The University Wits and Their Contributions: John Lyly, Thomas Kyd, George Peele, Thomas Lodge, Robert Greene, Thomas Nash and Christopher Marlowe

The Starting Words

The University Wits were all men of academic training. Saintsbury calls them the ‘mighty group of plannings who founded the English drama’. They had training at one of the two universities of Oxford and Cambridge. Read More History of English Literature (Essay) It was on account of their associations with the two universities that they were called University wits.  They were highly educated individuals who brought a new intellectual and academic approach to their literary endeavors. While their styles and subject matters varied, they shared a common interest in pushing the boundaries of dramatic and poetic expression. They fully underseen the influence of the Renaissance that was in its full bloom during their time. These keen students of Learning and Literature had been brought into personal touch with the new learning. They found drama most convened to their tastes and temperament: and favorably sited to their learning and training. The group of University wits consist of John Lyly, Thomas kids George Peele, Thomas Lodge, Robot Greene, Thomas Nash and Christopher Marlowe. These individuals made significant contributions to the development of English drama and literature, leaving an indelible mark on the literary landscape of the time. Now let us discus their contributions on English drama.

John Lyly(1554?-1606)

Lyly was the earliest of this group. He wrote eight plays. Unlike the rest of the group Lyly wrote for the court, not for the public theatres. Some of his plays are allegorical and mythical in tone. Some are realistic and some are historical in nature. They were characterized by their witty wordplay and pastoral themes. Lyly's works were immensely popular during his time and helped establish a new genre of romantic comedies. Lyly greatly contributed to the formation of the Romantic comedy. Read More History of English Literature (Essay) His comedies are romantic as well as witty. He also excelled in draining comic characters. His influence was widespread, his comedies were popular. Even Shakespeare took suggestions from them. William Shakespeare ’s As You Like It is an admixture of prose and verse form which is followed after Lyly. The best and the most important of his eight plays are Campaspe, Endymion and The  Woman in the Moone.

Thomas Kyd (?1558-94)

As the only exception among the University wits Kyd does not seem to belong to either of the two modesties.  As most celebrated work is his The Spanish Tragedie. His Spanish Tragedy is full of strong external actions.  This play, with its intricate plot and themes of revenge, had a significant influence on the development of Elizabethan drama. Kyd's work laid the foundation for the revenge tragedy genre, which later reached its pinnacle with Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Cornelia is his other surviving translation dramatic work. Read More History of English Literature (Essay) Kyd has managed the stage-effects with artistic skill. The plot is well-constructed, the dialogues are forceful. The delineation of character by Kyd is subtle. If Marlowe was responsible for developing psycho-trauma type of tragedy, Thomas ked is responsible for celebrating revenge.

George Peele (1558-98)

Peele began his career as a courtier. He was a man of letters and refinement and a graceful poet. He had a clever vision of Literature as an art. Like Lyly, he had a taste for ornament and cared for fine language. Peele is less witty and more poetic than Lyly. Though Peele’s dramatic career was very short his work shows great variety. His plays include The Arraygnement of Paris, a kind of romantic comedy, The old Wife’s Tale, a satire etc. His notable plays The Battle of Alcazar and Edward I, which showcased his talent for historical and political drama. Peele's poetry, such as The Old Wives' Tale, demonstrated his lyrical prowess and contributed to the growth of pastoral poetry during the period.

Thomas Lodge (? 1558-1625)

Lodge took to literature early. [He went to sea in 1591. He turned to medicine, became a Roman catholic, and died in 1625.]of his plays only two survive. Read More History of English Literature (Essay) His The Woundes of Civile War is a political drama. He probably collaborated with Shakespeare in Henry VI. He is best remembered for his prose romance Rosalynde, which served as the inspiration for Shakespeare's As You Like It. Lodge's works often combined elements of romance, adventure, and moral philosophy, reflecting the diverse interests of the Elizabethan audience.

Robert Greene (1558-92)

Greene’s contribution to English drama is remarkable in the field of characterization and plot-construction. Among his five plays Frier Bacon and Frier Bongay, The Scottish Historie of James the forth are notable. They offered a blend of comedy, romance, and supernatural elements. Greene's pamphlets, including "Greene's Groats-Worth of Wit," provided insights into the theatrical world and its rivalries.

