Thomas Kyd

Probably born in London in 1558, Thomas Kyd was educated at the Merchant Taylors’ School and became one of the key dramatists of the Elizabethan stage. He is remembered above all for The Spanish Tragedy, a wildly popular play that helped define the revenge-tragedy form for English audiences.

Many details of his life are still unclear, and only a small number of works can be securely linked to him. Scholars have long associated him with The Spanish Tragedy and with the play commonly known as Soliman and Perseda, while his name has also been connected to the lost Hamlet sometimes called the "Ur-Hamlet."

Kyd’s final years were troubled. In 1593 he was arrested after allegedly heretical writings were found in rooms he had shared with Christopher Marlowe, and he later described being tortured during the investigation. He died in 1594, but his dramatic style and themes had a lasting impact on English theater.