An Evening with Dr Hetherington: Tragic Violence in Shakespearean Literature

The lecture opened by evaluating the myriad of sources of tragedy in Shakespeare, considering the merit of specific critical views. After looking at some spuriously vague claims by contemporary critics, Dr Hetherington turned to Shakespeare’s peer, Philip Sidney, in order to move into the topic of ‘sweet violence’ and why we enjoy engaging with graphic and tragic stories.

We considered some of Shakespeare’s most bloodthirsty scenes, such as the infamous ‘pluck out his eyes’ scene from King Lear, followed by some of the more shocking moments in Titus Andronicus. Shakespeare certainly did not shy away from graphic horror onstage. In fact, Shakespeare appears to have been fascinated by the effects of such ‘sweet violence’. But why?

In order to answer this question, we looked to OMT, Edmund Spenser, and looked at the theatrical nature to his writing about his violence experiences as a colonial administrator in violence. Here, Dr Hetherington raised the issue of tonal instability which swathes writing about violence, and the conflict between violence as both a normalised procedure in the Early Modern era, and as a transgressive spectacle. In fact, Dr Hetherington drew our attention to the opportunities available to the idle population in the entertainment district of Elizabethan England; on a free afternoon, one could sample the latest drama from Marlowe and Shakespeare, or watch animals attacking one another. It would seem that drama was literally the neighbour to violence in the early Modern period.

The notion of violence as a delight was then related to some of our A Level texts: The Duchess of Malfi and Richard III. In fact, under close examination it is apparent that in both examples, characters luxuriate in the aesthetic spectacle of violence. ‘Sweet violence’ indeed.

We were then made aware that there is an issue of linear development in Shakespeare’s tragedies. Despite opening his illustrious tragic writing career with the morally farcical and incredibly violent, Titus Andronicus, Shakespeare did not adhere to this excessively violent format throughout all of his tragedies. In fact, we reflected that Shakespeare very rarely wallowed in violence onstage.

As time 'creeped in' at 'petty pace', we concluded by considering the verb 'to do' and the notion of 'work' in relation to Shakespeare's onstage violence, which catalysed sparky debate in relation to Lady Macbeth's use of the verb 'do' throughout Macbeth.

It was, without doubt, a treat to once again share an academic space with Dr Hetherington and to relish in his charismatic and engaging dissection of Shakespeare's writing. We thank him for his time on behalf of the whole English Department.