Thomas Nash (1567-1601)

Nash was the youngest of the University wits. He had the least genius of all the set but most inborn journalist. The dramatic work of Nash is of little significance. He finished Marlowe’s Dido, but his only surviving play is Summer’s Last Will and Testament. His satire works, such as Pierce Penniless and The Unfortunate Traveller, were marked by their sharp wit and biting social commentary. Nash's innovative and daring style influenced later writers, including Shakespeare himself.

Christopher Marlowe (1564-93)

Marlowe is universally acknowledged as the best and the greatest of the University wits. It has rightly been said about him that Marlowe paved the way, Shakespeare perfected it. He was a man of fiery imagination and immense thought content. He is the personality of ill regulated powers, which led him a wild Bohemian life. His tragedies reflected his own image in dramatic format. Read More History of English Literature (Essay) Marlowe wrote four immortal tragedies-Tamburlaine The Great, Jew of Malta, Dr. Faustus and Edward II. In Marlowe’s play the interest centers wholly on the personality of the tragic hero. The aesthetic pleasure which watching that personality struggling heroically against the heavy odds and miser mountable circumstance- that conflict was added to the conception of tragedy. Marlowe is by far the greatest among Shakespeare’s predecessors, and decidedly the greatest f University wits. 

Their Literary Worth

While each of the University Wits had their unique style and contributions, they collectively challenged the traditional conventions of drama and poetry, expanding the possibilities of English literature. Their experimentation with form, language, and subject matter laid the foundation for the flourishing Elizabethan theater and influenced subsequent generations of writers.

The University Wits played a crucial role in the development of blank verse, a form of unrhymed iambic pentameter that became the dominant verse form in Elizabethan drama. Christopher Marlowe, in particular, is credited with refining and popularizing this poetic form, which would later be mastered by Shakespeare and other playwrights of the time.

Moreover, the University Wits brought a new level of intellectual and philosophical depth to English drama. They explored complex themes such as power, morality, fate, and the human condition. Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus," for instance, delved into the nature of ambition, knowledge, and the consequences of selling one's soul. These explorations of profound and provocative ideas elevated English drama to new heights and set the stage for the Golden Age of theater.

In addition to their plays, the University Wits contributed to other literary genres. Their works encompassed poetry, prose, and pamphlets, reflecting the diverse interests and talents of the group. They engaged with topics ranging from pastoral romance to political satire, leaving an indelible mark on various forms of literature.

The Controversy

However, the careers of the University Wits were often fraught with controversy and personal struggles. Their lives were marked by financial difficulties, public feuds, and, in some cases, tragic endings. Robert Greene, for instance, famously wrote a farewell pamphlet called "Groats-Worth of Wit" in which he criticized his fellow playwrights, including Shakespeare. Thomas Kyd faced accusations of heresy and endured imprisonment, while Marlowe met an untimely demise under mysterious circumstances.

Conclusion

Despite the challenges they faced, the University Wits collectively reshaped the landscape of English literature. Their innovative ideas, linguistic prowess, and bold experimentation laid the groundwork for the development of English Renaissance drama. Their influence can be seen in the works of Shakespeare and subsequent playwrights, who built upon their achievements and propelled English theater to even greater heights.

The University Wits, with their intellectual vigor and artistic vision, left an enduring legacy. Their plays continue to be studied, performed, and appreciated to this day, reminding us of the remarkable literary heritage they bequeathed to the world.

The End Notes

The constellation of University wits made the Elizabethan drama more popular with Renaissance humanism and pride of patriotism. English drama for the first time in their hands recognized its potentialities and exuberance. Read More History of English Literature (Essay) They wrote classical plays, courtly comedies, farces, chronicle plays, melodramas etc. They gave thrill, action, sensation, hum our and music thus it is fair to say that the Elizabethan drama from the head of one man; it is rather an orderly though rapid development in which many planned on grand sealed. They are moved by some passion or the other. Tamburlaine has boundless passion for power; Dr Faustus has the infinite passion for knowledge.

Ardhendu De

References

1.ALBERT. (2000). History of English Literature (Fifth Edition) [English]. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS.

2. A short history of English literature : Saintsbury, George, 1845-1933 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive. (n.d.). Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofen00sain

3. English Literature by William J. Long. (n.d.). Project Gutenberg. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10609