DOCSLIB.ORG

University Wits

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
University Wits A brief study of UNIVERSITY WITS Presented for The students of Degree 1 English Hons. By Dr. Mohammad Shaukat Ansari Department of English M.L.S.M. College, Darbhanga, Bihar (L.N. Mithila University) UNIVERSITY WITS A Creative Group of Pioneer English dramatists (1585 – 1600) Elizabethan Age – The Golden age of Drama. The Pre-Shakespearean dramatists – John Lyly, Robert Greene, George Peele, Thomas Kyde, Christopher Marlowe – are known as University Wits. Marlowe has been justly called “the father of English drama”, “the Morning Star of the English Drama”. • The University Wits is a phrase used to name a group of late 16th century English playwrights who were educated at the universities. • Christopher Marlowe, 1564 - 93, Robert Greene, 1560 - 92 and Thomas Kyd, 1558 - 94 (graduates from Cambridge University) • Thomas Lodge, 1558 - 1625 and George Peele, 1558 - 98 (graduates from Oxford University) • The University Wits were professional writers in English, and prepared the way for the writings of William Shakespeare, who was born just two months after Christopher Marlowe. • Shakespeare was indebted to each of them. • The drama was truly national that time. • A true expression of national genius in England despite various foreign influences • Dramas became food for mind as well as eyes. • Even, performances were given every night, and as such dramas became source of income. • The University Wits drew materials from old plays, mythology, legend and history, and even revised them appropriately. • The University Wits were aware of demands of stage and audience too. • The University Wits made significant contributions to the development of English drama. • Their dramas were full of actions, thrills, sensations, supernaturalism and refinement. Features of University Wits • The credit for evolving a suitable dramatic medium goes to the University Wits. • Their contribution to the art of characterisation is significant. • They made definite improvements in the art of plot construction. • The University Wits brought about a change in the medieval concept of tragedy. (The medieval concept of tragedy implied the fall of some great man like king and prince. But Marlowe’s tragic heroes are not all born great. They achieve greatness by their own capacity of heroic action. • The University Wits imparted poetic grace and refinement to English drama. (Peele and Lyly decorated drama with a wealth of poetic imagery. Marlowe imparted fine intensity, lyrical eloquence (quality of persuasiveness in speech) poetic grandeur, and passion to English drama) • University Wits framed possibilities of the Romantic Drama (Marlowe perceived the drama as Romantic drama, the drama of the people, and adapted it to high purposes by his practice. He devoted his energy to its perfection. • The University Wits revolutionized the form of drama. (Marlowe was the first to divide the drama into acts and scenes, and thus to impart to it structural coherence.) • The University Wits contributed to displaying unity of action, unity of character and unity of interest. • The University Wits adapted heroic themes. • University Wits were usually actors as well as dramatists. (They knew the stage and the audience. In writing their plays they remembered not only the actor’s part but also the audience’s love for stories and heroic deeds.) • The collection of University Wits made the Elizabethan drama more popular with renaissance, humanism and patriotism. • They imbued thrill, action, sensation, humour and music with drama. • They filled their plays with life-like quality and diversity. • They displayed a vivid fondness of introducing heroic/tragic themes in their dramas. Eminent plays, written by University Wits • Lyly – Alexander, Endimion, Midas, Love’s Metamorphosis, The Wife in the Moon. • Peele – The Chronicle of Edward – 1, The Old Wive’s Tale. • Greene – King of Aragon, Orlando Furioso • Kyd – Spanish Tragedy (A brilliant Revenge Tragedy) • Marlowe – Tamburlaine, The Jew of Malta, Edward 11, Doctor Faustus • Lodge – Rosalynde, The Woundes of Civile war, • Nash – Summer’s Last Will and Testament Tips to write answer 1. Introduction of the topic in one paragraph 2. Features/Characteristics towards given topic with elaboration and references 3. Life and work of noted authors related to the topic/age/era 4. Conclusion with your own comments / observations 5. Remember – Remarks of critics in support / textual references in support / fascinating words always make your answer marks-fetching Thanks & Blessings !!! Mobile – 9431467734 WhatsApp – 9801607700 Email – shaukata12@yahoo.com .
