The Revenge: A Tragedy

In Short

Edward Young’s 1721 tragedy The Revenge is an intense, dark study of pride, manipulation, and psychological destruction set in Spain. Zanga, a Moorish prince reduced to a servant, harbors deep hatred for his master, the victorious Spanish general Don Alonzo. Rather than striking Alonzo down with a blade, Zanga orchestrates a relentless conspiracy: he tricks Alonzo into believing his new bride, Leonora, is unfaithful with his dearest friend, Don Carlos. Written in formal blank verse, the play endures as a powerful mirror to Othello, driven by a villain whose motives stem from ruined pride.

The Story

The narrative centers on Zanga, a royal Moor captured in battle by Don Alonzo. Outwardly serving Alonzo with absolute devotion, Zanga inwardly nursing bitter hatred for his enslavement and a past blow from Alonzo's hand. When Alonzo returns victorious from war against the Moors, he finds himself in a painful rivalry with his bosom friend, Don Carlos. Both men love Leonora, the daughter of the greedy courtier Don Alvarez. Carlos, whose wealth is swept away when his trading fleet sinks in a storm, loses Alvarez's favor. Alvarez pressures Leonora to marry Alonzo instead. Alonzo hesitates out of loyalty to his friend, but Carlos, willing to sacrifice his own happiness, gives Leonora his blessing to wed Alonzo.

Seeing his opportunity, Zanga constructs an elaborate web of deceit. He intercepts communications, plants false evidence, and arranges suspicious sightings to convince Alonzo that Leonora and Carlos were secret lovers before the wedding and continue their affair in private. Alonzo, prone to overwhelming fits of emotion, collapses into maddening jealousy. Guided at every turn by Zanga’s feigned sympathy and insidious suggestions, Alonzo orders Zanga to arrange the murder of Don Carlos on the road.

Driven to total despair, Alonzo resolves to execute his innocent wife to avenge his broken honor. He confronts Leonora in a secluded jasmine bower. Though her radiant innocence briefly stays his hand, her passionate defense and confusion only convince him further of her duplicity. Alonzo abandons her in fury, and Leonora, unable to endure her husband's accusations and hatred, takes her own life.

With both Carlos and Leonora dead, Zanga reveals his true masterwork. He confronts the shattered Alonzo, triumphantly confessing that every note was forged, every meeting misconstrued, and that Leonora was entirely pure. Alonzo swoons in agony as Zanga exults over his fallen captor. When Alvarez and the court guards arrive—having learned the truth from Zanga’s remorseful accomplice, Isabella—they disarm the Moor. Alonzo, declaring that he is already dead in spirit, stabs himself with a hidden dagger and falls beside Leonora. Zanga, facing the rack with unyielding defiance, feels a sudden, haunting pang of regret as he gazes upon Alonzo’s corpse, realizing his relentless vengeance has cast him straight into hell.

How It Unfolds

The storm of vengeance Zanga stands upon the stormy battlements of Spain, rejoicing in the tempest as a mirror to his inner rage. He reveals to his confidante, Isabella, his absolute hatred for Don Alonzo and his desire for ruin.

A friend's sacrifice Don Carlos loses his entire merchant fleet in a violent storm, prompting Alvarez to break Carlos's engagement to Leonora. Out of devotion to Alonzo, who once saved his life, Carlos relinquishes Leonora to his friend.

The seed of doubt Zanga exploits Alonzo’s fragile peace by forging a letter and framing a nocturnal meeting between Carlos and Leonora. He feigns a desire to protect Alonzo while systematically feeding him hints of betrayal.

The fatal command Driven to near madness by Zanga's relentless psychological pressure, Alonzo surrenders to his jealousy. He hands over his signet ring and commands Zanga to hunt down Don Carlos and murder him.

Confrontation in the bower Alonzo finds Leonora in the jasmine bower, intending to kill her. She wakes and passionately proclaims her love, but her mention of his hidden dagger triggers another outburst, driving her to end her own life in grief.

