Elizabethean drama flourished in England during the late 16th century. The plays of this period were mostly comedies or tragedies and featured notable works by many authors. William Shakespeare was the most famous playwright of this era, penning beloved tragedies like Romeo and Juliet as well as comedies such as A Midsummer Night's Dream. Christopher Marlowe was another influential early dramatist, writing plays focused on violence and cruelty like Tamburlaine the Great.

1. Fifth Meeting – ELISABETHANDRAMA
The dramas were mostly either comedy
or tragedy.
The glory Elisabethan literature was its
drama.

2. Noteworthy dramas of the period:
• Ralph Roister Doister (Nicholas Udall, 1553?): the first
regular English comedy, written by Westminster headmaster
for his students. It is about Ralph who tried to woo a widow
and then kidnapped her but always failed.
• Gammer Gurton’s Needle (Mr. S [William Stevenson?],
1566): also a comedy, telling about the loss and finding of a
needle which Gurton’s used to mend clothes.
• Campaspe and Endimion (John Lyly): performed in front of
Queen Elizabeth by the ‘Children of Paul’s’.
Campaspe is a love story of Alexander the Great’s mistress
with Apelles the painter.
Endimion is about Endymion’s love to Cynthia, the Moon
Goddess, and Eumenides’ search for cure to save Endymion
from his magic-caused sleep.

3. Noteworthy dramas of the period:
Gorboduc (Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville, 1564): the
first regular English tragedy. It tells a story of King Gorboduc
of England and his family.
The Spanish Tragedy (Thomas Kyd, 1592): another tragedy
of blood and death. Here, a ghost appeared to the father of
a murdered son, demanding revenge. {quite similar to
Shakespeare’s Hamlet}
Tamburlaine the Great (Christopher Marlowe, 1587): a
drama full of violence and cruelty about Tamburlaine, a
shepherd and a robber who rose to power by conquering
many countries.

4. Notes:
Christopher Marlowe was the first great dramatist of
Elizabethan Era.
Unfortunately, he was killed in a quarrel at young age, in
his twenties.

5. Noteworthy dramas of the period:
The Jew of Malta (Christopher Marlowe, 1589): another
violent drama. It tells a story of Barabas, a rich Jew, who lived
in violence to satisfy his revenge to the governor of Malta.
Dr. Faustus (Christopher Marlowe, 1588): written based on
the legend of Faustus, a man who sold his soul to the devil,
Mephistopheles, for power and riches.
Edward the Second (Christopher Marlowe, 1593): Marlowe’s
best play, dealing with English history. It tells the story of King
Edward II’s life which is full of treachery. He was murdered by
his wife Isabella and her lover, Mortimer.
In the end, Edward III sentenced Mortimer to death and
imprisoned his mother.

6. Shakespeare’s Famous Literary Work:
Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare, 1594-5): considered
as the greatest love tragedy. Romeo and Juliet were from two
enemy families who fell in love one another. In the end, both
died to show the loyalty to their love.
A Comedy of Error (William Shakespeare, 1592-3): perhaps
his first comedy, talking about twin masters and twin
servants, whose similarity resulted confusion.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (William Shakespeare, 1595-6):
one of Shakespeare’s great comedies. It tells the story around
the marriage of Duke Theseus of Athens and Queen
Hippolyta of the Amazons. It is also about young Athenian
lovers and a group of actors who were manipulated by the
fairies.

7. Shakespeare’s Famous Literary Work:
The Merchant of Venice (William Shakespeare, 1596-7): the
tragic-comedic play tells a story of Antonio who borrowed
money from Shylock but must have paid in flesh if he couldn’t
return it in time.
A Comedy of Error (William Shakespeare, 1592-3): perhaps
his first comedy, talking about twin masters and twin
servants, whose similarity resulted confusion.
As You Like It(William Shakespeare, 1599?): Shakespeare’s
other comedy. It tells the story of a good duke living in the
forest because of his evil brother.

8. Shakespeare’s Famous Literary Work:
Much Ado About Nothing and All’s Well that Ends Well
(William Shakespeare, 1598-9?): both are dark comedy
featuring a selfish young man who bring sadness to others.
Twelfth Night (William Shakespeare, 1600): called as the
perfection of English comedy. As a main plot, Viola was
shipwrecked and disguised as a man. Later on it created
confusion in her love story. As a sub plot, some knights
conspired to make a fool of a head-steward.
King Henry the Fourth (William Shakespeare, 1597-8): The
notable storyline here is the appearance of Sir John Falstaff.
As a prince, Henry V was close to a fat lazy coward but fun
knight Sir John Falstaff. When he became a king, Henry V
refused to acknowledge the knight.

9. Shakespeare’s Famous Literary Work:
Julius Caesar (William Shakespeare, 1599): one of three
Roman tragedies, about the rise of Julius Caesar, his murder
by Brutus and his cronies, and the death of the conspirators.
Antony and Cleopatra (William Shakespeare, 1606-7): one
of three Roman tragedies, about the love of a Roman
general, Antony to the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. In the
end, both committed suicide.
Coriolanus (William Shakespeare, 1607): one of three Roman
tragedies, about the life and death of a Roman commander,
Coriolanus, who was too proud to ask for votes although he
wanted to be a consul. In the contrary, he even insulted the
people and came back as a traitor.

10. Shakespeare’s Famous Literary Work:
Hamlet (William Shakespeare, 1600): one of the four great
tragedies, about Hamlet whose father was murdered by his
uncle and returned as a ghost to Hamlet to ask for revenge.
King Lear (William Shakespeare, 1606?): one of the four
great tragedies, about an old king who was thrown out of
his home by his two evil daughters. He finally went mad and
died.
Macbeth (William Shakespeare, 1605-6): one of the four
great tragedies. Here, the hero Macbeth conspired with his
wife to fulfill three witches’ prophecy to became a king by
murdering the king. Finally, he was murdered by the lat king’s
son, Malcolm.

11. Shakespeare’s Famous Literary Work:
Othello(William Shakespeare, 1604-5): the last of the four
great tragedies. In this play, the commander Othello was
tricked by the evil soldier Iago to believe that his wife had a
love affair with his officer, Cassio. Othello killed his innocent
wife and officer.
Other Dramas after Shakespeare’s Golden Age:
Every Man in his Humour (Benjamin Johnson, 1598)
Sejanus (Benjamin Johnson, 1603)
Volpone the Fox (Benjamin Johnson, 1606)
The White Devil (John Webster, 1611?)
The Duchess of Malfi (John Webster, 1614)
The Knight of Burning Pestle (Beaumont and Fletcher, 1607)
The Maid’s Tragedy (Beaumont and Fletcher, 1611)

12. Notes:
In Shakespeare’s Three Roman Tragedies and Four Great
Tragedies, the heroes always fell due to their fatal
weaknesses. Do you know what are these weaknesses?
Benjamin Johnson believed in the unity of place, time, and
action.

14. See You next week!