Anonymous(?)
Thomas Middleton (?)
(Cyril Tourneur largely discredited)

THE REVENGER'S TRAGEDY

Date: circa 1606

full synopsis available, click here

AMBITIOSO

The young Duchess's eldest son. He pretends to plead for his step-brother Lussurioso's release from jail. In fact he is eager to have him killed so he might step in line for the dukedom himself. He is fooled into thinking that he is ordering Lussurioso's death when he in fact orders the execution of his own youngest brother. When the head is brought to him and his other brother, Supervacuo, they at first gloat over the deed but are horrified and angered when they learn the truth. Ambitioso joins with his brother Supervacuo, step-brother Spurio, and an unnamed lord to present a masque of revenge. The masque is to end with knives produced and Lussurioso murdered. However, when they come to fall upon the party, they find that everyone is already dead. Ambitioso then proclaims himself Duke, and Supervacuo stabs him to death.

ANTONIO, LORD

A noble and just man of the corrupt Duke's court. He bears up with nobility and pathos after his honorable wife is driven to suicide when (before the play starts) she is raped by the Duchess' youngest son. At play's end Antonio is left in charge. Upon learning from Vindice how he and Hippolito murdered the corrupt ducal family, Antonio orders their executions.

ANTONIO'S WIFE

A "ghost character". Raped by the Duchess' youngest son before the start of the play, she commits suicide over the shame. Her corpse is displayed on stage during the course of the play.

CARLO

Hippolito's familiar name.

CASTIZA

Sister to Vindice and Hippolito. The object of Lussurioso's lust, she resists his importunities. Vindice, disguised as Lussurioso's panderer Piato, tests his sister's honor. Castiza remains honorable, but is disgusted at her mother, Gratiana, who is willing to prostitute Castiza for preferment at court. After Gratiana's conversion, Castiza pretends to be willing to go to Lussurioso, but the pretense is only to test Gratiana's newfound moral fibre.

DONALDO

Gentleman usher to Gratiana and Castiza. Proud and haughty.

DUCHESS

The young and lusty bride of the old Duke. She has designs upon the old Duke's bastard son, Spurio, and cuckolds her new husband. She is successfully seduced at an inn while her husband, the Duke, is forced secretly to look on while he dies, poisoned at the hands of Vindice and Hippolito. When Lussurioso becomes Duke he banishes her.

DUCHESS, DEAD

A “ghost character”. Duke’s first wife and mother of Lussurioso.

DUKE

A lecher who is responsible for the deaths of Vindice's sweetheart, Gloriana and father. He has two sons, Lussurioso (his legitimate issue) and Spurio (his bastard). He has recently married a young woman with three children of her own, Ambitioso, Supervacuo, and a Younger Son. The Younger Son has raped the noble Antonio's wife, and the weak-willed Duke chooses to jail him rather than execute him for the crime. Vindice lures him to a country inn with the promise of bedding a young virgin. Instead, he is shown the skull of Gloriana made up and dressed as if alive. The Duke, momentarily fooled, kisses the skull only to discover it is poisoned. He is then forced to watch, his tongue pinned to the balcony floor, as his bride cuckolds him with his own bastard, Spurio. After death, the Duke's corpse is dressed as Piato (Vindice's disguise) and in that guise Vindice stabs him while Lussurioso witnesses the deed. It is then thought that Piato murdered the Duke and changed clothes with him to effect his escape from the country.

GAOLER

He holds both the Duchess' Younger Son and Lussurioso prisoner. When Ambitioso and Supervacuo arrive with a signet from the Duke and order him to release "their brother" to execution, the gaoler reasonably (though wrongly) believes they mean the Younger Son. The two noblemen that the Duke sent have already obtained Lussurioso's release. Through this mistake (orchestrated by the Duke), Ambitioso and Supervacuo mistakenly order their own younger brother's execution.

GLORIANA

A "ghost character" who appears on stage only as a skull. She was Vindice's sweetheart, but she was debauched by the Duke who also poisoned her. Her skull is smeared with a vitriolic poison, and when Vindice tricks the Duke into kissing it his lips and teeth are burned off.

GRATIANA

Mother to Vindice, Hippolito, and Castiza. She is willing to prostitute Castiza to Lussurioso, but under threat from Vindice relents. Castiza tests her newfound moral fibre by pretended to be willing to go to Lussurioso, but Gratiana forbids it.

