In The Revenger's Tragedy, the Duke's family is pretty sex-obsessed—they cheat, pay, poison, rape, and more, all in the name of getting into people's pants. But while these are the people in power for much of the play, the play presents any sex outside marriage as suspect, and strongly praises virginity and fidelity. To this end, most of the good characters are virgins or happily monogamous people—though they can still be sex-obsessed, as we see with Vindice and his fascination with other people's lust. Pro tip: Don't read this one with your grandma.
Questions About Lust
- What are the societal expectations about sex in this play? What does the play consider a healthy sexuality? Are there any examples of it in the play?
- Castiza is a happily chaste character in a sex-obsessed place. What aspects of chastity does she celebrate or enjoy?
- Vindice seems obsessed with other people's sexuality in an unhealthy way. Is this part of his slow corruption by desire for revenge, or is there some other aspect of his character that drives it?
- How are sex and reputation linked in this play? How does this play cut across class and gender lines?
Chew on This
In the society of the play, Castiza has more social power as a virgin than she would as the mistress of the Duke's son.
Sexual behavior is one of the main ways characters in the play decide who has a good reputation and who doesn't.