What are the 4 elements of Shakespeare's revenge tragedy?

Answer 1

Shakespeare wrote two revenge tragedies, Hamlet and Titus Andronicus. Let's see if some suggested elements fit both plays and two other famous revenge tragedies, Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy and Webster's The White Devil:

1. A play within a play: Hamlet yes, Spanish Tragedy yes, Devil no, Titus not really, unless you count Tamora dressing up as Revenge.

2. Ghosts: Hamlet yes, Spanish Tragedy yes, Devil and Titus no.

3. Murder/death: You betcha, lots of both in all four plays

4. Madness: Yes, there is feigned madness in The White Devil and Hamlet and real madness in the Spanish Tragedy, Titus and Hamlet.

5. Personifications of Revenge: Yes in Spanish tragedy and Titus, no in the others

6. Feigned reconciliation: Spanish Tragedy yes, Titus yes, Hamlet yes, Devil no.

7. Moors: Titus yes, White Devil yes, the others no.

8. Disguise: In The White Devil and Titus, and also in The Revenger's Tragedy, another revenge tragedy

9. Adultery: Implied in Hamlet, yes in the White Devil and Titus, not in the Spanish Tragedy.

Answer 2

The four elements of Shakespeare's revenge tragedy are a murder that needs to be avenged, the appearance of a ghost or supernatural element, the protagonist seeking revenge often at the cost of their own downfall, and a sense of justice or moral order being restored by the end.