GROOM of the STABLE

A “ghost character”. Spurio speculates that the Duke’s stable groom could just as easily be his father as the Duke. He is described as a tall man who rode well.

HIPPOLITO

Sometimes referred to as Carlo. The brother of Vindice and Castiza, son of Gratiana. Lussurioso asks him to hire a pimp to act as go-between for him and a young country virgin who has taken his fancy. Hippolito uses the opportunity to introduce Vindice to court. He assists his brother in his revenge by helping him to lure the Duke to his death. He also takes part in the masque of revengers that succeeds in murdering Lussurioso. In the end, when Vindice crows that they are responsible for ridding the world of the corrupt ducal family, both Vindice and Hippolito are sentenced to death.

JUDGE, FIRST and SECOND

They sit in judgement of Younger Son. They are pronouncing a sentence of death when the Duke defers their sentence

LUSSURIOSO

The Duke's eldest son. A lecher like his father, he has Hippolito hire a pimp for him and is fooled when Hippolito engages his brother, Vindice, disguised as the panderer Piato. Lussurioso has designs on Hippolito and Vindice's sister, Castiza, and wants "Piato" to intercede. Instead, Piato reveals to him that Spurio intends to cuckold the Duke. Unfortunately, when Lussurioso breaks into the Duke's chamber to arrest Spurio he instead finds the Duke and is imprisoned for attempted assassination. Once out of jail, he orders Hippolito to hire Vindice to kill this Piato. He is again fooled when Vindice dresses the dead Duke as Piato and stabs him. He believes that Piato murdered the Duke and then escaped wearing the Duke's clothes. With the death of the Duke, Lussurioso becomes Duke, and in the banquet of celebration he is murdered when Vindice, Hippolito, a nobleman named Piero and a fourth lord enter disguised as masquers and stab him. He lives long enough for Vindice to whisper into his ear, gloating about his triumph over the ducal family.

MASQUING LORD 1

A fourth person, listed only as "a lord" and not otherwise identified, who joins with Vindice, Hippolito, and Piero in the masque of revengers who kill Lussurioso at the banquet celebrating his rise to Duke.

MASQUING LORD 2

A fourth person, listed only as "a lord" and not otherwise identified, who joins with Ambitioso, Supervacuo, and Spurio in the second masque of revengers who mean to kill Lussurioso at the banquet celebrating his rise to Duke. When they arrive, however, they find the deed has already been committed. He stabs Spurio, who proclaims himself Duke after both Ambitioso and Supervacuo have been stabbed. Masquing Lord 2 is the only person left living at the end of the bloodshed, and Antonio orders him to be executed for the murder of the ducal family.

MOTHER, SPURIO’S

A “ghost character”. One of the Duke’s mistresses. Spurio calls her “a more uncertain woman’.

NOBLEMEN, TWO

Acting as guards, they enter the Duke’s bedchamber and arrest Lussurioso when he tries to catch Spurio with the Duchess. The Duke sends them to redeem Lussurioso from prison before Ambitioso and Supervacuo can arrive with the Duke's signet and order his death. One of these may later prove the Lord who conspires with Vindice and Hippolito to kill Lussurioso when he takes the throne, but such is not at all clear in the text.

OFFICERS

They conduct the beheading of the Younger Son. Although their captive protests that there has been a mistake, they have the Duke's signet sent via Ambitioso and Supervacuo as well as those gentlemen's order to execute "their brother." Ambitioso and Supervacuo meant to have Lussurisso executed, but owing to the Duke's trick Lussurioso had already been freed. The Officers dutifully behead the Younger Son of the Duchess and deliver it to Ambitioso and Supervacuo.

PANDERERS

“Ghost characters”. In a masque before the action of the play begins, they assisted Younger Son to rape Lord Antonio’s wife.

PIATO

A panderer. Vindice takes this name as his disguise when he first comes to court. As Piato, he mistakenly lures his master Lussurioso into an apparent assassination of the Duke. In turn, Lussurioso orders Piato's death and ironically hires Vindice to murder him. Vindice dresses the murdered Duke as Piato and, as Lussurioso watches, falls upon the corpse and stabs it. Lussurioso concludes that Piato murdered the Duke and escaped wearing the Duke's clothes.

