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University Wits in English Literature – Characteristics

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Introduction

University Wits is a phrase used to describe a group of late 16th-century English playwrights and pamphleteers who were educated at renowned universities Oxford and Cambridge and went on to become prominent secular writers. Their education influenced their writing and made them distinctive figures in the literary world at the time. They contributed to both English literature and theatre. The University Wits became instrumental in shaping the early English Renaissance period.  Their works aided the progress of English drama and prose. Due to their professional education, the University Wits are identified as among the earliest professional writers in English. They prepared the way for the writings of several well-known playwrights including William Shakespeare.

The University Wits were known for linguistic innovation, bringing classical learning to literature and facilitating a cultural change in the literary landscape of the time. They were known for their fondness of heroic themes and tales. For this reason, several characteristics were commonly found among these writers. Their works tended to have powerful and declarative lines, glorious epithets, and powerful declamation. There was a noticeable lack of humour in these early dramas; if humour was included it was usually coarse and not sophisticated.

Meaning and Origin

These late 16 th century writers were called the University Wits since they had all completed professional and sophisticated education from universities like Oxford and Cambridge. This term however was not used during their lifetime.  George Saintsbury , a 19th-century journalist and author coined this term. He argued that the University Wits were inspired by the academic dramas of Thomas Sackville and by the popular but miscellaneous theatre which was written by nameless writers. He said that University Wits gave the English literature its “magna carta”. He did believe that while University Wits with Marlowe at their head managed to contribute to theatre, they failed to achieve perfect lifelikeness. Later “University Wits” was taken up by many writers in the 20th century to refer to the group of authors listed by Saintsbury  

Characteristics

2)       Classical Influence: Due to their university education, the Wits were introduced to several classics; including ancient Greek and Roman literature as well. As a result, they were inspired by classical literature, philosophy, and rhetoric. They also used several classical myths and stories in their works and incorporated classical themes, allusions, and forms into their works.

4)       Influence on Shakespeare: Perhaps the most prominent playwright in English literature, the Bard of Avon himself was influenced by the University Wits. Marlowe particularly had a great impact on Shakespeare. Plays like “Doctor Faustus” by Marlowe and Kyd’s “The Spanish Tragedy” had influenced some of his plays. Shakespeare himself was born only four months after Marlowe.  

5)       Literary Innovation: Some University Wits were known to have introduced several literary innovations, these literary forms created a characteristic style. For example, John Lyly introduced an innovative prose style “Euphues” known for its elaborate language and parallelism. These innovations were significant in the development of the English prose.  

7)       Dramatic Innovations: It is well known that University Wits introduced novel styles and forms that moved away from the former medieval morality plays and mystery plays. They played a critical part in the development of English drama by contributing new themes, ideas and styles. University Wits featured characters with complex morals, themes of tragedy, vengeance and elaborate plots.

8)       Themes: The themes used by University Wits differed substantially from their predecessors. Some of the themes that were characteristic of University Wits were:  

Political and Historical Themes: Famously University Wits dramatically used historical events. For example, Robert Greene’s “Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay,” incorporated several political, historical and social themes.

Social Critique: University Wits used their works to provide social critique on society. They offered social commentary by including satirical elements that would point out societal flaws and the follies of human nature. George Peele’s “The Battle of Alcazar” for example served as a commentary on the consequences of war.

Power and Ambition: University Wits had a known fondness for heroism and heroic tales. Naturally, power and ambition were themes that were explored. Characters often sought power, through memes like military conquest, magic or political invasions. The pursuit of power and the consequences of ambitions were recurring themes in the works of University Wits.

Religion and Hersey: Several diverse themes were included by University Wits including the subject of religion and heresy. For example, Marlowe’s “Doctor Faustus” questioned the frontiers of faith and the result of challenging religious orthodoxy.

Revenge: Among the University Wits, Thomas Kyd’s “The Spanish Tragedy” is often quoted as a before time example of a revenge tragedy. This genre would later go on to gain immense popularity. Kyd’s play explored the themes of retribution, righteousness, and the moral complexities of seeking vengeance.

9)       Literary Devices: These are some of the literary devices that were used by University Wits:

Foreshadowing: Foreshadowing was used to hint at future events, adding depth to the plot and aiding character development.

Rhetorical Devices: Diverse forms of rhetorical devices such as parallelism, antithesis, and anaphora were employed by the wits to create persuasive speeches and enhance the overall eloquence of the work.

Metaphor: A famous metaphor used by the University Wits is from Robert Greene’s “Pandosto” “Thou whose bright eyes make the dark world double.” Metaphors were a frequently used device to create depth and enhance dialogues.

Wordplay: Wordplay and the use of puns were employed to include humour and increase the depth of the language. Devices of wordplay involved double meanings and witty word choices which contributed to the overall richness of their works.

Allusion: The University Wits were the first generation of writers to be professionally educated and hence were exposed to works of classics hence they frequently made references to classical mythology. Allusions added depth and cultural resonance to their writing. It appealed to audiences with a classical education.

Chiaroscuro: A frequently used technique it involves contrasting light and dark elements. It was done not only in the visual aspects of the stage but also in the characterization and moral themes of their works. This contributed depth and complexity to narratives.

Parallel Plots: Some plays created by the University Wits featured parallel plots. Here two or more storylines ran in tandem. This device was versatile and allowed for the searching of different themes, and character interactions and increasing storyline complexity positively.

