George Chapman (1559-1634)

  • George Chapman was a significant English writer of the 16th and 17th centuries.

  • He was a classical scholar whose work reflects the influence of Stoic philosophy.

  • He is often considered a precursor to the Metaphysical poets.

  • His most notable works include his translations of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and also Batrachomyomachia (pseudo-Homeric mock epic of Illiad)

  • There is speculation that he might be the unnamed Rival Poet referenced in Shakespeare's sonnets. (by William Minto)

  • Chapman's early works include the philosophical poems The Shadow of Night and Ovid's Banquet of Sense.

  • Ovid's Banquet of Sense is seen as a response to the erotic poetry of the time, such as Sidney's Astrophil and Stella and Shakespeare's Venus and Adonis.

  • Chapman spent his later years in poverty and debt.

  • He died in London and was buried at St Giles in the Fields.

  • A monument designed by Inigo Jones marks his tomb.

COMEDIES

  • By the late 1590s, Chapman had become a successful playwright.

  • He wrote several comedies, including The Blind Beggar of Alexandria, An Humorous Day's Mirth, All Fools, Monsieur D'Olive, The Gentleman Usher, May Day, and The Widow's Tears.

  • Chapman experimented with dramatic form, influencing later playwrights like Ben Jonson and Beaumont and Fletcher.

  • An Humorous Day's Mirth is considered one of the earliest examples of "humours comedy".

  • The Widow's Tears is a pioneering work in the genre of tragicomedy.

  • Chapman collaborated with Ben Jonson and John Marston on the play Eastward Ho (1605).

  • This play contained satirical references to Scottish courtiers, leading to the imprisonment of Chapman and Jonson.

  • Letters from Chapman and Jonson to the king and noblemen, found in the Dobell MS, discuss the incident and attempt to distance themselves from the offensive content. AR Braunmuller published this letters as A Seventeenth Century Letterbook

  • While the exact punishment was unclear, Jonson's "Conversations With Drummond" suggests a potential threat to their physical appearance.

    TRAGEDIES

  • Chapman is best known for his tragedies based on French history, including Bussy D'Ambois, The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Charles, Duke of Byron, The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois, and The Tragedy of Chabot, Admiral of France.

  • The Conspiracy and Tragedy of Byron was banned due to its controversial content, particularly a scene involving Henry IV's wife and mistress. On publication, the offending material was excised, and Chapman refers to the play in his dedication to Sir Thomas Walsingham as "poore dismembered Poems"

  • Chapman's only classical tragedy, Caesar and Pompey, is considered his least significant work in the genre.

    OTHER PLAYS

  • Chapman wrote The Old Joiner of Aldgate, a play performed in 1603 that caused controversy due to its similarities to a real-life legal case.

  • He also wrote the successful masque The Memorable Masque of the Middle Temple and Lincoln's Inn in 1613.

  • Chapman is also believed to have written The Masque of the Twelve Months, performed in 1619. (according to Kenneth Muir)

  • Chapman's authorship has been debated for several anonymous plays of his time, including The Disguises, Sir Giles Goosecap, Two Wise Men And All The Rest Fools, The Fountain of New Fashions, and The Second Maiden's Tragedy.

  • While Sir Giles Goosecap is generally accepted as Chapman's work, the authorship of the others remains uncertain.

  • The play Revenge for Honour (1654) was falsely attributed to Chapman. It is now believed to be the work of Henry Glapthorne.

  • Alphonsus Emperor of Germany (1654) is another play falsely attributed to Chapman.

  • Several of Chapman's plays were lost in the Great Fire of London, including The Fatal Love, A Yorkshire Gentlewoman And Her Son, and possibly Christianetta.

    POET AND TRANSLATOR

  • Chapman also wrote several poems, including De Guiana, Carmen Epicum (1596), a continuation of Hero and Leander (1598), and Euthymiae Raptus; or the Tears of Peace (1609).

  • Some scholars speculate that Chapman may be the "rival poet" referenced in Shakespeare's sonnets (78-86)

  • Chapman published his translation of the Iliad in installments from 1598.

