Academic drama

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Academic drama refers to a theatrical movement that emerged in the mid 16th century during the

universities in England began to produce the plays of Sophocles, Euripides, and Seneca the Younger (among others) in the Greek and Roman languages, as well as neoclassical dramas. These classical and neoclassical productions were performed by young scholars at universities in Cambridge and Oxford.[1] Other European countries, such as Spain and Italy adapted classical plays into a mixture of Latin and vernacular dramas. These Spanish and Italian adaptations were used in teaching morals in schools and colleges.[2] The intellectual development of dramas in schools, universities, and Inns of Court in Europe allowed the emergence of the great playwrights of the late 16th century.[3]

Academic drama at Oxford University

Hall of Christ Church, Oxford

The history of academic drama at

Queen Elizabeth I and King James I.[6]

It is evident that academic drama at Oxford was highly regarded as a crucial part of the educational experience. The university covered all performance expenses. Additionally, no entrance fees were charged.[7]

Academic drama at Cambridge University

St. John's College, Cambridge, England-LCCN2002696460

In producing academic drama, the colleges at

morality plays.[11]

Academic drama at the Inns of Court

The

masques and revels, yet another contrast from the Oxford and Cambridge plays.[15] Until the end of the 17th century, these performances typically took the form of masques written by law students at the Inns of Court. Once the Inns of Court transitioned from masques to plays, the so-called third university served as a cradle for classical English drama. Eventually, by the early 17th century, writers such as Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare began producing English comedies at the Inns of Court, thus expanding the range of materials performed.[16] After 1614, the masques were written and designed by professionals; simultaneously the new emerging dramas were written and performed by professional theatre practitioners.[17] Due to the close proximity to the English court, nobility frequently attended the performances at the Inns of Court.[18]

Classical drama performed

Academic drama was formed as an educational tool, not only to advance the arts, but to teach classical literature and language. Key subject matter for performance were classical dramas of ancient Greece and Rome. Prominent playwrights whose works were performed as part of the academic drama tradition include Aristophanes, Plautus, Seneca the Younger, and Terence.

Play Playwright Date Performed Location of Performance Language
Plutus Aristophanes 1536 St. John's, Cambridge Greek
Pax Aristophanes 1546 Trinity, Cambridge Greek
Poenulus Plautus 1549 Queens', Cambridge Latin
Troades
Seneca the younger
 1551-2 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Menaechmi Plautus 1551-2 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Stichus Plautus 1544 Queens', Cambridge Latin
a commedie Plautus 1557 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Oedipus
Seneca the younger
 1559–60 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Mostellaria Plautus 1559–60 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Hecuba
Seneca the younger
 1559–60 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Amphitruo
 Plautus 1560-1 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Troades
Seneca the younger
 1560-1 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Medea
Seneca the younger
 1560-1 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Adelphi Terence 1562-3 Jesus, Cambridge Latin
Curculio Plautus 1562-3 Jesus, Cambridge Latin
Pseudolus Plautus 1562-3 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Adelphi Terence 1562-3 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Phormio Terence 1562-3 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Medea
Seneca the younger
 1563 Queens', Cambridge Latin
Eunuchus Terence 1563-4 Jesus, Cambridge Latin
Trinummus Plautus 1563-4 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Bacchides Plautus 1563-4 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Aulularia Plautus 1563-4 King's, Cambridge Latin
Stichus Plautus 1564-5 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Menaechmi Plautus 1565-6 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Eunuchus Terence 1566-7 Merton, Oxford Latin
Menaechmi Plautus 1567-8 Merton, Oxford Latin
Bacchides Plautus 1579 Jesus, Cambridge Latin
Persa Plautus 1583 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
Hippolytus
Seneca the younger
(with additional scenes by Gager)		 1591-2 Christ Church, Oxford Latin

[19]

Neo-Latin/English drama performed

Neo-Latin or New Latin dramas as they may also be referred to, were plays written in Latin by students and professors at Oxford, Cambridge, and the Inns of Court. Subject matter ranged from religious, to satirical, to mythological.[20] Eventually these original plays began to be written in English, preparing the way for the English drama of the Elizabethan Age.[21]

