User:Smallapalooza/Lorenzo (The Spanish Tragedy)

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Lorenzo makes an appearance early in the play in Act I, Scene II, alongside the Portuguese Prince Balthazar and Horatio, best friend of Don Andrea. The King of Spain asks Horatio and Lorenzo who should be credited for the capture of Balthazar. Lorenzo says "this hand first took his courser by the reins." Balthazar recognizes that both Lorenzo and Horatio had a hand in his capture, however, the King decides to have them share the reward. The King says that the ransom of the prince will be given to Horatio and Lorenzo has the responsibility of taking care of Balthazar. This split is not truly equitable but appears so as to maintain political stability. Having Lorenzo entertain Balthazar leavens the financial burden from Horatio, and allows Balthazar more comfortable living conditions, potentially assisting the peace negotiations between Spain and Portugal.

Lorenzo is an example of the recognized type in the Elizabethan theatre of the Machiavellian villain, a word that originated from the name of Niccolò Machiavelli, a philosopher in the early 16th century. All of his actions are pitiless and self-advancing. Lorenzo is highly manipulative and plays on the weakness of other characters; however, he takes rash actions in the play, neglecting the contemplative side of Machiavelli's philosophy. Lorenzo is not the only Machiavellian character in the play. His foil, Hieronimo, shares similar characteristics, but his contemplative nature and sympathetic motive make his manipulative traits easy to overlook.

In the play, Lorenzo shows an active displeasure in the constructedness of language saying, he doesn’t have any interest “…to spend the time in trifling words…” often opting for physical violence to get his way. Despite this Lorenzo is masterful with his rhetoric and is continually dishonest. He also showcases formal skills in Act III, when he delivers lines as couplets in Italian, showing his high status and potential to use speech artistically and intellectually to achieve his goals.