  • In 1616, he published The Whole Works of Homer, the first complete English translation of the Iliad and Odyssey.

  • His translation of the Odyssey is written in iambic pentameter, while the Iliad is in iambic heptameter.

  • Chapman's translations often expand on Homer's original text with added details and philosophical interpretations.

  • Despite the significant contribution of his translations, Chapman faced financial difficulties due to the death of his patron, Prince Henry, and the non-payment of promised rewards.

  • Chapman translated several other classical works, including the Homeric Hymns, Virgil's Georgics, Hesiod's Works and Days, Musaeus' Hero and Leander, and Juvenal's Fifth Satire.

  • His translations of Homer were praised by renowned poets like Alexander Pope, John Keats, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and T. S. Eliot.

  • While Pope acknowledged the "daring fiery spirit" of Chapman's translation, he also criticized its roughness and inaccuracy.

  • John Keats fervently admired Chapman's Homeric authenticity in his famous poem "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer". (wrote for his friend Charles Cowden Clarke in 1816). The poem begins "Much have I travell'd in the realms of gold" and is much quoted.

  • Dryden described Chapman as a dwarfish thought dressed up in gigantic words.

  • Shelley paid homage to Chapman in his poem "The Revolt of Islam" by quoting a verse from his translation of Homer:

"There is no danger to a man, that knows

What life and death is: there's not any law

Exceeds his knowledge; neither is it lawful

That he should stoop to any other law."

THE BLIND BEGGAR OF ALEXANDRIA

Play: Blind Beggar

  • Author: George Chapman

  • First Performance: 12 February 1596

  • Theatre: Rose Theatre

  • Acting Company: Admiral's Men

  • Popular Success: 22 performances in April 1597

  • Revivals: 1601 and 1602

  • Publication: 1598 (appeared in quarto form by William James)

  • Unique Feature: Mangled and incomplete printed version, likely a shortened stage version

  • Influences: Commedia dell'arte, Christopher Marlowe's Tamburlaine, Homer's Odyssey. The pretend-beggar Irus is named after the bragging beggar who foolishly challenges Odysseus to a fight in the final book of The Odyssey.

  • Plot: A swindler disguises himself as a blind beggar and manipulates people for personal gain, eventually becoming king of Egypt.

  • Themes: Disguise, deception, and the power of manipulation.

  • Potential Collaboration: Some critics suggest that parts of the play, especially the farcical elements, might have been written by other playwrights.

  • With the exception of his masterpiece Bussy D'Ambois, Chapman's plays rarely went through more than a single edition.

    Play: Blind Beggar

    Plot Summary:

    • The Swindler's Disguise: Cleanthes, a cunning swindler, disguises himself as a blind beggar named Irus to infiltrate the court of Queen Aegiale.

    • Aegiale's Banishment: Cleanthes, in his true identity, had previously courted Queen Aegiale, who, impressed by his boldness, banished him from the kingdom.

    • Manipulating the Court: As Irus, Cleanthes uses his wit and charm to manipulate the court members, including the queen herself.

    • Multiple Identities: Cleanthes adopts various disguises, including the wealthy usurer Leon and the eccentric Count Hermes.

    • Love and Deception: Cleanthes, in his different guises, seduces two sisters and marries them both. He then tempts them into adultery, all while maintaining his true identity.

    • A Twisted Fate: In a surprising twist, Cleanthes, the former beggar, ascends to the throne of Egypt. He then cruelly disposes of his two wives, who are now pregnant, by marrying them off to captured kings.

    Major Characters:

    • Cleanthes: The central character, a cunning swindler who manipulates the court through various disguises.

    • Queen Aegiale: The imperious queen who is initially charmed and then manipulated by Cleanthes.

    • Irus: The blind beggar disguise adopted by Cleanthes.

    • Leon: The wealthy usurer disguise adopted by Cleanthes.

    • Count Hermes: The eccentric aristocrat disguise adopted by Cleanthes.

The Impact of Blind Beggar

  • Popularized Disguise Plays: Blind Beggar significantly influenced the popularity of disguise plays on the Elizabethan stage.

