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Thomas Middleton (baptized April 18, 1580, died 1627) was an English Elizabethan playwright and poet. He studied at Queens College, Oxford and was admitted to the practice of law. He was appointed City Chronologer of the City of London in 1620, a post that he held until his death. His successor in the post was Ben Jonson.
Middleton wrote in many genres, including tragedy, history and city comedy. His best-known plays are the passionate tragedies The Changeling (written with William Rowley) and Women Beware Women , and the cynically satiric city comedy A Chaste Maid in Cheapside . It is also widely believed that he wrote The Revenger's Tragedy , previously attributed to Cyril Tourneur, and collaborated with Shakespeare on the scenes involving the Weird Sisters and HecateIn Greek mythology, Hecate ( Greek Ἑκάτη Hekátē ( Roman equivalent: Trivia "of the three ways") was the goddess of witchcraft and sorcery, as well as crossroads. She has been appropriated by Wicca and other in MacbethMacbeth is also a Scottish clan. William Rimmer, depicting the witches' conjuring of an apparition in Act IV, Scene I Macbeth is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, based loosely on the historical King Macbeth of Scotland. Scholars think it an archetypal Ja.
Middleton's plays are characterized by their incredible cynicismCynicism was originally the philosophy of a group of ancient Greeks called the Cynics main article , founded by Antisthenes. Nowadays the word generally describes, somewhat pejoratively, the opinions of those inclined to disbelieve in human sincerity, in about the human race, a cynicism that is often very funny. True heroes are a rarity in Middleton; in his plays, almost every character is selfish, greedy and self-absorbed. This quality is best observed in the highly enjoyable A Chaste Maid in Cheapside , a panoramic view of a London populated entirely by sinners, in which no social rank goes unsatirized. It can also be seen in the tragedies Women Beware Women and The Revenger's Tragedy , in which entertainingly amoral Italian courtiers endlessly plot against each other, resulting in a climactic bloodbath. When Middleton does portray good people, the characters have very small roles, and are flawless to perfection. Middleton is known to have been a strong believer in CalvinismEmmanuel de Witte Calvinism is a Protestant Christian doctrine named after John Calvin. Calvin had international influence on the development of the doctrine of the Protestant Reformation, beginning at the age of 25, when he started work on his first edit, the dominant theologyTheology is literally rational discourse concerning God ( Greek θεος, theos "God", + λογος, logos "rational discourse"). By extension, it also refers to the study of other religious topics. of the time, which rigidly divides humanity into the damned and the elect. His drama seems to reflect that belief.
1 Middleton's Works
Note: The Middleton canon is beset by complications involving collaboration and debated authorship. The following list is based on that provided by the Oxford Middleton Project , a team of scholars who are editingEditor has four major senses: # a person who obtains or improves material for a publication; # a film editor, a person responsible for the flow of a motion picture or television program from scene to scene # a sound editor, a person responsible for the fl a new edition of Middleton's complete works. All dates of plays are dates of composition, not of publication.
1.1 Plays
- The Phoenix ( 1603-4 )
- The Honest Whore, Part 1 . Co-written with Thomas DekkerThomas Dekker (~1570 ~1632) was an Elizabethan dramatist and pamphleteer. He is thought to have been born in London, but little else is known about his life, apart from the fact that he spent time (including the years 1613-1619) in prison for debt. The fi ( 1604Events January 14 Hampton Court conference with James I of England, the Anglican bishops and representatives of Puritans September 20 Capture of Ostend by Spanish forces under Ambrosio Spinola after a three year siege. November 1 At Whitehall Palace in Lo)
- Michaelmas Term ( 1604Events January 14 Hampton Court conference with James I of England, the Anglican bishops and representatives of Puritans September 20 Capture of Ostend by Spanish forces under Ambrosio Spinola after a three year siege. November 1 At Whitehall Palace in Lo)
- A Trick to Catch the Old One ( 1605)
- A Mad World, My Masters ( 1605)
- A Yorkshire Tragedy ( 1605). Attributed to Shakespeare on its title page, but stylistic analysis favours Middleton.
- Timon of Athens ( 1605- 1606). Stylistic analysis indicates that Shakespeare wrote this play in collaboration with Middleton.
- The Puritan ( 1606)
- The Revenger's Tragedy ( 1606). Although sometimes attributed to Cyril Tourneur, stylistic analysis strongly indicates Middleton's authorship.
- Your Five Gallants ( 1607)
- The Bloody Banquet ( 1608-9 ). Co-written with Thomas Dekker.
- The Roaring Girl ( 1611). Co-written with Thomas Dekker.
- No Wit, No Help Like a Woman's ( 1611)
- The Second Maiden's Tragedy ( 1611). Anonymous manuscript; stylistic analysis indicates Middleton's authorship.
- A Chaste Maid in Cheapside ( 1613)
- Wit at Several Weapons ( 1613). Printed as part of the Beaumont and Fletcher Folio, but stylistic analysis indicates comprehensive revision by Middleton and William Rowley.
- More Dissemblers Besides Women ( 1614)
- The Widow ( 1615-16 )
- The Witch ( 1616)
- Macbeth. Various evidence indicates that the extant text of Shakespeare's Macbeth has been partly adapted by Middleton in 1616, using passages from The Witch .
- A Fair Quarrel ( 1616). Co-written with William Rowley.
- The Old Law ( 1618-19 ). Co-written with William Rowleyand perhaps a third collaborator, who may have been Philip Massinger or Thomas Heywood.
- Hengist, King of Kent, or, The Mayor of Queenborough ( 1620)
- Women Beware Women ( 1621)
- Measure for Measure. Stylistic evidence indicates that the extant text of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure was partly adapted by Middleton in 1621.
- Anything for a Quiet Life ( 1621). Co-written with John Webster.
- The Changeling ( 1622). Co-written with William Rowley.
- The Nice Valour ( 1622). Printed as part of the Beaumont and Fletcher Folio, but stylistic analysis indicates comprehensive revision by Middleton.
- The Spanish Gypsy ( 1623). Believed to be a play by Middleton and William Rowley revised by Thomas Dekker and John Ford.
- A Game at Chess ( 1624). Satirized the negotiations over the proposed marriage of Prince Charles son of James I of England with the Spanish princess. Was closed after nine performances.
