How did the University Wits influence the drama scene in England?
Or,
Assess the contributions of the major predecessors of Shakespeare
to Elizabethan Drama.
Or,
Who were the
‘University Wits’? Why are they called so? Briefly assess the contribution to
the field of drama.
Or,
Write an
essay on the contribution of University Wits/ Pre-Shakespearean dramatists.
The Pre-Shakespearean
dramatists are known as the ‘University
Wits’. They are so called as nearly all of them were closely associated
with oxford and
Cambridge University. As we know
the condition of the drama that preceded them was precarious and chaotic; -
“The classicists had form, but not fire; the popular dramatists had interest,
but little sense of form”. They tried and were able to unite the classical
conception of the drama and enthusiasm and favour of the popular dramatists.
They were usually actors and dramatists. Their training began as actors. They
revised old plays and finally became independent writers. They all were more or
less acquainted with each other, and most of them led irregular Bohemian lives.
Their plays had several features in common.
Albert sums
up-
(a) There was a
fondness for heroic
themes, such as the lives of great
figures like Mohammed and Tamburlaine.
(b) Heroic
themes needed heroic treatment: great fullness and variety; splendid
descriptions, long swelling speeches, the handling of violent incidents and
emotions. These qualities, excellent when held in restraint, only too often led
to loudness and disorder.
(c) Style also
was ‘heroic.’ The chief aim was to achieve strong and sounding lines,
magnificent epithets, and powerful declamation. This again led to abuse and to
mere bombast, mouthing, and in the worst cases to nonsense. In the best
examples, such as in Marlowe, the result is quite impressive. In this connexion
it is to be noted that the best medium for such expression was blank verse,
which was sufficiently elastic to bear the strong pressure of these expansive
methods.
(d) The themes
were usually tragic in
nature, for the dramatists were as
a rule too much in earnest to give heed to what was considered to be the lower
species of comedy. The general lack of real humour in the early drama is one of
its most prominent features. Humour, when it is brought in at all, is coarse and
immature.
1) JOHN LYLY:
Lyly wrote comedies which were intended for
the child actors in royal service.
His charming romantic Plays are all comedies. They are- Women in the Moon, Endymion, Sappho and
Phas, Alexander and Campaspe, Midas, Mother Bombie and Love’s
Metamorphosis.
Lyly elaborated the romantic sentiment in his plays. He
brought on the English stage the element of high comedy, full of lively wit and
fantastic charm. His wit consists of puns, quibbles and a rapid exchange of
repartee.
Lyly’s
subjects are taken mostly from
mythology and legends, foreign as well as natives. He introduces pastoral scenes to
allegorize his plays. Their characters are personifications of Nature of
Concord and Discord.
He mingled
the tragedy and comedy, pathos and humour in his plays. He freely blended the
different segments of existence and different worlds. Human figures live and
move side by side with the deities of classical mythology.
He added to
English drama the feminine
qualities of literature delicacy, grace,
charm and subtlety.
To quote
Wyatt and Collins:- “Lyly’s greatest service to the drama consists in his
writing plays in prose. Lyly’s sparkling dialogue gave Shakespeare an excellent
model to follow and the greater dramatist is probably indebted to him for his
first teaching in court style and for hints as to the light touch so proper for
the handling of classical legend and fairy lore”.
2) ROBERT
GREENE:
Greene
contributed greatly to the development of romantic comedy. In his plays the realism and idealism meet freely.
In characterization he makes a notable movement; in place of
the stock characters of the mystery and miracle plays he introduces individual
characters. He brings the suppleness and grace into his comedies. Though his
style is not of outstanding merit, his humour is some what genial.