Load more
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

13 pages remaining, click to load more.

Recommended publications
  • English Renaissance
    1 ENGLISH RENAISSANCE Unit Structure: 1.0 Objectives 1.1 The Historical Overview 1.2 The Elizabethan and Jacobean Ages 1.2.1 Political Peace and Stability 1.2.2 Social Development 1.2.3 Religious Tolerance 1.2.4 Sense and Feeling of Patriotism 1.2.5 Discovery, Exploration and Expansion 1.2.6 Influence of Foreign Fashions 1.2.7 Contradictions and Set of Oppositions 1.3 The Literary Tendencies of the Age 1.3.1 Foreign Influences 1.3.2 Influence of Reformation 1.3.3 Ardent Spirit of Adventure 1.3.4 Abundance of Output 1.4 Elizabethan Poetry 1.4.1 Love Poetry 1.4.2 Patriotic Poetry 1.4.3 Philosophical Poetry 1.4.4 Satirical Poetry 1.4.5 Poets of the Age 1.4.6 Songs and Lyrics in Elizabethan Poetry 1.4.7 Elizabethan Sonnets and Sonneteers 1.5 Elizabethan Prose 1.5.1 Prose in Early Renaissance 1.5.2 The Essay 1.5.3 Character Writers 1.5.4 Religious Prose 1.5.5 Prose Romances 2 1.6 Elizabethan Drama 1.6.1 The University Wits 1.6.2 Dramatic Activity of Shakespeare 1.6.3 Other Playwrights 1.7. Let‘s Sum up 1.8 Important Questions 1.0. OBJECTIVES This unit will make the students aware with: The historical and socio-political knowledge of Elizabethan and Jacobean Ages. Features of the ages. Literary tendencies, literary contributions to the different of genres like poetry, prose and drama. The important writers are introduced with their major works. With this knowledge the students will be able to locate the particular works in the tradition of literature, and again they will study the prescribed texts in the historical background.
    [Show full text]
  • The Relationship of the Dramatic Works of John Lyly to Later Elizabethan Comedies
    Durham E-Theses The relationship of the dramatic works of John Lyly to later Elizabethan comedies Gilbert, Christopher G. How to cite: Gilbert, Christopher G. (1965) The relationship of the dramatic works of John Lyly to later Elizabethan comedies, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/9816/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: e-theses.admin@dur.ac.uk Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 THE RELATIONSHIP OP THE DRAMATIC WORKS OP JOHN LYLY TO LATER ELIZABETHAN COMEDIES A Thesis Submitted in candidature for the degree of Master of Arts of the University of Durham by Christopher G. Gilbert 1965 The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. DECLARATION I declare this work is the result of my independent investigation.
