1592 to 1595

Literature

The Two Gentlemen of Verona. William Shakespeare. British. 1592. Play. Two former friends vie for the same girl. Proteus uses some dirty tricks to gain this end. Valentine wins her in the end and Proteus marries his former girl friend.

A Groatsworth of Wit Bought with a Million of Repentance. Robert Greene. British. 1592. Pamphlet. References to Shakespeare: "Upstart crow..."; "Shake-scene." Written while dying. A repentance tract. Warning to fellow playwrights to eschew evil and avoid his bitter end.

The Taming of the Shrew. William Shakespeare. British. 1593. Play. Younger daughter cannot be wed until older, violent, shrewish sister is married. Petruchio tames her by his own high-handed behavior after marrying her.

The Phoenix Nest. R.S. British. 1593. Poetry. One of the finest Elizabethan collections.

The Burning Babe. Robert Southwell. British. 1593. Poetry. Poet has vision of suffering infant Christ on Christmas Day.

A Midsummer Night's Dream. William Shakespeare. British. 1594. Play. Fairy Puck's juice makes people love the first object they see on awakening. Many merry mixups with pairs of lovers.

The Tragedy of King Richard III. William Shakespeare. British. 1594. Play. Richard exterminates all who in any way obstruct his succession to the throne.

The Comedy of Errors. William Shakespeare. British. 1594. Play. Identical twins, both named Antipholus with identical twin servants, both named Dromio. Separated. Mixup.

Love's Labour's Lost. William Shakespeare. British. 1594. Play. Males eschew women to study. Four ladies tempt them. They capitulate, but the ladies must leave and exact penances.

The Life and Death of King John. William Shakespeare. British. 1595. Play. Efforts of weak, despicable King John to fend off the royal claims of Arthur, duke of Brittany. He alienates the nobility. He runs afoul of the Pope. He is poisoned and his son, Henry III, becomes king.

Epithalamion (Celebrate Marriage). Edmund Spenser. British. 1595. Poetry. Written to celebrate his marriage. His highest poetic achievement.

The Merchant of Venice. William Shakespeare. British. 1595. Play. Shylock can have his pound of flesh, but he cannot take any blood with it. Portia. Bassanio. Antonio.

The Tragedy of Richard II. William Shakespeare. British. 1595. Play. Richard II is murdered by Bolingbroke, who becomes Henry IV.

Sir Thomas More. Anthony Monday. British? 1595. Play. Significant episodes in the life of Thomas More. Partly rewritten by Shakespeare?

Colin Clouts Come Home Againe. Edmund Spenser. British. 1595. Poetry. Allegorical pastoral. Journey with Shepherd of Ocean, Raleigh, to the land of the shepherdess, Cynthia, Queen Elizabeth.