him to sit down on stage and watch. A revenge-minded ghost, why I believe that’s our first shot.

Act I, Scene 2
The King of Spain enters and asks a general how things are going. Things are great! The Spanish army gave the Portuguese a jolly good thrashing. Don Andrea gave a good account of himself and contributed to the win, but too bad he died. Don Andrea’s buddy Horatio went and captured Prince Balthazar (who killed Andrea) directly leading to victory. The duke of Castile verbally high-fives his brother the King. Hieronimo, Horatio’s father and Marshal of Spain, is very proud.

Balthazar is brought before the King by Horatio (Shakespeare shot) and Lorenzo, the son of Castile. Both claim to have captured Balthy but its pretty clear Horatio did the real work. The King turns Balthy over to Lorenzo as hostage/guest and splits up the spoils between Lorenzo and Horatio.

Act I, Scene 3
The Viceroy (ruler) of Portingale (Portugal) is having a bad day. He lost the battle. The noble Alexandro tells him his son, Prince Balthazar, is still alive. Scheming bastard Viluppo says that not only is the Prince dead, but Alexandre shot him in the back. Alexandre is arrested and taken away.

Act I, Scene 4
Bel-imperia mourns the dead Don Andrea. Horatio tries to cheer her up, one thing leads to another and after Horatio leaves, Bel-imperia tells the audience that she will fall in love with Horatio to piss off Lorenzo, her brother.

Lorenzo and Balthazar arrive, the latter flirting ineffectively with the fiancée of the man he killed before the play (go figure). She leaves and Lorenzo assures him that she’ll come around.

Horatio comes back, followed by the King, a Portuguese ambassador and a whole banquet. Feasting ensues. Hieronimo organizes a play for their entertainment.

Act I, Scene 5
Don Andrea complains to Revenge about the distinct lack of revenging going on. Revenge tells him to cool his britches and wait.

Act II, Scene 1
Lorenzo continues to talk about hooking up his sister with Balthazar. Pedrigano, Bel-imperia’s servant enters and is threatened until he tells the two that she loves Horatio. Moustache-twirling and conspiratorial cackling ensues.

Act II, Scene 2
Horatio and Bel-imperia make lovey-dovey speeches to each other as Horatio, Balthazar and Pedrigano watch on, not happy at all.

Act II, Scene 3
Castile tells the King that Bel-imperia’s not too keen on a marriage with Balthazar but will probably come around in time, you know how women are old sport. The King tells the Ambassador to go back to Portugal with the news that the marriage will go forward and that her dowry will be HUGE.

Act II, Scene 4
Horatio and Bel-imperia continue to make kissy-faces at each other in a garden at night. SUDDENLY and without any subtlety whatsoever, Lorenzo, Balthazar, Pedringano and some guy named Serberine show up in disguises and lynch Horatio and then stab him before carrying off a screaming Bel-imperia.

Act II, Scene 5
A groggy Hieronimo enters his garden to discover the body of Horatio in a literal interpretation of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit.” Isabella, his wife, enters and both bewail his death.

Act II, Scene 6
Don Andrea tells Revenge that the wrong guy just died. Revenge tells him to keep waiting.

Stay tuned for Part 2.