University Wits

-


The University Wits were a group of playwrights and poets who contributed to the development of English drama in the late sixteenth century. They were educated at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and brought new ideas, styles, and techniques to English theatre. They played an important role in shaping the foundation of Elizabethan drama. They influenced later playwrights, including William Shakespeare.

The most notable members of the University Wits were Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Kyd, Robert Greene, Thomas Nashe, John Lyly, George Peele, and Thomas Lodge. They introduced complex characters, powerful language, and exciting plots. They improved the structure of plays and made them more dramatic and engaging.

Christopher Marlowe was the most famous and influential member of the University Wits. He wrote powerful tragedies that explored themes of ambition, power, and fate. His play Doctor Faustus tells the story of a man who sells his soul to the devil for knowledge and power. His other famous plays include Tamburlaine the Great and The Jew of Malta. He introduced blank verse, which became the standard form of dramatic writing in Elizabethan theatre.

Thomas Kyd became famous for writing The Spanish Tragedy, which was one of the earliest revenge tragedies in English literature. His play had elements of suspense, violence, and psychological depth. It influenced later plays, including William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. He introduced the use of ghosts and soliloquies, which became popular in later drama.

Robert Greene wrote comedies and romances. His plays focused on love, adventure, and witty dialogue. He was also known for his criticism of William Shakespeare. He called Shakespeare an "upstart crow" because he believed that Shakespeare, who did not have a university education, was not as skilled as the University Wits.

Thomas Nashe was known for his sharp wit and humor. He wrote Summer’s Last Will and Testament, which combined elements of comedy and satire. He contributed to the development of English prose and drama through his clever use of language.

John Lyly was famous for his elegant and poetic style. He wrote plays such as Endymion and Campaspe, which were performed at the royal court. His plays focused on love, beauty, and mythology. He influenced later playwrights by introducing refined dialogue and graceful storytelling.

George Peele wrote historical and romantic plays. His works included The Arraignment of Paris and David and Bethsabe. He was known for his lyrical writing and imaginative storytelling.

Thomas Lodge was a writer of both prose and drama. His famous play The Wounds of Civil War focused on historical themes. He also wrote novels and poetry that contributed to the literary culture of the time.

The University Wits helped to develop English drama by making it more sophisticated and expressive. They introduced strong characters, emotional depth, and powerful storytelling. They created a foundation for later playwrights, including William Shakespeare, who built upon their innovations and took English drama to new heights. Their contributions played an important role in the golden age of Elizabethan theatre.


Popular posts from this blog

"Cry, the Peacock": A Detailed Summary and Analysis

-
Introduction Cry, the Peacock is Anita Desai ’s first novel. It was published in 1963. The novel explores a woman’s emotional struggles and her experience of loneliness and despair. The story focuses on Maya, the main character, and her troubled marriage. She suffers from isolation and mental instability. Anita Desai presents the fragility of the human mind and the difficulties of marriage. Brief Summary The novel takes place in post-independence India. However, the story focuses more on personal struggles than political events. Maya is a young woman who lives with her husband, Gautama. Gautama is a practical and intellectual man. He does not show emotions, and he does not understand Maya’s feelings. Maya is sensitive and emotional. She wants love and affection, but Gautama does not give her the attention she needs. Maya feels lonely and neglected. She spends most of her time thinking about her life. She creates fantasies in her mind to escape her loneliness. One important symbol in t...
Read more

Phonetics and Phonology : Definition and difference

-
Phonetics and phonology are two closely related subfields of linguistics that both deal with the sounds of speech, but they focus on different aspects of these sounds. Phonetics is the study of the physical properties of speech sounds, specifically how they are produced, transmitted, and perceived. It is concerned with the actual sounds themselves—how they are articulated, how they travel through the air as sound waves, and how they are received by the ear and processed by the brain. Phonetics is typically divided into three subfields: 1. Articulatory Phonetics : This branch focuses on the physical production of speech sounds. It looks at the movements of the vocal organs (such as the tongue, lips, and vocal cords) and how these movements create different speech sounds. It studies how different places and manners of articulation (e.g., voicing, nasality, consonant types like stops or fricatives) contribute to the production of speech. 2. Acoustic Phonetics : This branch is concerned w...
Read more

Dhwani Theory by Anandvardhana: an introduction

-
Anandvardhana was a Kashmiri court poet and literary critic, honored with the title of Rajanak during King Avantivarman's reign.  Anandavardhana authored the Dhvanyāloka , or A Light on Suggestion (dhwani), a work articulating the philosophy of "aesthetic suggestion" (dhwani, vyañjanā). Anandavardhana is credited with creating the dhwani theory. He wrote that dhwani (meaning sound, or evocation) is the "soul" or "essence" (ātman) of poetry (kavya).  Anandavardhana said, "When the poet writes, he creates a eloquent field of emotions." To understand the poetry, the reader or hearer must be on the same wavelength. Important points~ •Dhvani theory is a theory of suggestion that is considered to be the soul of poetry.  •The theory of Dhvani is a major contribution to Sanskrit literary theory.  •The theory of Dhvani suggests that the main goal of good poetry is to evoke a mood or "flavor" (rasa).  •The theory of Dhvani suggests that this...
Read more