Play Playwright Date Performed Location of Performance Language
Microcosmus T. Artour 1520–32 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
Mundas Plumbeus T. Artour 1520–32 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
Piscator siue Fraus Illusa J. Hoker 1535–43 Magdalen, Oxford Latin
Thersites Anon. 1537 Magdalen, Oxford English
Christus Rediuiuus Nicholas Grimald 1540 Brasenose, Oxford Latin
Christus Nascens Nicholas Grimald 1540- Merton or Christ Chrich, Oxford Latin
Protomartyr Nicholas Grimald 1540- Merton or Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Fama Nicholas Grimald 1540- Merton or Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Athanasius siue infamia Nicholas Grimald 1540- Merton or Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Troilus Nicholas Grimald 1540- Merton or Christ Church, Oxford English
De puerorum in musicis institutione Nicholas Grimald 1540- Merton or Christ Church, Oxford English
Absalon T. Watson c. 1540 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
dialogus R. Textor 1543 Queens', Cambridge Latin
Pammachius T. Kirchmayer 1545 Christ's, Cambridge Latin
Archiproheta Nicholas Grimald 1546-7 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Heli H. Ziegler 1547-8 Queens', Cambridge Latin
Grammer Gurtons Nedle undetermined 1550–60 Christ's, Cambridge English
Strylius Nicholas Robinson (bishop) 1552-3 Queens', Cambridge Latin
A lernyd tragedy Anon. 1553-6 New College, Oxford Latin
de crumena perdita Anon. 1554-5 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
both the English plaies Anon. 1559–60 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Sapientia Solomonis Sixt Birck 1559–60 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Acolastus Wilhelm Gnapheus 1560-1 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
John babtiste George Buchanan 1562-3 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Christus Triumphans J. Foxe 1562-3 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Dido E. Haliwell 1564 King's, Cambridge Latin
Ezechias Nicholas Udall 1564 King's, Cambridge English
A burlesque on the Romanist bishops Anon. 1564 At Hinchinbrook, Cambridge English
Philanira C. Roilletus 1564-5 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Asotus Macropedius 1565-6 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Crumenaria Anon. 1565-6 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Marcus Geminus Anon. 1566 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Palamon and Arcyte Parts 1 and 2 Richard Edwardes 1566 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Progne James Calfhill 1566 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Iephthes J. Christopherson 1566-7 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Wylie Beguylie Anon. 1566-7 Merton, Oxford English
Damon and Pythias (play) Richard Edwardes 1567-8 Merton, Oxford English
The Destruction of Thebes Anon. 1569 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Hymenaeus Abraham Fraunce or H. Hickman c. 1578-9 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
Victoria Abraham Fraunce 1579–83 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
Richardus Tertius Thomas Legge 1579–80 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
The Destruction of Jerusalem Thomas Legge 1580–98 Caius, Cambridge Latin
Pendantius A. Wingfield 1580-1 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Puer vapulans Anon. 1581-2 Jesus, Cambridge Latin
Supposes G. Gascoigne 1581-2 Trinity, Oxford English
Caesar Interfectus R. Eedes 1581-2 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Meleager W. Gager 1581-2 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Bellum Grammaticale Leonard Hutten c. 1582 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Comedy satirizing the Mayor of Cambridge T. Mudde 1582-3 Pembroke, Oxford English
Riuales W. Gager 1583 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Dido W. Gager 1583 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Meleager W. Gager 1584-5 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Tarrarantantara turba trigonum Tri-Harueyorum Anon. 1585-6 Clare Hall, Cambridge Latin
Duns furens Anon. 1585-6 Peterhouse, Cambridge Latin
Terminus et non terminus Thomas Nashe and other student c. 1586 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
Octavia pseudo-Senecan 1588 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Vlysses Redux W. Gager 1591-2 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Bellum Grammaticale Leonard Hutten 1592 Christ Church, Oxford Latin
Roxana W. Alabaster c. 1592 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Caesars Reuenge Anon. c. 1594 Trinity, Oxford Latin
Laelia Anon. 1594-5 Queens', Cambridge Latin
Siluanus Anon. 1596-7 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
Hispanus Anon. 1596-7 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
Machiauellus Anon. 1597 St. John's, Cambridge Latin
The Pilgrimage to Parnassus Parnassus plays Anon. 1598 St. John's, Cambridge English
Leander W. Hawkesworth 1598-9 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Club Law G. Ruggle 1599–1600 Clare Hall, Cambridge English
The Return from Parnassus Part I Parnassus plays Anon. 1601 St. John's, Cambridge English
The Return from Parnassus Part II Parnassus plays Anon. 1602 St. John's, Cambridge English
Narcissus Anon. 1602-3 St. John's, Oxford English
Leander W. Hawkesworth 1602-3 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Labyrinthus W. Hawkesworth 1602-3 Trinity, Cambridge Latin
Nero M. Gwynne 1602-3 St. John's, Oxford Latin

[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ Boas, Fredrick (1966). University Drama in the Tudor Age. New York: Benjamin Blom Inc. pp. 16–19.
  2. JSTOR 2857139
    .
  3. JSTOR 2871446
    .
  4. JSTOR 3205776
    .
  5. ^ Nelson, Alan H. (2009). "Emulating Royalty: Cambridge, Oxford, and the Inns of Court". Shakespeare Studies. 37: 67–76. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  6. JSTOR 3205776
    .
  7. JSTOR 3205776
    .
  8. JSTOR 2871446
    .
  9. JSTOR 3204572
    .
  10. JSTOR 2871446
    .
  11. JSTOR 514357
    .
  12. ^ Nelson, Alan H. (2009). "Emulating Royalty: Cambridge, Oxford, and the Inns of Court". Shakespeare Studies. 37: 67–76. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  13. ISBN 0-582-50831-2
    .
  14. ^ Green, A. Wigfall (1931). The Inns of Court and Early English Drama. New York: Benjamin Blom.
  15. ^ Nelson, Alan H. (2009). "Emulating Royalty: Cambridge, Oxford, and the Inns of Court". Shakespeare Studies. 37: 67–76. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  16. ^ Green, A. Wigfall (1931). The Inns of Court and Early English Drama. New York: Benjamin Blom.
  17. ISBN 0-582-50831-2
    .
  18. ^ Nelson, Alan H. (2009). "Emulating Royalty: Cambridge, Oxford, and the Inns of Court". Shakespeare Studies. 37: 67–76. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  19. ^ Boas, Fredrick (1966). University Drama in the Tudor Age. New York: Benjamin Blom Inc.
  20. ^ Boas, Fredrick (1966). University Drama in the Tudor Age. New York: Benjamin Blom Inc. pp. 16–19.
  21. JSTOR 2871446
    .
  22. ^ Boas, Fredrick (1966). University Drama in the Tudor Age. New York: Benjamin Blom Inc.
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