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
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