Revenge tragedy
Revenge has long been a human preoccupation and its exploration a predominant theme in literature from Seneca to Shakespeare, to more recently the likes of Tarantino and even Marvel and DC Comics. Acts of vengeance raise thought-provoking questions about the ethics of retribution, what the living owe the dead, as well as the concept of justice. We will begin with plays from the classical period in order to trace the evolution of this genre from its conception to the revenge tragedies of the Elizabethan age, those of the Gothic period and then through to more modern texts. We will analyse individual texts with regards to the conventions of the genre, the conventions and techniques specific to their form, and the values and attitudes of the historical and social context in which they were composed.