Henry Chettle Criticism
Henry Chettle, an English playwright, prose writer, and poet, remains a figure of modest recognition in Elizabethan literature. Despite collaborating with prominent playwrights like Thomas Dekker and Ben Jonson, much of his theatrical work has not endured in scholarly or public interest. His sole surviving solo play, The Tragedy of Hoffman, is generally regarded as inferior to contemporaries' works. However, Chettle's prose, particularly Piers Plainness' Seven Years' Prenticeship, is celebrated for its contribution to early English fiction. His involvement with the contentious Greene's Groatsworth of Wit, a pamphlet critical of Shakespeare, has been a subject of extensive scholarly debate, with some critics arguing that Chettle forged the work, as explored in essays like Chettle's Forgery of the Groatsworth of Wit and the ‘Shake-scene’ Passage and Technique of the Chettle-Greene Forgery.
Biographical details about Chettle are sparse. Born in London around 1564, he began as an apprentice to a printer and eventually partnered with William Hoskins and John Danter, printing materials that included some Shakespearean works. After his printing career ended in controversy, Chettle turned to playwriting, though little of his output survives. His contributions to plays like The Book of Sir Thomas More reflect his collaborative nature, but his status in literary circles waned by the end of his life, leading to a death marked by obscurity and debt as noted in Notes on Henry Chettle (Concluded).
Despite being overshadowed by contemporaries such as Shakespeare, Chettle's work experienced renewed interest due to speculation about his authorship of Greene's Groatsworth, with studies highlighting stylistic similarities to his other writings, as seen in Johannes Factotum: Henry Chettle and Greene's Groatsworth of Wit. His prose remains valuable in understanding Elizabethan fiction, with Mark Thornton Burnett offering insights into its thematic depth and cultural context. Ultimately, Chettle's legacy is that of a minor dramatist and significant prose writer, contributing to the literary fabric of his era.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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Chettle's Forgery of the Groatsworth of Wit and the ‘Shake-scene’ Passage
(summary)
In the following essay, the anonymous critic analyzes the evidence that Greene's Groatsworth of Wit is a forgery perpetrated by Chettle.
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Technique of the Chettle-Greene Forgery: Supplementary Material on the Authorship of the Groatsworth of Wit
(summary)
In the following essay, Austin offers linguistic evidence for the hypothesis that Chettle forged Greene's Groatsworth of Wit.
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Johannes Factotum: Henry Chettle and Greene's Groatsworth of Wit.
(summary)
In the following essay, Jowett examines the evidence for the claim that Chettle authored Greene's Groatsworth of Wit before establishing a context for his authorship and confronting those critics who reject the idea that he forged the work.
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Notes on Henry Chettle
(summary)
In the following essay, Jowett collates and consolidates critical work done on Chettle after 1934 to present a sketch of the man and his work, discussing his early writings, his relationship with John Danter, his authorship of Greene's Groatsworth of Wit, and his attack on bawdy ballads.
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Notes on Henry Chettle (Concluded)
(summary)
In the following essay, Jowett discusses Chettle's contribution to the play Sir Thomas More, his involvement in Romeo and Juliet, the plays he wrote in collaboration with others, his work on The Tragedy of Hoffman, his debts, and his death.
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Henry Chettle and the Unreliable Romeo: A Reassessment
(summary)
In the following essay, Kahan disputes the claim made by other scholars that Chettle was the editor of the 1597 edition of Romeo and Juliet.
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Henry Chettle's Piers Plainness: Seven Years' Prenticeship: Contexts and Consumers
(summary)
In the following essay, Burnett offers a detailed reading of Piers Plainness' Seven Years' Apprenticeship, arguing that the work has a densely allusive design, explores important topical questions about master-servant relations, and should be read in relation to an Elizabethan apprentice culture.
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Biography and Mythography: Rereading Chettle's Alleged Apology to Shakespeare
(summary)
In the following essay, Erne denies claims that Chettle apologized to Shakespeare for Greene's attacks.
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Chettle's Forgery of the Groatsworth of Wit and the ‘Shake-scene’ Passage
(summary)
- Further Reading