    [Show full text]
  • The Plays of John Lyly Bachelor’S Diploma Thesis
    Masaryk University Faculty of Arts Department of English and American Studies English Language and Literature Petra Spurná The Plays of John Lyly Bachelor’s Diploma Thesis Supervisor: Mgr. Pavel Drábek, Ph.D. 2009 I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography. …………………………………………….. Author’s signature 2 Acknowledgement: I would like to thank my supervisor Mgr. Pavel Drábek, Ph.D. for his valuable guidance and advice. 3 Table of Contents 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................5 2. The Life of Johny Lyly...............................................................................................7 3. Lyly‟s Work..............................................................................................................12 3.1 Specific Conditions...........................................................................................12 3.2 Inventions..........................................................................................................14 4. The Plays...................................................................................................................18 4.1 Introduction to the Eight Plays..........................................................................18 4.2 Allegory.............................................................................................................25 4.3 Sapho and Phao.................................................................................................28
    [Show full text]
  • Lyly's <I>Midas</I> As an Allegory of Tyranny
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Faculty Publications -- Department of English English, Department of April 1972 Lyly's Midas as an Allegory of Tyranny Stephen S. Hilliard University of Nebraska-Lincoln, shilliard1@unl.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/englishfacpubs Part of the English Language and Literature Commons Hilliard, Stephen S., "Lyly's Midas as an Allegory of Tyranny" (1972). Faculty Publications -- Department of English. 4. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/englishfacpubs/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the English, Department of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications -- Department of English by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. L YLY’ S M IDAS AS AN A LLEGORY OF T YRANNY grand tradition of Renaissance humanism, but his study, for all Lyly’s Midas as an Allegory of its historical insight, did not demonstrate the thematic 1 Tyranny* complexity that enriches Lyly’s plays. This article is intended to show that Lyly treated in his play Midas the nature of tyranny, a theme usually associated with the public theater. His use of alle‐ gory in depicting this theme is an informative example of the Stephen S. Hilliard Elizabethan use of the allegorical mode for dramatic purposes. Midas is perhaps “a model of elegant speech and a mirror of John Lyly’s Midas is structured in terms of traditional allegorizations of manners,” to use M. C. Bradbrook’s terms, but Lyly is deprived the Ovidian myth that represent Midas as an avaricious and ignorant of his due as an artist if the analysis of his plays is restricted to tyrant.
    [Show full text]
  • In Conversation with Hank Whittemore
    In Conversation with Hank Whittemore 100 Reasons Shake-speare was the Earl of Oxford interviewed by Chris Pannell oday we are speaking with Hank Whittemore, noted author and well-known advocate of the Shakepeare Authorship Question. Whittemore’s latest book Tis 100 Reasons Shake-speare was the Earl of Oxford (published in 2016 by Forever Press). This title is available as a print-on-demand book from a variety of booksellers on the Amazon website and on Abebooks.com. We caught up with him on the Inter- net, where many interviews are conducted. Editor Welcome to The Oxfordian, Hank. HW Thanks for hosting me in these pages. It’s a pleasure to speak about matters that I think all your readers are interested in. Q1 Because of the scope of your book – 100 Reasons covers the 54 years of Edward de Vere’s life and periods of time before his birth and after his death – can you describe some of the organizational challenges to producing this book, and as well, organiz- ing any book on the Shakespeare Authorship Question? HW At first there was no organization whatsoever, because it began as a series of blog posts continuing over the course of three and a half years. I had made an offhand remark that there must be a hundred reasons for concluding Oxford was the true author, so it didn’t take long to realize I should try to back that up. As the blog posts went along, I tried not to think too far ahead. I went with whatever came to mind, so there was no overall structure.
    [Show full text]
  • University Wits
    Topic for BA Part 1 English hons Dr. Sanjay Sinha Head, English Dept. Patna College,PU Contact details: 9431493845 Sanjaynokia4.2@gmail.com UNIVERSITY WITS The term “University Wits”, coined by George Saintsbury (a 19th century journalist and author) , refers to a wise band of professed men of letters who were the "rising sap" of dramatic creativity in the 1580s . This group of late 16th- century English playwrights and pamphleteers who were educated at the universities (Oxford or Cambridge) became popular secular writers. Prominent members of this group were Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, and Thomas Nashe from Cambridge, and John Lyly, Thomas Lodge, and George Peele from Oxford. Thomas Kyd is also sometimes included in the group, though he is not believed to have studied at university. Edward Albert in his History of English Literature (1979) argues that the plays of the University Wits had several features in common: (a) There was a fondness for heroic themes, such as the lives of great figures like Mohammed and Tamburlaine. (b) Heroic themes needed heroic treatment: great fullness and variety; splendid descriptions, long swelling speeches, the handling of violent incidents and emotions. These qualities, excellent when held in restraint, only too often led to loudness and disorder. (c) The style was also ‘heroic’. The chief aim was to achieve strong and sounding lines, magnificent epithets, and powerful declamation. This again led to abuse and to mere bombast, mouthing, and in the worst cases to nonsense. In the best examples, such as in Marlowe, the result is quite impressive. In this connexion it is to be noted that the best medium for such expression was blank verse, which was sufficiently elastic to bear the strong pressure of these expansive methods.
