The Spanish Tragedy

Super Short Summary

The Spanish Tragedy by Thomas Kyd is an Elizabethan revenge tragedy that begins with Horatio and Lorenzo disputing credit for capturing Balthazar, a Portuguese prince taken hostage after a significant battle. As tensions rise, Bel-imperia, who loved Andrea—killed by Balthazar—falls for Horatio. Following treachery and murder orchestrated by Lorenzo and Balthazar, Horatio's father, Hieronimo, enacts a brutal revenge plot involving a play-within-a-play, culminating in multiple deaths and his own suicide. The characters of Revenge and the ghost of Andrea oversee the events, revealing the consequences of moral actions beyond the immediate story. The play includes graphic violence, murder, and suicide.