University Wits in Elizabethan period | English Literature and dramatists

English drama, in the true Sense of the term, was created by a band of young writer. They were educated at the universities of oxford and Cambridge. They had acted in the schools and the college original the plays of Seneca  and terrene. The initial stages of the glorification of drama  are due to this new school of dramatics. They were called the university wits because of their education at the university as a professional set of literary men.

 The constellation of the university with consists minor stars like Thomas,  John Lyly, George Peele, Robert green round the central sun Christopher Marlowe. These university men were they knew the stages and the audience not only the actors parts but at the audience love for stories and brave spectacles. Their training began as actor and then they revised old plays and finally become independent writers. They were romantic in their attitude and represented the spirit of the renaissance.

                                                         The university wits contributed to the formation of the romantic comedy which blossomed firth in the hands of Shakespeare hubs, the courier made notable contribution to the formation of the English comedy. The comedies of Peele are both satirical romantic humour in his comedies lacked humour when it is brought in at all, is coarse and immature.

The university wits, inspite their loose plots made some advance in plot construction and in harmonizing the different  threads of their stories into a perfect whole . In this way to Shakespeare, Marlowe’s Edward II “ prepare the way for Richard II of Shakespeare.

                                               The university wits had fondness for heroic theme ,such as the lives of great figure like Tamburlaine . It was Marlowe who raised the subject matter of the drama to a higher level. He provided big heroics subject that appealed to imagination of the readers.

                                              The university wits prepared the way for later tragedy : In “Spanishtragedy”, Kyd popularized the vogue of Senecan tragedy reveling in bloodshed which later on  tourneur  followed with enthusiasm. Marlowe revolutionized the whole conception of medieval tragedy . He introduced the element of struggle in the tragedy , the university wits made notable contribution and prepared the way for Shakespeare.

                                                Marlowe’s themes  were usually tragic in nature such heroic theme needed heroic treatment  gratefulness and variety splendid descriptions long swelling speeches , the handling of violent  and the emotions. All these qualities were imparted to drama by Marlowe. He set the stage on fire with the flame of his passion. He stirred the heroic imagination of the readers by writing  Tamburlaine” and “Dr. Faustus”.

Poetry was added to the dramatic production by Peele and Lyly. Lyly gave lighter verse well suited or the expression of lighter sentiments. Peele made drama rich and decorative by his poetics wealth. Marlowe’s poetic powers were admirable and he made his heroes essentially lyrical genius.

The University Wits made definite development in the art of characterization. Lyly’s characters were unity and intellectually sharp for romantics comedies. Marlowe gave life and reality to characters mean for tragedy.

In all these ways the university wits prepared the ground for Shakespeare and made notable contribution to the growth of drama during the Elizabethan Age.