William Shakespeare's Hamlet as a Revenge Tragedy

William Shakespeare's Hamlet as a Revenge Tragedy

Revenge Tragedy was a genre which lasted from 1590 until 1615. The

genre appealed to the Elizabethan audience’s desire for blood and

violence without emotional depth.

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Revenge tragedies originated in the writings of the Roman Seneca

(4BC-AD65) whose plays heavily influenced Elizabethan dramatists.

Seneca’s tragedies, using stories derived from mythology emphasised

bloody action, horrific incidents and ranting speeches. The devices

Seneca used in his tragedies were later imitated by Elizabethan

playwrights. These included the five act structure, the appearance of

ghosts, the one–line exchange known as stichomythia and Seneca’s use

of long rhetorical speeches. English revenge tragedies written in the

Elizabethan era began with ‘The Spanish Tragedy’ written by Thomas

Kyd, in which a father, Hieronomo, avenges a son. The father delays

the revenge in passionate outbursts near to madness.

According to the accepted characteristics, revenge tragedies should

have included ghosts or supernatural beings, violence, sex,

bloodthirsty revenge for family honour and bloody carnage. Most

revenge tragedies end in a bloodbath killing off all the main

characters apart from the loyal best friend. Hamlet’s complex plot is

advanced, compared with most revenge tragedies as it included

subplots. It uses many of the typical themes of a Revenge Tragedy in

order to get points across. The play has depth to it making the impact

of revenge felt deeply by the audience. The audience is able to

empathize with Hamlet and look at the ethics of ...

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...f his

personality. Unlike any other revenge tragedy, the unresolved

conflicts in his mind shape the foundations of the storyline.

The verse of the play can be seen in the great soliloquies, which

surpass those of other revenge tragedies. The play contains many

eternal themes, which are timeless and applicable to all cultures.

Although many conventions of Revenge Tragedy are obeyed, ‘Hamlet’, is

unique in its own way and therefore should not be considered only as a

revenge tragedy. If we do so we dismiss all aspects of Hamlet’s

character, as his motives shape the story.

Bibliography

Jenkins, Harold (ed.) : Hamlet, 1982

Hamlet York Notes Advanced (2004 edition)

http://www.mtsn.org.uk/staff/staffpages/cer/hamlet/A%20revenge%20tragedy.html

http://www.sogang.ac.kr/~anthony/17cdrama.htm#The%20Revenger's