PIERO

A gentleman with whom Vindice and Hippolito plot to assassinate the ruling family. He takes part in the final masque of revengers.

SERVANTS, SPURIO’S TWO

They tell Spurio of Lussurioso’s attempt to bed Castiza and are overheard by Hippolito before Vindice can deliver the same news that Gratiana is going to act as bawd to her daughter. They go with him to catch Lussurioso with Castiza but are foiled because Lussurioso has gone instead to try to catch Spurio with the Duchess.

SPURIO

The Duke's bastard son. Spurio is a misanthrope and a malcontent who has designs on cuckolding the Duke by bedding his bride, the young Duchess. At this he succeeds. The dying Duke, murdered by Vindice and Hippolito, is forced to watch secretly as Spurio successfully seduces the Duchess at an inn. He plans to kill the new Duke, his half-brother Lussurioso, and to that end joins with his step-brothers Ambitioso and Supervacuo to present a masque of revenge. The masque is to end with knives produced and Lussurioso murdered. However, when they come to fall upon the party, they find that everyone is already dead. After Supervacuo stabs Ambitioso and proclaims himself Duke, Spurio stabs Supervacuo and proclaims himself Duke. He is then stabbed himself by the fourth member of their masque, an unnamed lord.

SUPERVACUO

The young Duchess's second son. He pretends to plead for his step-brother Lussurioso's release from jail. In fact he is eager to have him killed so he might step in line for the dukedom himself. He is fooled into thinking that he is ordering Lussurioso's death when he in fact orders the execution of his own youngest brother. When the head is brought to him and his other brother, Ambitioso, they at first gloat over the deed but are horrified and angered when they learn the truth. Supervacuo joins with his brother Ambitioso, step-brother Spurio, and an unnamed lord to present a masque of revenge. The masque is to end with knives produced and Lussurioso murdered. However, when they come to fall upon the party, they find that everyone is already dead. Ambitioso then proclaims himself Duke, and Supervacuo stabs him to death. When Supervacuo then proclaims himself Duke, Spurio stabs him to death.

VINDICE

"The revenger," Vindice carries the skull of his love, Gloriana, to kindle his vengeance. Angered by the ruling Duke, who has caused the deaths of his father and sweetheart, Gloriana, Vindice sets upon a quest to murder him. Disguising himself as Piato, a panderer, he uses his brother Hippolito's influence to win preferment with the Duke's son, Lussurioso. He is hired to act as go-between for Lussurioso and a young country virgin of his liking. The virgin turns out to be Vindice's own sister, Castiza. Vindice uses the opportunity to test his sister's honor only to discover that his mother, Gratiana, is willing to prostitute Castiza to Lussurioso. Vindice learns that the Duke's bastard, Spurio, intends to cuckold the Duke with his new, young wife. When he leads Lussurioso into the bedchamber, he is surprised to find the Duke in bed with his young Duchess. Although Vindice escapes, Lussurioso is captured and imprisoned for the apparent assassination attempt. He lures the Duke to a country inn and tricks him into kissing the poisoned skull of Gloriana. He then stakes the Duke's tongue to the balcony floor and forces him to watch secretly as Spurio and the Duchess cuckold him. Lussurioso, newly released from prison, sets out to punish "Pieto" for betraying him. Vindice learns of this when Hippolito hires him in Lussurioso's name to murder his own alter ego, "Pieto." He dresses the dead Duke in Pieto's clothes and lays him on a couch. As Lussurioso watches, Vindice (now in his own clothes) falls upon "Pieto" and stabs him. When they discover it is the dead Duke, Lussurioso concludes that "Pieto" murdered him. Vindice then plot with his brother, Hippolito, a nobleman named Piero and a fourth lord to dance in a masque at the celebration of Lussurioso becoming Duke. There, they unmask and murder Lussurioso and several of his nobles at a banquet table. When Vindice later boasts to Antonio, the new ruler, that he is responsible for ridding the land of the old ducal family, both he and Hippolito are sentenced to be executed for their crimes. Vindice goes to death happily, knowing that his acts have created a better world.

VINDICE'S FATHER

A "ghost character". Before the play begins, he died in disgrace and discontent brought about by the Duke.