    [Show full text]
  • The Shake-Scene
    The Shake-scene Robert Greene's allusion to Shakespeare and the Shakespeare studio of poets in his ‘Greene’s Groats-worth of Witte’. Author: Peter Dawkins The first allusion to Shakespeare is thought to be in the pamphlet, Greene’s Groats-worth of Witte, bought with a Million of Repentance, attributed to the Elizabethan scholar, writer and playwright Robert Greene and published a few weeks after Greene’s death on 3 September 1592. Robert Greene (1558-92), a graduate of Cambridge University, was one of the first authors in England to support himself professionally as a writer, poet and playwright, although he sadly died in extreme poverty. He published more than 25 works in prose, which included several romances starting with Mamilia (1580) and reaching their highest level in Pandosto, the Triumph of Time (c.1588) and Menaphon (1589), various short poems and songs, and “cony- catching” pamphlets. He also wrote several plays, none of which were published in his lifetime, including The Scottish history of James IV (c.1590–1), Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay (c.1589–92), Orlando Furioso (1592), and The Comical History of Alphonsus, King of Aragon (1599). Greene’s Pandosto provided the main plot and idea of Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale, and influences from the romantic comedies Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay and James IV can be found in the Shakespeare plays. Greene’s Groats-worth of Witte was the last of Greene’s autobiographical pamphlets. They formed his confessions and were edited by his friend, the playwright and printer Henry Chettle.1 The passage in question is in the epistle addressed “To those Gentlemen his Quondam acquaintance that spend their wits in making plays”.
    [Show full text]
  • Was Shakespeare a Euphuist? Some Ruminations on Oxford, Lyly and Shakespeare Sky Gilbert
    Brief Chronicles V (2014) 171 Was Shakespeare a Euphuist? Some Ruminations on Oxford, Lyly and Shakespeare Sky Gilbert or Oxfordians, the fact that John Lyly was Oxford’s secretary for fifteen years makes him a significant literary figure. Some Oxfordians have suggested Fthat Lyly’s plays are the works of a young Shakespeare written under a pseudonym. Oxford patronized two theater companies during the 1580s, Oxford’s Boys, and Oxford’s Men. Oxford’s Boys were based at the Blackfriar’s Theatre as well as Paul’s Church. Oxford transferred the boy’s company to Lyly, and Lyly went on to write many plays for them, including Endymion, Sapho and Phao, Gallathea, and Love’s Metamorphosis. John Lyly was born in 1553 or 1554. His grandfather was the noted grammarian William Lyly, famous for having written a widely utilized grammar textbook as well as for founding St. Paul’s School in London. Lyly attended Oxford but left before graduating, finding life more suitable as a poet. In 1579 he published his first novel, Euphues or the Anatomy of Wit. Apparently Lyly’s goal was to become Master of Revels, and he dedicated himself mainly to playwriting after the publication of his first novel. It is significant that Oxford and Lyly were (and are) linked as “Italianate” figures. Alan Nelson, in his biography of the Earl of Oxford, Monstrous Adversary, makes it abundantly clear that Oxford’s trip to Italy and his subsequent return to court flaunting his Italian clothes and manners branded him as not only Italianate, but superficial and effeminate: “His braggadocio is unmatched by manly deeds.
