The concerns of civilized human society from the beginning on until our days have not changed much. The basic problems of mankind and therefore the basic topics literature was written about are religion, love, family and war. English Renaissance drama is no exception to that. One of the most fascinating genres of Shakespeare’s contemporaries is the Revenge Tragedy. It combines revenge plots with love matters and confronts all this with the structure and beliefs of society. One of the motifs the Revenge Tragedy depends on in order to remain absorbing for the audience is the motif of romantic love. Hence this will be the topic of the paper at hand. Further on I will discuss the different aspects of romantic love and analyse their status in Renaissance society and also the representations of this aspects in three of the most important Revenge Tragedies of that time.
At first I will look on how love was seen in Renaissance society, and in which way matters of marriage were settled. This topic will be regarded deeper in the second chapter, where the approach to love and marriage will be exemplified on the tragedies. The problem of marriage, particularly unequal and secret marriage will be analysed in John Webster’s The Duchess of Malfi. Afterwards I am going to compare the play to Thomas Kyd’s The Spanish Tragedy and see how Kyd handled the Problem of unequal relationships. In chapter 3.3 one of the most important plays in literary history will be analysed on the love relationships of its main characters. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet the romance between the Prince of Denmark and the fair Ophelia is of highest interest to the literary critic. Well, naturally the motif of romantic love does not only include marriage and interpersonal relationships, but also the question of sexuality is quite important. In this paper, I will discuss the dealing with all these topics in the Renaissance tragedies by working closely with the plays in question. As will be found out in the course of the discussion, romantic love, with its different aspects is a crucial motif to every successful Revenge Tragedy.
Table of Contents
1.Introduction
2. Romantic love and the problem of marriage in Renaissance society
3.The problem of love and marriage in Revenge Tragedies
3.1. John Webster: The Duchess of Malfi
3.2. Thomas Kyd: The Spanish Tragedy
3.3. William Shakespeare: Hamlet
4. The question of sexuality
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
Research Objectives and Key Themes
The primary objective of this paper is to explore the crucial role of romantic love and sexuality as motifs within the genre of English Renaissance Revenge Tragedies, specifically examining how societal structures and conventions regarding marriage influenced these narratives.
- The social perception of marriage and love in the Renaissance era.
- The intersection of revenge plots with romantic relationships.
- Individual rebellion against patriarchal norms and marriage constraints.
- The role of human sexuality as a catalyst and expression of defiance in dramatic literature.
- Comparative analysis of love relationships in works by Webster, Kyd, and Shakespeare.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. John Webster: The Duchess of Malfi
John Webster’s play The Duchess of Malfi was published in 1623 and is based on the true story of Giovanna d’Aragona and the account of it in Bandello’s Novelle, which was adapted into French by François de Belleforest. In the play the young widow of the Duke of Malfi, marries her servant Antonio, despite the forbiddance of her two brothers Ferdinand and the Cardinal to marry again. Throughout the whole play her brothers dictate the Duchess violently, they expect her “to concede their authority over any alliance to be made by her marriage” and react with cruel brutality when they learn of her disobedience. The Duchess however, being a young and prospering woman rebels against the patriarchal regime of her brothers and marries nevertheless. Besides that, she also chooses Antonio, who is her servant and of common blood. This means, that the marriage is secret and also unequal, which brings a whole load of problems with it. The Duchess is the female regent of Malfi, a powerful woman ruling over a male court. She is supposed to remain the chaste mourning widow for the public, but really she longs for love, affection and tenderness.
Chapter Summaries
1.Introduction: This chapter outlines the paper's focus on the motif of romantic love in English Renaissance Revenge Tragedies and introduces the primary plays to be analyzed.
2. Romantic love and the problem of marriage in Renaissance society: This section details the historical context of marriage in the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras, highlighting the conflict between personal desire and patriarchal public interests.
3.The problem of love and marriage in Revenge Tragedies: This chapter establishes the connection between the popularity of Revenge Tragedies and the dramatic tension created by unapproved romantic choices.
3.1. John Webster: The Duchess of Malfi: This chapter explores the Duchess's rebellion against her brothers through her secret, unequal marriage to her servant, Antonio.
3.2. Thomas Kyd: The Spanish Tragedy: This chapter examines how Bel-Imperia uses romance and personal relationships as a manipulative tool to achieve revenge in a restrictive society.
3.3. William Shakespeare: Hamlet: This section investigates the secondary but significant role of the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia, and how Hamlet's psychological projection impacts his treatment of her.
4. The question of sexuality: This chapter discusses the role of sexual desire and chastity as central themes, analyzing how female characters in these plays navigate social and moral taboos.
5. Conclusion: The concluding chapter synthesizes the argument that romantic love is an essential, functioning motif that elevates the dramatic impact of Renaissance Revenge Tragedies.
6. Bibliography: This chapter lists the scholarly sources and references utilized throughout the analysis.
Keywords
Renaissance, Revenge Tragedy, romantic love, marriage, sexuality, patriarchy, John Webster, Thomas Kyd, William Shakespeare, The Duchess of Malfi, The Spanish Tragedy, Hamlet, gender roles, social norms, psychological projection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines how the motif of romantic love functions within the genre of English Renaissance Revenge Tragedies and how it interacts with the era's social norms regarding marriage.
Which plays are centrally analyzed in this study?
The study focuses on John Webster’s "The Duchess of Malfi," Thomas Kyd’s "The Spanish Tragedy," and William Shakespeare’s "Hamlet."
What is the primary research question?
The paper investigates how romantic love and sexuality act as crucial, often rebellious, motifs that drive the plot and highlight the tensions between individual desires and societal expectations.
Which methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a literary and cultural studies approach, analyzing the dramatic texts in the context of historical, social, and psychological frameworks of the Renaissance period.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body covers the historical context of marriage, the specific romantic conflicts in the chosen tragedies, and the broader role of sexuality and desire in the characters' motivations.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Renaissance, Revenge Tragedy, romantic love, marriage, sexuality, and patriarchal structures.
How does Bel-Imperia use romance in "The Spanish Tragedy"?
Bel-Imperia uses her relationships with men as a strategic tool to navigate her oppressive environment and to facilitate her planned revenge against those who murdered her lover.
What psychological theory does the author discuss regarding "Hamlet"?
The author discusses Sigmund Freud’s Oedipus complex theory but suggests an alternative interpretation where Hamlet projects his unresolved feelings for his mother onto Ophelia.
Why does the Duchess of Malfi risk her position for Antonio?
The Duchess rebels because her desire for love and affection is stronger than her adherence to patriarchal authority or her concern for maintaining her public status as a chaste widow.
What significance is attributed to the "unplucked flower" metaphor in "Hamlet"?
The metaphor symbolizes Ophelia's virginity and the innocence that is destroyed, which the author argues helps explain the character's descent into madness.
- Quote paper
- Natalia Gubergritz (Author), 2008, The motif of romantic love in Renaissance Revenge Tragedies, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/412616
