THE UNIVERSITY WITS

BY : PRERNA SHARMA

The University WitsThe term university wits was not used in their lifetime ,but was coined by George saintsbury, a 19th–century journalist and author. Saintsbury argues the ‘rising sap’ of dramatic creativity in the 1580s showed itself in two separate “branches of the national tree”.

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 (oxford or Cambridge) and who became popular secular writers.

It was the earliest stage of the development of drama as a popular means of entertainment in public theaters and playhouses.

Characteristics

• Elizabethan group• Historian invent• Attending oxford or Cambridge• Pioneer of English drama • Rival of Shakespeare• Educated renaissance writer

John LylyThomas KydGeorge PeeleRobert GreeneChristopher MarloweThomas NashiThomas Lodge

Members of “The university wits”…

JOHN LYLY…

John Lyly was an English writer, poet, dramatist, playwright, and politician, best known for his books Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit and Euphues and His England. Lyly's mannered literary style, originating in his first books, is known as euphuism.

Born: 1553, Canterbury, United KingdomDied: November 1606, London, United KingdomEducation:  Magdalen College

University of Cambridge University of Oxford

•Having adopted prose as medium for his expression•His comedies, mythological plays and allegorical play are extremely witty in character.

Some important plays…

• Campaspe(1584)• Endymion,the man on the moon (1591)• Sapho and phao(1584)• Galathea(1592)• Midas (1592)• The women on the moone• Love’s metamosphosis• Mother bombie

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE…

Christopher Marlowe was an English playwright, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era.

Born: Canterbury, United KingdomDied: May 30, 1593, Deptford, United KingdomEducation: University of Cambridge

The King's School, CanterburyCorpus Christi College, Cambridge

Literary movement : English renaissance theatre

•The foremost Elizabethan tragedian of his day•Greatly influenced William Shakespeare•His plays are known for the use of blank verse and their overreaching protagonist

Some Important Plays…

• Tamburlaine the great (first play in 1590)• The Jews of Malta(first successful black comedy or tragic

comedy)

• The massacre of Perris• The tragically history of the life and death of doctor

Faustus

• Hero and Leander

GEORGE PEELE…

George Peele was an English translator, poet, and dramatist, who is most noted for his supposed but not universally accepted collaboration with William Shakespeare on the play Titus Andronicus. 

Born: July 25, 1556, London, United KingdomDied: November 9, 1596Education: Pembroke College, Oxford

Christ's Hospital

•A successful player and playwriter•Left behind a pastoral ,a romantic tragedy, a chronicle tragedy, a chronicle history , a mystery play and romantic literary satire.•He has noted for his poetic style and decorative phrases.•He made no original contribution to drama like Lyly or Marlowe.

Some Important Plays…

• The famous chronicle of king Edward the first(1593)

• The Arraignment of Paris(1584)

• The old wives tales(1595)

• The love of king David and Bathsheba(1599)

• The battle of alcazar(1594)

• The device of the Pageant (1585)

• The Life and Death of Jack Straw

ROBERT GREENE…

• Robert Greene is an American author and speaker known for his books on strategy, power and seduction.

• First professional English writer.

• Born: May 14, 1959 , Los Angeles, California, United States• Education: Cambridge University

Oxford university

• Writers of any genres including autobiograph play and romance

Few famous Articles…International Bestsellers Books:•The 48 Laws of Power

•The Art of Seduction

•The 33 Strategies of War

•The 50th Law and Mastery.

DRAMA :

•Friar bacon and friar Bungay

•The history of Orlando furioso

•A looking glass for London and England

•The Scottish history of James the fourth

•The comical history of aphonsus,king of argon

THOMAS LODGE…

Thomas Lodge was an English physician and author during the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods.

Born: 1558, London, United KingdomDied: 1625, London, United KingdomEducation: Trinity College

Merchant Taylors' School

•Elizabethan poet, dramatist, satirist, pamphlet, treatise, and prose writer.

Some important works…

• The Wounds of Civil War• A Looking Glasse, for London and England• Rosalynde• Euphues Shadow• The Life and Death of William Longbeard (1593)• A Treatise of the Plague (1603)• A defense of poetry, music, and stage-plays

THOMAS NASHE…

Thomas Nashe is considered the greatest of the English Elizabethan pamphleteers. He was also a playwright, poet, and satirist. He was the son of the parson William Nashe and Margaret.

Born: November 1567, Lowestoft, United KingdomDied: 1601Education: St John's College, Cambridge

Some important works…

• Summer last will• The terrors of the night• Unfortunate traveler• Christes teares over Jerusalem• Dido• Queen of carthage• The isle of dogs

THOMAS KYD…

Thomas Kyd was an English playwright, the author of The Spanish Tragedy, and one of the most important figures in the development of Elizabethan drama.

Born: November 6, 1558, London, United KingdomDied: August 15, 1594, London, United KingdomEducation: Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood

Works:•The Spanish tragedy

( Thomas Kyd is also sometimes included in the group, though he is not believed to have studied at university.)

Thank You

Disclaimer: The data in this presentation has been collated from various books and online portal.