    [Show full text]
  • Thomas Watson, Christopher Marlowe, Richard Barnfield Tania Demetriou
    2 The Non-Ovidian Elizabethan epyllion: Thomas Watson, Christopher Marlowe, Richard Barnfield Tania Demetriou ‘I like short poems, but I want them to be epic.’ Alice Oswald1 Prologue or preludium: Richard Barnfield’s Hellens Rape One of the most riotous mythological narrative poems of the Elizabethan 1590s is Richard Barnfield’s Hellens Rape (1594), an experiment in hexameter verse, alliteratively subtitled ‘A light Lanthorne for light Ladies’.2 The rape of Helen is narrated by Barnfield like never before: Adulterous Paris (then a Boy) kept sheepe as a shepheard On Ida Mountaine, unknown to the King for a Keeper Of sheep, on Ida Mountain, as a Boy, as a shepheard: Yet such sheep he kept, and was so seemelie a shepheard, Seemelie a Boy, so seemelie a youth, so seemelie a Younker, That on Ide was not such a Boy, such a youth, such a Younker. (sig. G3v) Miraculously, given this narrative pace, Paris manages to make himself known to King Priam, and persuade him that he ought to bring back his aunt ‘Hesyone’ from Greece. On his laddish outing across the Aegean, he is escorted by ‘Telamour’, ‘lust-bewitched Alexis’, and ‘eyefull … Argus’, companions who prove predictably keen on a detour to ‘Lacedaemon’, where they are hosted by Helen in Menelaus’s absence. This is how the disaster happens: 55 First they fell to the feast, and after fall to a Dauncing, And from a dance to a Trance, from a Trance they fell to a falling Either in others armes, and either in armes of another. … … Each one hies home to his own home Save Lord and Ladie: … … Well to their worke they goe, and bothe they jumble in one Bed: Worke so well they like, that they still like to be working: For Aurora mounts before he leaves to be mounting: And Astraea fades before she faints to be falling: (Helen a light Huswife, now a lightsome starre in Olympus.) (sig.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study on University Wits and William Shakespeare
    Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol 2, No 3 A Study on University Wits and William Shakespeare H.L.Narayanrao Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans college, University of Mumbai Munshi Nagar, Andheri (w), Mumbai- 400058. India rau03@rediffmail.com Abstract According to Ben Johnson “William Shakespeare, was not of an age, but for all time”, The greatness of Shakespeare, is always in the history of literary world. His writings not for a particular period but to the future and forever. Today, we see a lot of debate on English Literature and popularity of the writers of the Renaissance of Elizabethan period. The University Wits were a group of late 16th century English playwrights who were educated at the universities of (Oxford or Cambridge) and who became playwrights and popular writers. Prominent members of this group were Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, and Thomas Nashe from Cambridge, and John Lyly, Thomas Lodge, George Peele from Oxford. The diverse and talented loose association of London writers and dramatists set the stage for the theatrical Renaissance of Elizabethan England. They were looked upon as the literary elite of the day and often ridiculed other playwright such as Shakespeare who did not have a university education or a degree either from Oxford or Cambridge Universities. Greene calls Shakespeare an "upstart crow" in his pamphlet, Groats Worth of wit. The Chief University Wits include: Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, Thomas Kyad, Thomas Nashe, Thomas Lodge,George Peele, John Lyly: Christopher Marlowe: Plays Dido, Queen of Carthage (c.1586) (possibly co-written with Thomas Nashe) Tamburlaine, part 1 (c.1587) Tamburlaine, part 2 (c.1587-1588) The Jew of Malta (c.1589) Doctor Faustus (c.1589, or, c.1593) Edward II (c.1592) The Massacre at Paris (c.1593 Marlowe was born in Canterbury to John Marlowe and his wife Catherine.
