ABSTRACT
The worlds of the tragedies are worlds of kings and generals; power and status are woven into all the relationships we see. They are evident in the relationships between married couples – relationships rarely seen in the comedies, with the exception of The Merry Wives of Windsor. For Lady Macbeth and for Desdemona, the power dynamics of their marriages cannot be separated from the personal dynamics. There are still significant relationships between lovers to be found, but Romeo and Juliet is unique among the tragedies in focusing entirely on a relationship between lovers. In Troilus and Cressida, the lovers are, of course, important, but as part of the wider ‘war and lechery’ theme; Antony and Cleopatra dominate their play, but again, issues of power and honour are explored through other characters besides: Enobarbus, Octavius Caesar, Octavia, Sextus Pompey; Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia is arguably less problematic than his relationship with Gertrude; Othello spends more time with Iago than he does with Desdemona. We can expect to find T/V use as interesting as that in the comedies, but the influences on it will be different.
