Splatter Theatre: Terrors and Horrors of Jacobean Tragedy in Philip Massinger's "Duke of Milan" (c. 1621) - ITA: Teatro Splatter: Terrori e Orrori della tragedia giacomiana in "The Duke of Milan" di Philip Massinger (c. 1621)

This article analyses The Duke of Milan (c. 1622), a revenge tragedy by Philip Massinger, through the lens of fear as both a thematic and structural device. The article distinguishes between ‘terror’ and ‘horror’, drawing from critical literature on the Gothic and on Jacobean tragedy as proto-Gothic, to show how fear works not only as a plot propeller, but also how Massinger, writing for a specialised audience, exploited established conventions and popular situations to enhance the nightmarish qualities of the theatrical experience. The Duke of Milan is shown to be clearly divided into two parts, both in terms of plot and audience experience: the first part is characterised by terror (i.e., the events and the characters’ actions are driven by the anticipation of possible horrors), the second by horrors: the murder of the Duchess, her corpse brought on stage embellished as if alive but visibly decomposing, and the Duke’s death by poisoning. Concurrently, the article shows how Massinger drew on the audience’s theatrical knowledge to encourage the anticipation of the play’s horrors, only to subvert those expectations, in a crescendo of dramatic rhythm – above all, the final twist: what initially appears to be an Italianate tragedy is, in fact, a revenge tragedy. The article also suggests that staging, lighting, costumes, and music in early modern indoor playhouses intensified the play’s emotional impact. Ultimately, the article positions The Duke of Milan as a transitional work between Jacobean and Caroline drama, showing Massinger’s skilful engagement with genre conventions and audience expectations to craft a theatrically rich tragedy.