    [Show full text]
  • The University Wits Dr Md Sadique
    THE UNIVERSITY WITS PREPARED FOR B. A. (H) - I BY DR MD SADIQUE PROFESSOR P. G. CENTRE OF ENGLISH GAYA COLLEGE, GAYA CONTACT NO. + 91 9934002426 E-MAIL ID: SADIQ.GCG@GMAIL.COM THE UNIVERSITY WITS IS A PHRASE USED TO NAME A GROUP OF LATE 16TH-CENTURY ENGLISH PLAYWRIGHTS AND PAMPHLETEERS WHO WERE EDUCATED AT THE UNIVERSITIES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE AND WHO BECAME POPULAR SECULAR WRITERS. PROMINENT MEMBERS OF THIS GROUP WERE CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE, ROBERT GREENE, AND THOMAS NASHE FROM CAMBRIDGE, AND JOHN LYLY, THOMAS LODGE, AND GEORGE PEELE FROM OXFORD. THOMAS KYD IS ALSO SOMETIMES INCLUDED IN THE GROUP, THOUGH HE IS NOT BELIEVED TO HAVE STUDIED AT UNIVERSITY. THIS DIVERSE AND TALENTED LOOSE ASSOCIATION OF LONDON WRITERS AND DRAMATISTS SET THE STAGE FOR THE THEATRICAL RENAISSANCE OF ELIZABETHAN ENGLAND. THEY ARE IDENTIFIED AS AMONG THE EARLIEST PROFESSIONAL WRITERS IN ENGLISH, AND PREPARED THE WAY FOR THE WRITINGS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, WHO WAS BORN JUST TWO MONTHS AFTER CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE. IN THE HISTORY OF THE GROWTH OF ENGLISH DRAMA, PARTICULARLY ENGLISH TRAGEDY, SENECA, THE LATIN DRAMATIST WHO WROTE IN THE FIRST CENTURY AD, EXERCISED ENORMOUS INFLUENCE. HIS INFLUENCE WAS FELT IN CAMBRIDGE BETWEEN 1550 AND 1560, AND HIS APPEAL WAS SO GREAT THAT HIS TEN TRAGEDIES WERE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY 1581. WHEN THE UNIVERSITIES WERE RAGING WITH SENECAN BLAZE, MARLOWE, PEELE AND GREENE STUDIED AT THE UNIVERSITIES. THESE YOUNG MEN, AND SOME OF THEIR FOLLOWERS, WHO KNEW EACH OTHER WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EMERGENCE OF THE ELIZABETHAN SCHOOL OF DRAMA. CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES: EDWARD ALBERT IN HIS HISTORY OF ENGLISH LITERATURE (1979) ARGUES THAT THE PLAYS OF THE UNIVERSITY WITS HAD SEVERAL FEATURES IN COMMON: (A) THERE WAS A FONDNESS FOR HEROIC THEMES, SUCH AS THE LIVES OF GREAT FIGURES LIKE MOHAMMED AND TAMBURLAINE.
    [Show full text]
  • English Manju-University-Wits
    Degree I English Hons: University Wits: Submitted by Prof Manju Roy University Wits The University Wits were a group of well-educated scholars-cum-men of letters who wrote in the closing years of the sixteenth century. All of them were actively associated with the theatre and the plays written by them mark a pronounced stage of development over the drama which existed before them. With their dramatic work they paved the way for the great Shakespeare who was indebted to them in numerous ways. Given below are the names of these University Wits: (l) JohnLyly (2) Robert Greene (3) George Peele (4) Thomas Lodge (5) Thomas Nashe (6) Thomas Kyd (7) Christopher Marlowe They were called University Wits because they had training at one or other of the two Universities-Oxford and Cambridge. The only exception, and that a doubtful one, was Thomas Kyd. Apart from academic training (in most cases, an M. A. degree) they had numerous characteristics in common. They were members of learned societies and rather liberal in their views concerning God and morality. They were all reckless Bohemians and had their lives cut short by excessive debauchery or a violent death. Marlowe was killed in a street brawl, perhaps over bought kisses, and Greene, after a career of unfettered self-dissipation, died friendless and penniless and in a very touchingly repentant frame of mind. Further, in their intellectualism they were true embodiments of the impact of the Renaissance on English culture and sensibility. Then, all of them had fairly good relations with one another and were wont freely to lend a hand to one another in the writing or completing of dramatic works.
    [Show full text]