YOUNGER SON

In some texts referred to as "Junior," he is the Duchess's youngest son. Before the play he commits a heinous rape against the noble Antonio's wife. The lady commits suicide from the shame of it. He is not executed but jailed for the deed. In a mix up, his brothers attempt to order the execution of Lussurioso but mistakenly order the beheading of Younger Son. It is not until his head is taken to them that they realize their mistake.

Synopsis:

I.i Vindice ("the revenger") is a subject of a Duke, who has wooed and poisoned Vindice's love, Gloriana, before the play begins. In addition, the Duke is responsible for Vindice's father's death, the father died of "discontent" from the "disgrace" the Duke piled onto him-all this before the play begins.

The Duke is an old man, although a lecher, who has two sons, Lussurioso (also a lecher) and Spurio (a discontented bastard of the Duke's). The Duke has recently married a younger woman, his Duchess, who has three sons herself, Ambitioso (her eldest), Supervacuo (her middle), and a character listed only as Younger Son in the Dramatis Personae. These stepchildren are discontented and dislike the Duke and Lussurioso. Spurio, the bastard, hates everyone.

Vindice has a brother, Hippolito (sometimes called Carlo), who is a courtier. They have a sister, Castiza, who is a country virgin. Their mother is Gratiana, also a countrywoman. Vindice suggests that he will go to court in disguise.

I.ii Younger Son is tried for raping Antonio's wife, found guilty, but the Duke stays pronouncement of execution, preferring to have Younger Son locked in prison for a while. Younger Son's brothers, Ambitioso and Supervacuo, promise to work for his release. Meanwhile, Antonio's wife has committed suicide for the shame of the rape, and left her husband, the noble Antonio, alone to grieve for her. The Duchess and her stepson Spurio plot an assignation to cuckold the Duke.

I.iii Lussurioso approaches Hippolito to find a panderer for him that he might try the virginity of a young woman he has his eye on. Hippolito sees this as a chance to bring his brother to court so they may conspire against their enemies, the Duke and his family. Vindice comes disguised as Piato the panderer and is surprised to hear that the young virgin to be tempted is none other than his own sister, Castiza. Vindice sees this as an opportunity to test the mettle of his sister.

I.iv Antonio displays his wife's corpse before several lords, Piero, and Hippolito. They swear by Hippolito's sword to see justice done.

II.i In the guise of Piato, Vindice woos Castiza for Lussurioso. Vindice is secretly delighted at Castiza's strong rebuff of the indecent suit, but is surprised when their mother, Gratiana, intercedes to convince Castiza to play up to the heir apparent. Castiza is steadfast, but Gratiana begs "Piato" to give her a little time to work the virgin to Lussurioso's will.

II.ii Meantime, Hippolito overhears Spurio plotting with the Duchess, his stepmother, to cuckold the Duke, his father. Hippolito tells "Piato" of the plan, and "Piato" in turn tells Lussurioso, in hopes of undoing the bastard Spurio.

II.iii "Piato" and Lussurioso steal into the Duke's bedchamber, where they believe the assignation between Spurio and Duchess is taking place, but are surprised to find the Duke in bed with his wife, the assignation not yet having occurred. "Piato" beats a hasty retreat, but Lussurioso is captured and sent to prison for plotting against the life of his father and Duke.

Ambitioso and Supervacuo see this as an opportunity to appear to be good sons and at the same time get rid of Lussurioso. They plead to the Duke for Lussurioso's life, hoping that reverse psychology will make the Duke hasten Lussurioso's execution, but the Duke sees through their plan and agrees to let Lussurioso free. Ambitioso and Supervacuo change at once and try to convince the Duke that Lussurioso is a danger. The Duke pretends to be convinced, and gives them his signet to have Lussurioso executed, but he sends two nobles out right away to have Lussurioso freed--the Duke suspects that Lussurioso's actions were prompted by some mistake, and Ambitioso and Supervacuo's two-faced pleading has convinced him of Lussurioso's innocence.

III.i Supervacuo and Ambitioso gloat over their commission as they make their ways to the prison.

III.ii The nobles retrieve Lussurioso from prison before Ambitioso and Supervacuo arrive.

III.iii When the brothers do arrive, they feign sorrow and deliver the signet to the jailer. They tell him that the Duke has ordered the execution of their brother, and that he must do it at once, that he must not allow a public execution, but behead their brother privately, so as not to stir up the population of the dukedom. Ambitioso and Supervacuo believe they have doomed Lussurioso.