  • Inspired Subsequent Works: Plays like The Knack to Know an Honest Man, Look About You, The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green by Henry Chettel and John Day, Westward Ho, Northward Ho, Every Man in His Humour, Volpone, and The Alchemist all drew inspiration from Chapman's use of disguise as a comedic device.

Bussy D'Ambois: A Tragedie: As It hath been often Performed at Paules

Written by

George Chapman

Characters

Bussy D'Ambois; Monsieur; Montsurry; Guise; King Henry; Tamyra; Comolet; Behemoth; Cartophylax; Beaupre; Annable; Pero; Dutchesse

Date premiered

1603–1604

Place premiered

London

Original language

English

Subject

French history

Genre

Tragedy

Setting

France

  • Historical Basis: Based on the life of Louis de Bussy d'Amboise

  • Part of a Series: Part of a series of plays by Chapman focusing on French political history.

  • Performance:

    • Performed by the Children of Paul's

    • Performed by the King's Men:

      • 7 April 1634 with Eliard Swanston as Bussy

      • 27 March 1638 with Eliard Swanston as Bussy

      • Nathan Field may have played Bussy when he joined the King's Men in 1616

      • Joseph Taylor may have played Bussy after Field's death in 1620

    • Performed at the Red Bull Theatre in 1660 with Charles Hart as Bussy

    • The Old Vic (London) in 1988 with David Threlfall as Bussy, directed by Jonathan Miller

    • St Giles in the Fields (London) in 2013 with Brice Stratford as Bussy, directed by Brice Stratford

  • Publication:

    • Entered into the Stationers' Register in 1607.

    • Published in quarto form in 1607 by William Aspley.

    • A revised edition was published in 1641 by Robert Lunne.

    • A fourth quarto was issued in 1647 by Robert Lunne.

    • A fifth quarto was published in 1657 by Joshua Kirton.

  • Adaptation: Thomas d'Urfey adapted the play into Bussy D'Ambois, or The Husband's Revenge in 1691.

  • Literary Influences: Chapman drew inspiration from classical sources like Seneca, Plutarch, Virgil, Erasmus, Homer, Empedocles, Themistocles, and Camillus.

  • Key Plot Points of Bussy D'Ambois

    • Bussy's Idealism and Reality: Bussy, a disillusioned soldier, initially expresses a desire for a more just and equitable society. In the third line of his opening soliloquy, he expresses the radical view that "Who is not poor, is monstrous." However, he quickly becomes entangled in the corrupt world of French nobility.

    • A Dangerous Game: Bussy's impulsive nature and exceptional swordsmanship make him a valuable asset to Monsieur, but also a threat to the established order.

    • Forbidden Love: Bussy's affair with Tamyra, the wife of the powerful Count Mountsurry, leads to a tragic downfall.

    • Betrayal and Revenge: Mountsurry, driven by jealousy and rage, orchestrates a deadly ambush for Bussy.

    • A Tragic Hero's Demise: Bussy, despite his warnings and premonitions, succumbs to his fate, highlighting the destructive power of passion and the inevitability of tragedy.

ALL FOOLS

  • Author: George Chapman

  • Performance: Performed by the Children of the Queen's Revels at Court (before James 1st) in 1605. Based on that fact, "the play was probably on the Blackfriars stage in 1604."

  • Possible Early Performance: Potential performance by the Admiral's Men at the Rose Theatre in 1599

  • Publication: First published in 1605 by George Eld for Thomas Thorpe

Note on the play's history: There's some debate about whether "The World Runs a Wheels & now All Fools But the Fool" mentioned in Henslowe's Diary refers to an earlier version of All Fools or a separate play.

Chapman based the plot of All Fools on two classical Roman comedies by Terence, the Heauton Timorumenos and the Adelphoe. As to be expected with Terentian and Terence-influenced comedy, the plot of All Fools centers on two old men and their children.

Key Plot Points of All Fools

  • The Misguided Fathers: Gostanzo ("Honesty is but a defect of wit.") and Marc Antonio, two well-meaning but misguided fathers, drive the comedic chaos.

