Who comes next in reputation to Shakespeare as a writer of English plays?
George Bernard Shaw I would say. Maybe Christopher Marlowe. The English didn't have many great playwrights. Most of Shakespeare's theatrical works were lifted from plays by Italian Renaissance writers. Of course, the Renaissance style was merely a cheap copy of the style of the Islamic and Byzantine worlds, which the Venetians and Genoans had taken over briefly. But then the Medieval Islamic works and the Byzantine works were just cheap copies of the ancient Roman style, which was itself an imitation of the Classical Greek style. So we are left with Aristophanes, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides of the Classical Greek world.
I'd nominate Ben Jonson, a contemporary and close friend of Shakespeare himself. He began life as a bricklayer, then turned soldier and fought against the Spanish on the Continent; and on his return to England settled down to writing plays, of which he produced a great number. The most famous of them are: "Every Man in his Humour," "Every Man out of his Humour," "Volpone," and "The Alchemist." In 1616 he was created Poet Laureate-the first poet to be appointed formally to the office under letters patent. His body was buried in Westminster Abbey, in, it is said, an upright position.
I agree with Historia: BEN JONSON. His play Volpone is very well-written.
by Melanie Palen 12 years ago
What are some tips for reading and understanding Shakespeare?
by Imogen French 11 years ago
Do you actually enjoy Shakespeare plays or did you only read them because you had to at school?We all had Shakespeare forced upon us at school, but does anybody still read or watch the plays since leaving school, and do you think they still have any relevance or literary value in this day and age?...
by Old Empresario 12 years ago
If you don't have a favorite, which is your least favorite? I'm interested to know.
by Wesman Todd Shaw 10 years ago
Who was the greatest English writer?Please, don't mention or answer "Shakespeare" - it isn't that I think he wasn't TREMENDOUS - it is that he is too easy an answer.
by PierrePierre 13 years ago
What are some famous quotations from Shakespeare's plays?
by WindMaestro 12 years ago
Why do we recite in plays, and play in recitals?Interesting to think about, the English language is confusing sometimes.
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