What is a Heroic Play?

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A heroic play (and most heroic plays end unhappily, and hence are tragedies), like
a heroic poem or an epic, is generally built around a larger-than-life heroic
warrior who is a master both of swordsmanship and stagy rhetoric. The hero is
almost invariably a "king, prince, or an army general. The plot of the play
involves the fate of an empire. Gallantry, adventure, love-and honour are the usual
themes of heroic plays. The principal conflict faced by the hero is between love
and honour. The writers of heroic plays aimed at the effects of intensity and
sublimity and were keen to arouse in the audience admiration rfrore than the
specific tragic emotions of pity and fear. The diction and verse used by them were
in accordance with their aim. They mostly used rhymed pentameter couplets (heroic
couplets) which were quite artificial but could be impressively declamatory. For
impressing the audience even more, elaborate stage scenery and even live animals
were used by theatre managers. Little wonder then if heroic drama managed to rival
the Restoration comedy of manners in popularity.