The University Wits: 16th-Century Playwrights

The University Wits

• A group of young playwrights and poets in 16th-century London
• Known for their witty dialogue, complex plots, and exploration of themes such as love, power, and morality

Key Members

• Christopher Marlowe
  • Wrote plays such as Tamburlaine the Great and Doctor Faustus
  • Known for his use of blank verse and exploration of themes such as power and ambition
• Robert Greene
  • Wrote plays such as Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay and The Honorable Historie of Frier Bacon and Frier Bongay
  • Known for his use of romantic comedy and exploration of themes such as love and morality
• Thomas Lodge
  • Wrote plays such as The Wounds of Civil War and A Looking Glass for London and England
  • Known for his use of historical drama and exploration of themes such as power and corruption
• John Lyly
  • Wrote plays such as Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit and Gallathea
  • Known for his use of romantic comedy and exploration of themes such as love and identity

Characteristics of University Wits' Literature

• Use of witty dialogue and complex plots
• Exploration of themes such as love, power, and morality
• Use of blank verse and other poetic forms
• Often featured complex, flawed characters and explored the human condition
• Drawn from classical sources, such as Greek and Roman mythology and literature

Influence on Later Literature

• Influenced the development of English Renaissance theatre
• Paved the way for later playwrights such as William Shakespeare
• Contributed to the development of dramatic forms such as tragedy and comedy

The University Wits

• A group of young playwrights and poets in 16th-century London known for their witty dialogue, complex plots, and exploration of themes such as love, power, and morality

Key Members

• Christopher Marlowe
  • Wrote plays such as Tamburlaine the Great and Doctor Faustus
  • Known for his use of blank verse and exploration of themes such as power and ambition
• Robert Greene
  • Wrote plays such as Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay and The Honorable Historie of Frier Bacon and Frier Bongay
  • Known for his use of romantic comedy and exploration of themes such as love and morality
• Thomas Lodge
  • Wrote plays such as The Wounds of Civil War and A Looking Glass for London and England
  • Known for his use of historical drama and exploration of themes such as power and corruption
• John Lyly
  • Wrote plays such as Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit and Gallathea
  • Known for his use of romantic comedy and exploration of themes such as love and identity

Characteristics of University Wits' Literature

• Use of witty dialogue and complex plots
• Exploration of themes such as love, power, and morality
• Use of blank verse and other poetic forms
• Often featured complex, flawed characters and explored the human condition
• Drawn from classical sources, such as Greek and Roman mythology and literature

Influence on Later Literature

• Influenced the development of English Renaissance theatre
• Paved the way for later playwrights such as William Shakespeare
• Contributed to the development of dramatic forms such as tragedy and comedy

Marlowe's Plays

• Marlowe's two-part play, Tamburlaine The Great, written in 1587, tells the story of Timur, a Scythian shepherd who rises to become a great conqueror.
• The play is known for its poetic language, grandiose style, and exploration of themes such as power, ambition, and the nature of evil.
• Tamburlaine's character is complex, exhibiting both brutal and poetic qualities.

Doctor Faustus

• Written around 1592-1593, Doctor Faustus is a tragic play that tells the story of a scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power.
• The play explores themes such as morality, sin, and redemption, and is known for its use of magic and spectacle.
• Doctor Faustus is a complex and nuanced character, exhibiting both hubris and tragic flaws.

Influence on Shakespeare

• Marlowe's influence on Shakespeare is evident in Shakespeare's early plays, such as the Henry VI trilogy.
• Marlowe's use of blank verse, poetic language, and exploration of themes such as power and ambition can be seen in Shakespeare's works.
• Shakespeare's play Richard III, in particular, owes a debt to Marlowe's Tamburlaine The Great.

Marlowe's Use of Blank Verse

• Marlowe was a master of blank verse, a type of poetry that uses unrhymed iambic pentameter.
• He used blank verse to create a sense of grandeur and drama, particularly in his plays Tamburlaine The Great and Doctor Faustus.
• Marlowe's use of blank verse helped to create a sense of rhythmic flow and natural speech, making his characters more believable and relatable.
• His use of blank verse also added to the emotional intensity and dramatic power of his plays.

Tamburlaine's Conquests

• Tamburlaine, a Scythian shepherd, rises to become a great conqueror, inspired by the historical figure of Timur (Tamerlane)
• Conquests include:
  • Defeating the Persians and taking the throne of Persia
  • Conquering the Turks and taking the city of Damascus
  • Defeating the Egyptian army and taking the city of Aleppo
  • Conquering the Russians and taking the city of Moscow

Renaissance Drama

• Tamburlaine the Great is a classic example of Renaissance drama
• Key features of Renaissance drama:
  • Use of blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) to create a sense of grandeur and elevated language
  • Exploration of themes such as power, ambition, and the human condition
  • Use of dramatic devices such as soliloquies, asides, and stage directions to create a sense of drama and tension
• Marlowe's play is notable for its poetic language, elaborate stage directions, and exploration of themes such as the nature of power and the corrupting influence of ambition

Orientalism

• The play is criticized for its Orientalist portrayal of the East, reinforcing Western stereotypes and prejudices
• Orientalism is a term coined by Edward Said to describe the Western tendency to exoticize and romanticize the East, often inaccurately and derogatorily
• In Tamburlaine the Great, the East is portrayed as a place of luxury, decadence, and cruelty, with characters such as the Persian king and the Turkish emperor depicted as cruel and tyrannical
• The play reinforces the idea of Western superiority and the notion that the East is a place of barbarism and savagery, while the West is civilized and enlightened