Redhead, Charles
(2014).
'Butcher' and ‘The duchess, the queen, the whore and the housewife: revenge tragedy and its place in contemporary theatre’.
University of Birmingham.
M.Res.
Abstract
The aim of this thesis is to create a new piece of theatre taking elements from the revenge tragedy genre then subsequently use that piece as a primary text to analyze how and if the genre has influenced the creative process of contemporary theatre, either in the sense of entire generic conventions or stereotypical elements (however minor).
The first part of the thesis tells a story of the downfall of a woman with a troubled past; a serious of events similar to the earliest revenge tragedies but transposed into a contemporary setting. The story elements and character archetypes are disguised within the façade of a modern thriller, but the old techniques are the core of creating this engaging piece of theatre.
In the essay, these techniques are deconstructed. At first beginning with references to the wider framework of the oldest models of revenge tragedy (Senecan and Kydian), but then focusing in on specific elements with comparison to a varied array of contemporary writing to prove that the models are still in use to this day.
In conclusion, the thesis argues that while the revenge tragedy formula is considered archaic, its use in writing is still utilized.
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