III.iv The Younger Son, being the only "brother" left in prison, is beheaded at once. Though he tries to talk his way out of the execution, the officers will hear no protests or explanation.

III.v Hippolito and "Piato" arrive at a dark lodge in the Court where they know Spurio and the Duchess have planned to meet and cuckold the Duke. "Piato" has instructed the Duke to meet him at the same lodge with the idea of enjoying a young virgin, but really it is a trap to kill the old Duke. Vindice has brought with him the skull of his love, Gloriana, and has dressed it up to appear a woman. This skull is smeared with a vitriolic poison. When the Duke arrives, he instructs the nobles accompanying him to tell no one where he is, that he went out riding alone. When the nobles leave, "Piato" tricks the Duke into kissing the skull. The caustic poison eats off the Duke's lips, rots his teeth, and burns his tongue. Hippolito and Vindice force the Duke to watch as Spurio and the Duchess meet and cuckold him (they, of course, are not aware of the presence of the Duke, Hippolito, or Vindice). After the Duke has seen this, Hippolito and Vindice stab him and hide the body.

III.vi Meantime, Ambitioso and Supervacuo gloat over their trick on Lussurioso. An officer brings in Younger Son's bleeding head, which they take to be that of Lussurioso. They glory in the officer's description of the deed. But when Lussurioso enters, they learn of the mistake in prison. They are, understandably, upset.

IV.i Lussurioso believes that Piato is responsible for his mishap and asks Hippolito to bring him another fellow to do him service. He suggests that Hippolito bring his brother, Vindice, up from the country.

IV.ii When Vindice comes to Lussurioso, he is hired to kill Piato (who is, of course, only Vindice in disguise). To make matters worse, Lussurioso wants to see Piato meet his doom. Lussurioso idly wonders where his father might be and is told by one of the nobles that he "is rid forth."

Vindice contrives to dress the dead Duke up in Piato's clothes and stab him in the presence of Lussurioso with Lussurioso's order to do so.

IV.iii Meantime, Ambitioso and Supervacuo have realized that their mother is bedding the bastard, Spurio, and contrive to undo their shame by killing Spurio.

IV.iv Vindice and Hippolito go to their mother, Gratiana, and threaten to kill her for her endangering the chastity of Castiza. Gratiana's tears of earnest repentance cause them to put aside their daggers and leave her in her repentance. Castiza comes to Gratiana and tells her she has decided to do as Gratiana wishes and give herself to Lussurioso, but Gratiana begs that Castiza not do so. Castiza finally admits she was only testing Gratiana's earnest repentance, and that she never had any intention of giving up her chastity.

V.i Hippolito and Vindice set up the Duke's corpse as Piato on a couch. Though they planned to kill Lussurioso after the trick with the Duke's corpse, Lussurioso unwittingly comes with several nobles and thus spoils their plan. Lussurioso takes the supine figure of "Piato" to be drunk and orders Vindice and Hippolito to stab him. When the body is stuck through, Lussurioso realizes it is the Duke and surmises that the evil Piato, knowing he was about to be caught, killed the Duke and dressed him in Piato's cloths in order to give himself time to escape.

Lussurioso becomes Duke, orders the mourning of the old Duke, the banishment of the Duchess, and a party to celebrate his new status.

V.ii Vindice plots with Piero, Hippolito, and some lords to assassinate the ruling family at the masque.

V.iii In a dumb show we see Lussurioso made Duke. Music plays and a banquet is brought forth.

All in secret, Spurio plans to kill Lussurioso, Supervacuo plans to kill Spurio, and Ambitioso plans to kill Supervacuo.

At the party honoring the new duke, a blazing star appears, foreboding doom to men of high status. Lussurioso sits at table with three of his nobles. Vindice, Hippolito, and two dissatisfied nobles enter dressed as masquers, dance, produce knives, and kill all at the table. After they leave, Ambitioso, Supervacuo, Spurio, and a Lord, enter also dressed as the masquers, dance, and discover the deed is done just as they are prepared themselves to kill everyone at the table.

