John Fletcher Criticism
Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher were influential English dramatists during the Jacobean era, known for their collaborative works that significantly shaped the genre of tragicomedy. Their partnership, which began around 1606-07, produced numerous plays including The Woman Hater, Philaster, or Love Lies a-Bleeding, The Maid's Tragedy, and A King and No King. Their innovative approach to tragicomedy, a form which ends on a hopeful note despite potentially tragic circumstances, captured the imagination of their contemporaries and established a new direction in drama as noted in Beaumont and Fletcher.
Beaumont and Fletcher's work, characterized by its blend of romance, intrigue, and psychological depth, included, as explored by Eugene M. Waith, a "pattern of dramatic entertainment" that became widely popular. Their plays often featured complex characters and intricate plots, as discussed in Arthur C. Kirsch, and were known for their dramaturgical artifice, which was advantageous to their comedies but posed challenges for their tragedies.
The duo's biographical backgrounds were distinguished, with Beaumont from a prominent family connected to the royal Plantagenets, and Fletcher's father serving in high church positions. After Beaumont's departure from the theater in 1613-14, Fletcher collaborated with playwrights like Philip Massinger and even Shakespeare, becoming the chief dramatist for the King's Men. Their works, admired during their time, later faced critical reassessment, often seen as reflections of a transitional period between the works of Shakespeare and the later Restoration dramas, as highlighted in General Characteristics of the Romances of Beaumont and Fletcher.
Despite mixed evaluations over the centuries, their influence on Shakespeare and other dramatists is notable. Beaumont and Fletcher's plays have been analyzed for their social commentary and depiction of themes such as providence and the divine right of kings, as explored by various scholars. Their works, rich in ethical and moral questions, continue to offer insights into the cultural and political dynamics of Jacobean England.
Contents
- Principal Works
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Essays
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General Characteristics of the Romances of Beaumont and Fletcher
(summary)
In the following essay, Thorndike provides an overview of Beaumont and Fletcher's romances, considering their structure, characterization, style, and stagecraft.
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Beaumont and Fletcher
(summary)
In the following essay, originally published in 1936, Fermor places Beaumont and Fletcher in the context of Jacobean drama, addressing questions of genre, character construction, and thematic development.
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The Emergence of the Pattern
(summary)
In the following essay, Waith provides a detailed critical survey of Beaumont and Fletcher's tragicomedies, finding in them an essential "pattern of dramatic entertainment."
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Beaumont and Fletcher
(summary)
In the following essay, Kirsch considers the display of dramaturgical artifice in the works of Beaumont and Fletcher, finding it beneficial to the comedies, but detrimental to the dramatists' tragedies and tragicomedies.
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Beaumont and Fletcher's Earliest Work
(summary)
In the following essay, Finkelpearl considers early influences on Beaumont and Fletcher, including the inspiration of private Jacobean theater and the example of Marston. Finkelpearl also provides a close reading of their "remarkably accomplished" first play, The Woman Hater.
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General Characteristics of the Romances of Beaumont and Fletcher
(summary)
- Further Reading