The Spanish Tragedy
The Spanish Tragedy, or Hieronimo is Mad Again is a play by Thomas Kyd. It is a tragedy. The exact date the play was written is uncertain. It was probably written in the 1580s.
| The Spanish Tragedy | |
|---|---|
 Title page of the 1615 edition | |
| Written by | Thomas Kyd |
| Characters | Revenge Ghost of Andrea King of Spain, etc. |
| Date of premiere | 1580s |
| Place of premiere | London, England |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Revenge |
| Genre | Tragedy |
| Setting | Spain and Portugal during the Renaissance |
Ben Jonson referred to the play in Bartholomew Fair. This suggests that The Spanish Tragedy was staged between 1584 and 1589. A date earlier than 1588 is very likely.
The play is about the horrific murders of the heirs to the Spanish throne. It had great influence on Elizabethan playwrights. Shakespeare may have adopted elements of the play for Hamlet.
