On Tuesday we briefly discussed religion both during the time of “The Spanish Tragedy,” as well historically in Europe. It stood out to me then that Kyd would decide to use Classical Paganism throughout the story. When Don Andrea dies he does not go to Heave, Hell, or even Purgatory for that matter, but instead we find him among the River Styx, Charon, Pluto, and the underworld Hades. Why though? Why choose Classical Greek Mythology as the “be all, end all” for the afterlife?

The first thing that comes to mind is Homer’s epic “The Odyssey,” but religion-wise, the entire story is Greek Mythology with no trace of Christianity whatsoever. Then again, we also have “Paradise Lost,” by John Milton, who in a way rewrites the story of original sin, but before starting his poem, calls upon the muses to inspire him, much like a writer would usually do if he/she were writing an epic. Now does this mean that “The Spanish Tragedy” was Thomas Kyd’s attempt at an epic? I think it is quite possible.

Considering how long and winded these dialogued lines were, I could see no way that the actors could have possibly memorized them word for word, but instead they must have had to memorize parts of the lines, but not word for word; very similar to “The Odyssey,” were the lines weren’t written, but rather passed down through oral tradition. In addition, these three epics (which is what I am going to call “The Odyssey,” “Paradise Lost,” and “The Spanish Tragedy”) all revolve around revenge. In “The Odyssey,” Odysseus finally makes it back home, but then has to kill the suitors who are trying to marry his wife and take over his estate, in “Paradise Lost,” Satan is banished from Heaven, but spends the rest of “Paradise Lost” plotting his revenge, and in “The Spanish Tragedy,” we have Ieronimo trying to get revenge for the murder of his son Horatio.

This idea of revenge is also something that puzzled me, more directly when it came to religion. I question whether Kyd chose to have this Greek mythology as a backdrop for “The Spanish Tragedy” so that the characters can have their revenge. Remember that in Christianity there is a pretty steep price for killing someone (4^th Commandment I believe) so how could the characters get their revenge and still live peacefully in the afterlife if not for the Greek mythology. Consider the ending where Don Andrea begins to list where each person was going to go in the afterlife, Ieronimo to the Elysian Fields with Orpheus, Bel-Imperia with the Vestal Virgins, Lorenzo on Ixion’s wheel, etc…It would seem that it was necessary to include Greek mythology to not only make the revenge possible, but also one where the bad guys will continue to suffer for all eternity, while the good guys spent their afterlife with heroes.

I don’t know guys, what do you all think?