Important Dramatist Of The Age Of Renaissance.

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Name:- Kailash P. Baraiya

Subject : The Renaissance Literature (Paper-1)

Topic:- Important Dramatist Of The Age Of Renaissance.

Roll No : 17

Std : M.A , Sem-1 Year -2016

Submitted To :- Professor Dr. Dilip Barad

M K Bhavnagar University

Introduction :-

The term 'renaissance' is derived from the French word meaning ‘rebirth’ because, many of the changes experienced between the 14^th and 16^th centuries were inspired by a revival of the classical art and intellect of ancient Greece and Rome much of the art, architecture, literature, science and philosophy that surfaced during the renaissance. Drama or plays developed more and more in during the age of 'renaissance'.

During the age of renaissance drama was developed. The word renaissance theater means the stage plays written and acted in the latest 16 the carfare during and first half of the 17^th carfare during the renaissance period in England. This period in English history saw a great growth in drama as an art form and public entertainment. William Shakespeare widely thought of as the greater writer in English literature is the most famous of many important Play writes, poets and writers who worked in this Era. English renaissance drama is also called Elizabethan drama.

Dramatist of the Age :-

 William Shakespeare was the great dramatist of the age other very important dramatist was Ben Jonson, Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Middleton, John Ford, John Webster, John Lyly, Philip Massinger, Robert Greene, Thomas Dekker James Shirley and many more.

Some famous works of the Age :-

The very famous works of the age was Christopher Marlowe’s 'Dr. Faustus' (1588), 'The Jew Of Malta' (1590), Thomas Sidney 'Faerie Queen'(1-3)(1590), Kyds ‘The Spanish Tragedy' (1592), 'Jonson's ,Every Man in His Humor' and many more.

Brief note about Dramatists and his works:-

1. William Shakespeare (1564-1616):-
   

   

William Shakespeare or born in 26 April 1564 (baptized )-23 April 1616 was an English poet, Play writes and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s per eminent dramatist he is often called England ‘s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”.

Shakespeare produced most of his known work between 1589 and 1613. His early plays were primarily comedies and histories and these are regarded as some of the best work ever produced in these genres. Then he wrote mainly tragedies until about 1608. His famous tragedies like ‘Hamlet’, ‘Othello 'King Lear', and Macbeth' was considered some of the finest works in the English language. He also wrote mix literature of tragedy and comedy known as tragicomedies and also romances.

The first recorded works of Shakespeare are Richard III and the three parts of Henry VI, written in the early 1590s during a vogue for historical drama. His ‘A Mid Summer Night's Dream' is mixture of romance, fairy magic and comic low life Secures. mer Shakespeare’s next comedy the equally romantic 'Merchant of Venice'. His other works are also very famous.

2. Christopher Marlowe (1564-1993):-
   

   

Christopher Marlowe is one of the most suggestive figures of the English Renaissance, and the greatest of Shakespeare’s predecessors Marlowe was born in Canterbury, only a few months before Shakespeare. In 1587 when he was twenty three years old he produced ‘Tamburlaine’ which brought his instant recognition in all his plays abound in violence reflecting many of the violent scenes in which he lived he develops his mighty line and depicts great scenes in magnificent bursts of poetry, such as the stage had never heard before.

In addition to the poem “Hero and Leander” Marlowe is famous for dramas now known as the Marlowesque or one man type of tragedy each revolving about one central personality who is consumed by the lust of power the first of these is 'Tamburlain' the story of timer the tartar. His second play is 'Dr. Faustus' is one of the best of Marlowe’s works the story is that scholar who lings for in finite knowledge and who turns from technology, philosophy, medicine, and low the four sciences of the time to the study of magic much as a child might turn from jewels to tinsel and colored paper Marlowe’s third play is the 'Jew of Malta' a story of the lust for wealth Marlowe's last play is 'Edward II', a tragic study of king ‘s weakness and misery.

Marlow is the only dramatist of the time who is ever compared with Shakespeare. His work is remarkable for its splendid imagination, poetic beauty,humor etc.