  • The Young Lovers: Valerio, Gratiana, Fortunio, and Bellomora navigate the complexities of love and marriage.

  • Deception and Misunderstanding: Misunderstandings and mistaken identities fuel the plot, leading to humorous situations.

  • The Jealous Husband: Cornelio's unfounded jealousy provides a subplot of comedic relief.

  • A Happy Ending: Despite the initial turmoil, the play concludes with a series of marriages and reconciliations. In the closing tavern scene, everyone gets his share of come-uppance (except for the mild Marc Antonio). Gostanzo is forced to concede that, as Marc Antonio has put it, "too much wisdom evermore / Outshoots the truth."

The play's humor comes from the characters' misjudgments, their reliance on assumptions, and the resulting farcical situations.

Eastward Ho!

  • Authors: George Chapman, Ben Jonson, and John Marston

  • Performance: First performed at the Blackfriars Theatre by the Children of the Queen's Revels in early August 1605

  • Publication: Printed in September 1605 by George Eld for William Aspley and Thomas Thorp

  • Genre: City comedy

  • Themes: Social satire, anti-Scottish sentiment

  • Controversy: The play's anti-Scottish satire led to the imprisonment of its authors. A scene in Act Three is cause of imprisonment.

  • Literary References: The play references and parodies popular plays of the time, including The Spanish Tragedy, Tamburlaine, and Hamlet.

  • Connection to Other Plays: The title alludes to Westward Ho! by Thomas Dekker and John Webster, who also wrote Northward Ho! in response.

  • Authorship Debate: While earlier scholarship attributed specific acts to individual authors, more recent research suggests a more collaborative effort.

  • Publication and Censorship: The play's popularity led to multiple printings, but it also faced censorship due to its anti-Scottish content. The printed text differs from the original stage version, likely due to censorship.

Jonson later recounted to William Drummond of Hawthornden that he "was delated by Sir James Murray to the king for writing something against the Scots in a play, Eastward Ho, and voluntary imprisoned himself with Chapman and Marston who had written it amongst them. The report was that they should then had their ears cut and noses." (But Marston was not imprisoned)

Performance History:

  • Banned from the stage until 1614

  • Revived by the Lady Elizabeth's Men in 1614

  • Adapted by Nahum Tate in 1685

  • Produced by David Garrick in 1751 and adapted by Charlotte Lennox in 1775

  • Infrequent performances in the 19th century

  • Radio and university productions in the 20th century

  • 3 professional productions by Bernard Miles' Mermaid Theatre between 1951 and 1983

  • Revived by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2002

  • Produced by the American Shakespeare Center in 2006

Act 1

- William Touchstone, a goldsmith, scolds lazy apprentice Frank Quicksilver.

- Touchstone praises industrious apprentice Golding and hopes he will marry Mildred, Touchstone’s daughter.

- Touchstone's vain daughter, Gertrude, is engaged to bankrupt Sir Petronel Flash.

Act 2

- After Gertrude's expensive wedding, Touchstone dismisses Quicksilver for his drunkenness.

- Quicksilver plans to gain wealth easily; Petronel wants to leave London due to Gertrude.

- Quicksilver convinces Petronel to use Gertrude’s dowry for their trip to Virginia.

Act 3

- Touchstone visits Golding and Mildred, who are now married; Gertrude flaunts her status.

- Gertrude unwittingly signs away her dowry; Petronel prepares to leave for Virginia.

- Quicksilver disguises Winifred (Security's wife) to take her on the ship; a storm hits.

Act 4

- Security suspects Winifred is cheating after seeing her with Petronel.

- Quicksilver and Petronel, shipwrecked on the Isle of Dogs, plan to make counterfeit money.

- Golding learns about the shipwrecked voyagers being arrested in London.

Act 5

- Quicksilver and Petronel admit their wrongdoings in front of Touchstone and Golding.

- Touchstone is initially angry but is moved by Quicksilver's repentance.

- Golding forgives them; Touchstone reinstates Quicksilver and accepts Petronel back.

- The play ends with reconciliations and a happy resolution for everyone.