Nathaniel Lee
Nathaniel Lee (c. 1653 – 6 May 1692) was an
Lee was educated at Westminster School (though some sources say Charterhouse School), and at Trinity College, Cambridge, taking his B.A. degree in 1668.[1] Coming to London, perhaps under the patronage of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, he tried to earn his living as an actor, but acute stage fright made this impossible. His earliest play, Nero, Emperor of Rome, was acted in 1675 at Drury Lane. Two tragedies written in rhymed heroic couplets, in imitation of John Dryden, followed in 1676: Sophonisba, or Hannibal's Overthrow and Gloriana, or the Court of Augustus Caesar. Both are extravagant in design and treatment.
Lee's reputation was made in 1677 with a
He had lived in the dissipated society of
Lee died in a drunken fit in 1692. He was buried on 6 May in
Lee's Dramatic Works were published in 1734. In spite of their extravagance, they contain many passages of great beauty. Copies of Lee's books remain sought after in bibliographic circles.
Plays
Dates are of first production.
- The Tragedy of Nero, Emperour of Rome — 1674[3]
- Sophonisba, or Hannibal's Overthrow — 30 April 1675[4]
- Gloriana, or the Court of Augustus Caesar — January 1675/6[5]
- The Rival Queens, or the Death of Alexander the Great — March 1676/7[6]
- Mithridates, King of Pontus: A Tragedy — March 1677/8[7]
- Oedipus: A Tragedy (with John Dryden) — 1678 or 1679[8]
- The Massacre of Paris — 7 November 1689[9]
- Caesar Borgia; Son of Pope Alexander the Sixth — 1679 or 1680[10]
- The Princess of Cleve — c. 1680[11]
- Theodosius: or, The Force of Love — c. 1680[12]
- Lucius Junius Brutus; Father of his Country — December 1680[13]
- The Duke of Guise. A Tragedy (with John Dryden) — 30 November 1682[14]
- Constantine the Great; A Tragedy — November 1683[15]
Notes
- ^ "Lee, Nathaniel (LY665N)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- S2CID 171007891.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1954, p. 21.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1954, p. 75.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1954, p. 147.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1954, p. 213.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1954, p. 287.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1954, p. 369.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1955, p. 3.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1955, p. 67.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1955, p. 149.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1955, p. 231.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1955, p. 317.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1955, p. 389.
- ^ Stroup & Cooke 1955, p. 479.
References
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Stroup, Thomas B.; Cooke, Arthur L. (1954). The Works of Nathaniel Lee. Vol. 1.
- Stroup, Thomas B.; Cooke, Arthur L. (1955). The Works of Nathaniel Lee. Vol. 2.
External links
Quotations related to Nathaniel Lee at Wikiquote- Dramatic Works Vol 1/3 at the Internet Archive (containing Oedipus, Theodosius, The Princess of Cleves, and Lucius Junius Brutus)
- Dramatic Works Vol 2/3 at the Internet Archive (containing Mithridates, Caesar Borgia, Constantine the Great, and The Duke of Guise)
- The Rival Queens at the Internet Archive
- Sophonisba at the Internet Archive
- Nero at the Internet Archive
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