Supervacuo proclaims himself new Duke and is stabbed by Ambitioso. Spurio stabs Ambitioso. The Lord stabs Spurio. When everyone comes in, Antonio, Vindice, Hippolito, et al, only the Lord is left living. Antonio is proclaimed new duke, and the Lord is sent to execution for the murder of the ducal family. Lussurioso is not quite dead, and Vindice whispers to him how it was he who undid Lussurioso. Vindice cannot contain himself and proudly boasts how he and Hippolito have brought about this glad change from the old Duke to Antonio. Antonio, acting the just man that he is, sentences Vindice and Hippolito to execution for the assassinations. Vindice comforts himself that he has served his purpose, avenged his father and sweetheart, seen his mother converted to honesty, and been assured of his sister's chastity. He has also thrown down a lecherous ruler and his evil family. He is content to die.

Characterization:

Vindice, a name which means "A revenger of wrongs", is the perfect example of the malcontent/revenger corrupted by his righteous cause. In taking on the tools of evil, he is tainted and doomed to die. The connection between Vindice and Hamlet is very close:
  • Vindice is seen in several scenes holding a skull, highly reminiscent of the Yorick scene.
  • Vindice has occasion to test the honesty of his mother, and is upset to weigh her and find her wanting in a pseudo-incestuous scene reminiscent of the chamber scene between Hamlet and Gertrude.
  • Like Hamlet's Ophelia, Vindice has both a chaste female character to play off of in Castiza, and a dead sweetheart to mourn in Gloriana.
  • Like Hamlet's Horatio, Vindice has a close confidant to whom he can confide in Hippolito.
  • Like Hamlet's supernatural spur to revenge, Vindice is out to avenge the death of his father.
  • Unlike Hamlet, Vindice is tainted by his methods-a charge that can be laid upon Hamlet, but which is tenuous in comparison to the obvious delight Vindice partakes of in accomplishing his foul deeds.
  • Finally, Vindice does not have to commit the murders; like Malevole/Altofronto in The Malcontent, he has successfully set his enemies against one another-he has only to wait for them to kill off each other. But he is not able to wait. His murder of Lussurioso and the nobles in Act V is the best example of this; he need not come in disguised as a masquer because Spurio, Ambitioso, Supervacuo, and the 4Lord are prepared to do the dirty work themselves. Vindice is therefore unnecessarily tainted by his own eagerness.

Hippolito is cardboard and more ill developed than is Hamlet's Horatio, filling the position of confidant only to allow the audience to overhear Vindice's plans.

Other ill-developed characters include Spurio, the bastard, who lives to hate. The Duke, who is simple a lecher (as is Lussurioso). Ambitioso, Supervacuo, and Younger Son, who merely try to advance their own positions. Antonio, who is merely noble. Castiza, who is merely pure.

Gratiana has some character dynamic, and represents repentant wantonness, giving the play some moral vision. She seems to represent that the world can indeed repent its sinful ways. But even she must repent at knife-point, so the moral vision is not terribly strong and in the final analysis characters are either wholly corrupt (as are the members of the ducal family), corruptible (as are Vindice and Hippolito), or purely good (as are Antonio and Castiza). Gratiana demonstrates that one can shake off corruption in the world only through compulsion.

Gloriana, who appears only as a skull in the play, is perhaps among the most interesting of characters. She represents the purity of a former time, but, interestingly, her purity, like Castiza's, seems to inspire only the worst in men (viz.lust and the urge to murder). As a dead virgin, Gloriana might represent the glory of the Elizabethan rule, which was expanded to legendary proportions immediately after her death in 1603. If so, is it not too long a stretch to suggest that the Duke might represent James I?

Antonio's wife, who appears only as a corpse in I.iv, is the woman who was raped by Younger Son. She has taken her life for the shame of the violation--very like the reaction of Lucrecia at Tarquin's rape of her. Here again is an image of chastity inspiring only evil in men. Purely good women seem to be, according to this play, the curse of mankind. Gloriana inspired lust in the Duke, who killed her with poison and created the catalyst for events in the play. Antonio's wife was ravaged by Younger Son, which sets up the main tension between the members of the ducal family and between the ducal family and the good nobles of the court. Castiza's beauty is responsible for Lussurioso's lust for her, which in turn brings the revenger, Vindice/Piato, into the court to do his avenging. This in turn causes the deaths of everyone who dies after Act I in the play.

