What Do I Read Next?
Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus (1594) narrates the sorrowful story of a talented individual who defies societal and moral limits, ultimately leading to his ruin. Similarly, Giovanni disregards social norms by engaging in incest with his sister, while Faustus trades his soul to the devil for forbidden knowledge and power. Both plays critique the Renaissance ideal of individualism, illustrating how excessive independence and intellectual arrogance result in death.
Mathilda, a short novel by Mary Shelley written in the nineteenth century but first published in 1959, also addresses the theme of incest boldly, even though the act itself remains unfulfilled. The novel revolves around a father who, after losing his wife, starts developing erotic feelings for his daughter, who strongly resembles his deceased spouse. To prevent himself from yielding to temptation, he abandons his daughter and eventually dies.
Director John Sayles explores incest in his 1995 film Lone Star. The film follows a policeman investigating a murder that might have been committed by his father, a former police officer. Although the incest is consummated in this story, its significance becomes a metaphor for the relationships between the United States and Mexico.
Other Renaissance revenge tragedies begin with a crime or injustice that must be avenged, as their name suggests. The most renowned of these are Shakespeare's Hamlet and Thomas Kyd's Spanish Tragedy. Critics also refer to the "Tragedy of Blood" genre, exemplified by Webster's The Duchess of Malfi and The White Devil.
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