University of wits
The group of dramatist before Shakespeare is popularly known as University Wits. These group of late 16 century wrote English playwrites and pamphlets. The term "University Wits" was not coined "George Saintsbury" a 19th century journalist and author. These dramatist were well educated and scholars. This name of University Wits was given because they were nearly educated at Oxford university and Cambridge university. Wits was the synonyms for Scholar. The Important members of this group were: Thomas Kyd, Christopher Marlowe, John Lyly, George Peele, Robert Green, Thomas Love and Thomas Nash who was the most popular and greastest among them. In the beginning in their career, they were actors so they had a great knowledge of the stage and theatre. They also revised old plays and then started writing plays. They understood the requirements of the stage and felt the pulse of the audience. These dramatist are come just before Shakespeare.
They do not have much importance in their individual capacity, but collectively, their contribution is most significant.
Important links 👇
Name the university wits
(A) Thomas Kyd
(B) John Lyly
(C) George Peele
(D) Robert Greene
(E) Thomas Lodge
(F) Thomas Nash
(G) Christopher Marlowe
UNIVERSITY WITS CONTRIBUTION ELIZABETHAN DRAMA
All university wits have several features are common. Their contribution is the most significant.
1. Their greatest contribution is the field of Romantic Comedy. Lyly, Peele, and George wrote some outstanding Comedy.
2. They also prepared a suitable ground for the historical plays. Marlowe and Greene made remarkable contribution.
3. Peele and Lyly decorated the English drama with poetic imagery. They mixed great poetry in the dramatic production.
4. They had common store of material mythology, legend and history form witch they drew their stories.
5. In fact, this was the earliest stage or drama in English literature as a means of entertainment in public theaters and playhouses in London.
6. The credit of introducing heroic themes in the tragedies goes to the university wits. Particularly Marlowe revolutionised the English tragedy. Heroic subjects were taken up Marlowe.
7. University wits were educated, ambitious and opportunistic.
8. Greene gave pastoral plays, history and romantic satire. He is noted for his poetic style, Greene made most powerful contribution to the art of characterisation.
9. Kyd revived the Senecan tradition by his Spanish Tragedy.
10. Kyd the whole Senecan method of horror,ghost,madness,and suicide.
IMPORTANT LINKS 👇
0 Comments