3. Ben Jonson (1573 ?-1637):-
   

   

Ben Jonson is the most commanding literary figure among the Elizabethan age. For two things he fought bravely to restore. The classic form of the and Ben Jonson’s work is strong contrast with Shakespeare and of the later Elizabethan dramatists Johnson first comedy every man in his humor is a key to all his dramas. His second work is Cynthia revels and third is 'The poetaster'. Johnson’s three best known comedies are 'Volpon', 'The Alchemist' and Epicoene' or the 'Silent Woman'. Jonson also wrote two great Tragedies 'Sejanus', (1603) and Catiline' (1611). Jonson shows a strong lyric gift and some of his little poems and songs like “ The Triumph of Chairs” 'Drink to me only with Thine Eyes' and 'To the Memory of My Beloved Mother' are better known than his great dramatic works.

4. John Webster:-

Johan Webster was well known as a dramatist under James I. his two best known plays are the white devil and the 'Duchess of Malfi’. The latter spite of its horrors, rank him as one of the greatest master of English tragedy he reproduced Italian life of the sixteenth century in his work.

5. Thomas Middleton (1570? -1627)

Middleton is best known two great plays that is 'The Changeling' and 'Women Beware Women'. His two plays 'A Trick to Catch the Old One' this is his best comedy. Fair Quarrel' is his earliest tragedy this tragedy is less mature in thought and expression, but more readable' because they seem to express, Middleton’s own idea of the drama rather than that of the corrupt court and playwrights of his later age.

6. John Ford (1586 -1642?)

John ford have left us little of permanent literary value and their works are read only by those rice and fall of the drama. An occasional scene in ford’s plays is as strong as anything that the Elizabethan age produced, but as a whole the plays are unnatural and tiresome his best play is the broken heart (1633).

7. Philip Massinger

Philip Massinger (1584-1640) was a dramatic poet of great natural ability. But his plots and situations are usually so strained and artificial that the modern reader finds no interest in then in his best comedy ‘A New Way to Pay old Debts', he archived great popularity and gave us one Figure, Sir Giles over reach, which is one of the typical characters of the English stage. His best plays are The Great Duke of Florence', The Virgin martyr', and The maid of Honor’.

8. Thomas Dekker

Thomas Dekker is in pleasing contrast with most of the dramatists of the time. We will find the best expression of Dekker's personality and erratic genius in his work 'The Shoemaker's Holiday' and ‘Old Fortunatus’ a fairy drama of the wishing hat and no end of money.

9. Thomas Heywood (1508?-1650?)

Thomas Heywood wrote many drama to the glory of that drama. He contributed, according to his own statement, the greater part, at least of nearly two hundred and twenty plays it was enormous amount of work. but he seems to have been animated by the modern literary spirit of following the best market and striking while the best plays are 'A Woman Killed with Kindness' a pathetic story of domestic life and The Fair Maid of the West' a melodrama with plenty of fighting of the popular kind.

10. Deaumont and Fletcher

Deaumont and Fletcher are only scholars who attempt to separate there work so as to give each writer his clue share. Unlike most of the Elizabethan dramatist, they both come from noble and cultured families and were university trained there work in strong contrast with Jonson’s. This two dramatist met at the mermaid tavern under Ben Jonson’s leader ship and soon become inseparable friends living and working together. Tradition has it that Beaumont supplied that judgment and the solid work of the play, while fletcher furnished the high colored sentiment and lyric poetry, without which an Elizabethan play would have been incomplete of joint plays the two best known that are 'Philasater', “Cymbelin and Griselala” and The Maid’s Tragedy'.

Conclusion

A few words more in the base of my reading. I must unfold that the Elizabethan drama was popular due to some giant as well as move rick dramatists like Shakespeare, Jonson, Marlowe and Webster etc. And also Elizabethan theater has played very significant role in developing the drama. Therefore Elizabethan Age can be considered as golden period of the age of renaissance become of such height of drama as it was on the pick.

SOURCE : NET AND TEXT

http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-plays-and-playwrights.htm