The bitter revelation Zanga openly boasts of his complete deception to Alonzo, detail by detail. Alonzo collapses under the horror of his mistake, realizing his innocent wife and faithful friend are both dead by his own hands.

The final blow Alvarez and his men seize Zanga, but Alonzo refuses to live with his guilt. Promising to rejoin Carlos and Leonora, Alonzo stabs himself, leaving Zanga to face torture while contemplating his empty triumph.

The People

• Zanga: A Moorish captive prince turned servant. He wants total retribution for his country's defeat and his personal humiliation. Driven by wounded pride, he uses cunning intrigue to dismantle Alonzo's life, ending in bitter realization after achieving his goal.
• Don Alonzo: A heroic Spanish general. He wants to balance his deep romantic love for Leonora with his intense loyalty to his friend Carlos. His flaw is an easily swayed, passionate nature that allows jealousy to consume him, driving him to murder and suicide.
• Don Carlos: A noble Spanish knight and Alonzo’s closest companion. He wants only Leonora’s love and his friend's happiness. He selflessly yields Leonora to Alonzo when his own fortune is lost, only to be murdered as a result of Zanga’s lies.
• Leonora: The daughter of Don Alvarez. She wants to be a dutiful daughter and a devoted wife to Alonzo. Her initial love for Carlos shifts to Alonzo, but she becomes the primary victim of Alonzo's jealousy, dying of a broken heart.
• Don Alvarez: An avaricious courtier. He wants wealth and status for his family above all else, forcing his daughter to abandon Carlos the moment Carlos loses his fortune.

In Its Own Voice

"Rage on, ye winds; burst, clouds; and, waters, roar! / You bear a just resemblance of my fortune, / And suit the gloomy habit of my soul."

Zanga welcomes a howling storm on the castle battlements, finding solace only in nature's violent upheaval.

"While in the lustre of her charms I lay, / Whole summer suns roll'd unperceiv'd away; / I years for days, and days for moments, told, / And was surpris'd to hear that I grew old."

Carlos reflects mournfully on his past romance with Leonora after losing his fortune and his bride.

"As I have been a vulture to thy heart, / So will I be a raven to thine ear, / As true as ever snuff'd the scent of blood..."

Zanga gloats openly over the shattered Alonzo, promising that every words he utters will carry horror and despair.

What It's Really About

The Revenge explores the destructive power of unexamined passion and pride. The central argument posits that emotional vulnerability, when untethered from reason, leaves even the most celebrated heroes susceptible to manipulation. Zanga’s plot relies entirely on Alonzo’s internal flaws—his excessive romanticism and high-strung nobility.

The play also examines the fallout of imperialism and racial subordination; Zanga’s rage is not senseless evil, but a response to his loss of royal status and his subjugation. Young contrasts the hypocritical social codes of honor and wealth in Spanish society with Zanga’s raw, single-minded quest for equality through destruction. Ultimately, the work asks whether vengeance can ever truly satisfy a wounded spirit, answering with a tragic negative as Zanga stands horrified before the corpse of his enemy.

Why Read It Today

The Revenge offers a fascinating 18th-century reimagining of the classic Othello framework. Readers who appreciate high-stakes theatrical drama, intense psychological warfare, and formal poetic verse will find much to admire. Young writes with a rhythmic, high-toned eloquence that makes the dialogue clash like rapier blades.

The chief difficulty for modern readers lies in its elevated, archaic diction and the extreme emotional swings of its characters. Alonzo's rapid slide from heroic virtue into blind rage requires a leap into the conventions of 18th-century melodramatic tragedy. Furthermore, the play reflects historical prejudices regarding the conflict between Spanish Christians and Moorish captives.

Yet, Zanga remains an exceptionally compelling antagonist—articulate, intelligent, and fiercely independent. The tension of watching his calculated trap spring closed around Alonzo provides a gripping experience. It stands as a powerful artifact of British dramatic history that repays close attention.

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