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Notes of interest:

Economic imagery, and the tension between having land or having money for wealth, runs throughout The Revenger's Tragedy. See especially:
  • I.iii.50-54 (after turning all their land into money, these court fools don't have even enough land to sand the petition dry);
  • II.i.79-102 (chastity is a country girl, agrarian, tied to the land and the foolish virtues of the superstitious bumpkin and can easily be sold to gain capital);
  • II.i.179-181 (a woman who keeps her honor, but cannot keep herself fed because of it, is a fool);
  • II.i.207-32 (especially telling argument for selling land/chastity and moving to the city with one's newfound, portable wealth);
  • III.v.70-81 (land is not measured by rods, but by the tailor's yardstick);
  • IV.iv.46-50 (the soul/body is one's land, and if one does not tend it with virtue, it becomes a wasteland).

A second important image is the tongue-it is generally referred to as a seductive instrument even to the point of being phallic itself. See the following:

  • I.iii.111-16 (using tongue to "enter" Castiza's soul, that she might be "broke" and no longer virgin);
  • I.iii.119 ff. (speaking as a sort of orgasm/tongue as a phallus);
  • II.i (Vindice, disguised as Piato, uses his tongue/speech to try to win the maidenhead of Castiza-first, unsuccessfully, with Castiza, and second, successfully, with Gratiana-in not only a seduction but an incestuous one at that. So successful with Gratiana is he, indeed, that she says, "Oh, if I were young I should be ravished" (188-89));
  • III.v.160 (end of the Duke's sexual escapade coincides with the destruction, inter alia, of his tongue);
  • IV.iv.148-54 (men's tongues as seducers).

The Memento Mori is an important image in the play. Gloriana's skull is used as St. Ignatius Loyola enjoined: to-wit, man must meditate on death in order to bolster spiritual awareness. Although the characters do not do so, they thus admonish the audience, cf.

  • I.iii.41-44 (a bawd as a person who sets skeletons together);
  • III.v.83-106 (like Hamlet's "let her paint an inch thick, to this favor she shall come").

This play was almost certainly written by Thomas Middleton rather than Tourneur. One play we know that is Middleton's, A Mad World My Masters, could well be this play's alter-piece. Compare the following:

  • MWMM III.iii.64-65 with RT IV.ii.199-200;
  • MWMM III.iii.75-6 with RT IV.ii.223-22;
  • MWMM V.ii.261 with RT V.iii.106;
  • Also note the odd pun on "bony/bonny" in MWMM III.iii.139 and RT III.ii.120.
The evidence seems to point clearly to Middleton's authorship. Thus, rather than The Atheist's Tragedy providing the alter-piece to this (tainted revenger v. untainted revenger dichotomy) a Middletonian authorship falls into the established mode of comic first half/tragic second half of alter-pieces (cf. Spanish Tragedy 1 & 2, Antonio and Mellida/Antonio's Revenge, etc.)

Plays to be compared:

Shakespeare's Hamlet (for the obvious reliance on the images and revenge motif from that play, see especially the incest image, swearing by the sword in I.iv.56-65, use of skull as memento mori, and the sense the revenger has of the morality-at least the justice-of his acts, and for the plays within the play-The Mousetrap in Hamlet and the masques at the end of The Revenger's Tragedy);

Marston's The Malcontent (for the bed confusion action, and also for its opposition to the Malevole/Altofronto character who is always in control of the situation and who never falls into corruption through his acts);

Middleton's A Mad World, My Masters (for the line repetitions in exactly the same situations--see discussion under "Notes of interest" supra);

Marlowe's Edward II (for Lussurioso's cretin susceptibility to flattery). And EII, Shakespeare's Richard III and Hamlet, as well as Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy (for play-within-play at end) (and all four plays for the double-meaning letter which appears in III.v.56-66 of The Revenger's Tragedy as compared to the letter in Latin ordering Edward II's death (which can also be construed two ways); the letter sent for Clarence's execution (which comes before the letter to spare him), and the letter sent with Hamlet to England (which is altered to call for the execution not of Hamlet but rather of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern)).

Shakespeare's Measure for Measure (for the element of chastity causing evil-cf. the Angelo-Isabella plot with the Duke-Gloriana, Lussurioso-Castiza, Younger Son-Antonio's wife plots).

Marlowe's The Jew of Malta (for the killing of the dead body plot-cf. the 1 friar/2 friar sequence with the dead Duke/Piato sequence).

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