Characteristics of a Machiavel in The Spanish Tragedy and...

Characteristics of a Machiavel in The Spanish Tragedy and Hamlet To understand a renaissance machiavel as portrayed in The Spanish Tragedy and Hamlet, it is necessary to find characters from both works that exhibit the characteristics of a machiavel (Plotting, secrecy and eventually murder). This is the difficult part, as most of the major characters in both plays exhibit some, if not all of these characteristics - while neither Heironimo nor Hamlet are villains, they both rely upon machiavellian tactics; they both feign madness to seem unthreatening, then proceed to strike when least expected: I will revenge his death! But how? Not as the vulgar wits of men, With open, but inevitable ills, As by secret, yet†¦show more content†¦This is not the only example of machiavellianism on her part; she takes advantage of Balthazars and Lorenzos preoccupation with their own intelligence and cunning to fool them into believing she is harmless - as Heironimo pretends to be mad, she pretends to be stupid: Brother, you are become an orator - I know not, I, by what experience - Too politic for me, past all compare, Since last I saw you; but content yourself, The prince is meditating higher things. The Spanish Tragedy III x 82-86 In essence, she convinces them both that she, being a woman, and women traditionally being rather passive members of the revenge tragedy, is in no need of further imprisonment. Indeed, she goes so far as to say that she is too stupid to understand what they are trying to do to her: To love and fear, and both at once, my lord, In my conceit, are things of more import Than womens wits are to busied with. The Spanish Tragedy III x 93-95 It is the stupidity she affects (Unlike Heironimo and Hamlet, her disability is completely feigned) that allows her to get into a position from which she can kill Balthazar. Indeed, her relationship with don Horatio started out as being a vehicle for her desire to avenge don Andreas death. It is arguably the case that she is the most devious,