Character Foils: The use of character foils is a literary instrument that highlights characters in light with one another. University Wits used this device to contrast characters that highlight each other’s qualities and flaws. This added intricacy to the characters and enhanced the holistic narrative.

Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593):

Marlowe was the most prominent of the University Wits. His contributions to English drama are celebrated for their dramatic innovations and moral complexity. His most notable works include “Doctor Faustus,” “Tamburlaine,” and “The Jew of Malta.” Marlowe was skilled in employing blank verse and the use of dramatic and poetic language.

Thomas Kyd (1558-1594):

Kyd is best known for his work “The Spanish Tragedy”. It is considered one of the fist examples of revenge tragedy. His work has been prominent in that particular genre. He explored the complexities of human nature and morality. Kyd focused on revenge, divine intervention, justice and morals.

Robert Greene (1558-1592):

George peele (1556-1596):.

Peele frequently wrote historical plays and was known for adopting historical tales to context. “Edward I” and “The Battle of Alcazar” are known as his most renowned works. He explored themes like ambition, power, war and authority.

John Lyly (1553-1606):

Lyly’s writings were characterized by an ornate and elaborate style of prose. Exploring themes of love, manners, and wit, he gained great influence at the time. His best-known works include “Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit” and its sequel “Euphues and His England.”

Thomas Nashe (1567-1601):

Other writers:.

The legacy of the University Wits is undeniable, as they set the stage for the golden age of English literature, moving away from medieval morality and mystery plays to explore more complex characters and plots the University Wits ushered in a prominent phase in English Literature. They were known for their linguistic innovation, the popularization of blank verse, and a strong influence on their contemporary, William Shakespeare. Their works reflected the moral complexities of human nature while delving into complicated themes. 

University Wits in English Literature

The term “ University Wits ” is related to an association of English writers who thrived during the 16th and the early part of the 17th century under the influence of the Renaissanc e .

The writers who were part of this University Wits were Christopher Marlowe, John Lyly, George Peele, Thomas Lodge, Thomas Kyd, Thomas Nash, and Robert Greene . Although at times Thomas Kyd was not considered part of this group but his novelty and connection with them made Thomas Kyd one with them. All these University Wits had taken university education and had a good knowledge of classical learning as well. Marlowe, Kyd, and Greene were from Cambridge University; and Peele and Lodge were from Oxford University. They were all of noble birth and high status. It is noteworthy to mention that they did not employ the term “University Wits” in their lifetime but was formulated by George Saintsbury, a 19th century English writer and critic.

Contribution of University Wits in British Drama:

Christopher Marlowe: Marlowe was the greatest artistic persona and the most imposing playwrights among the University Wits. Although Marlowe’s dramatic career was very short but was illuminated with monumental accomplishments. Marlowe’s dramatic career begins with “Tamburlaine the Great” , which he wrote in his early twenties. After his first play, he wrote three memorable plays one after the other, such as “ The tragicall history of the life and death of Doctor Faustus ”, “Edward the Second” , and “The Jew of Malta” . Through these tragedies, we can learn about his dramatic talent. There is significant diversity in his subject matter, for example, history in “Edward the Second” , magic in “ Doctor Faustus ”, tragedy in “The Jew of Malta” , etc. His style is dynamic, energetic, and extremely poetic. If we talk about Marlowe’s one achievement, then it was his ability to combine drama and poetry. Marlowe’s dramas are rich with his dominant notion of tragic protagonists and presentation of the powerful internal conflict as also with moving poetry. The blank verse that was also used in “Gorboduc” , the first tragedy of English, was handled very well by Marlowe in his plays. 

Read More: Doctor Faustus as a tragedy

Thomas Kyd: Thomas Kyd was one of the prominent personalities in the progress of Elizabethan drama. Kyd is remembered as the author of the revenge play “The Spanish Tragedy” . He followed Seneca and his model of tragedy and brought the revenge tradition into the English drama. His efficient utilization of the Senecan revenge tradition has filled the stage with supernatural elements and gory scenes. Kyd used blank verse skillfully in accordance with the thrilling and terrifying theme of dread and revenge. The supernatural feeling is also created by presenting ghosts and spirits of the dead.

John Lyly: John Lyly was known for his prose romance “Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit” , but he had authored many comedies too. He was an Oxford scholar, and his well-known comedies were “Alexander” , “ Sapho and phao”, “Endymion”, “The Woman in the Moon” , and so on. Lyly’s chief addition is the starting of high comedy as a kind of drama, hugely fascinating to the civilized and people of culture. The earlier comedies made by physical sensationalism are found substituted by Lyly’s high comedies.

Read More: Doctor Faustus as a Renaissance Man

Robert Greene: As a dramatist, Robert Greene was more successful than John Lyly. His famous dramas include “The History of Orlando and Furioso”, “The Comicall Historie of Alphonsus”, “King of Aragon ”, and so on. Greene presented his characters and dramatic situations very skillfully through his plays, which was not the case with John Lyly’s plays. 

George Peele: As a dramatist, George Peele was unquestionably mediocre to both John Lyly and Robert Greene. His play “The Arraignment of Paris” was staged before the Queen and the Queen was quite impressed with it. Peele’s other main works include “Old Wive’s Tale” and “David and Bathsabe” . It is believed that Shakespeare wrote his play “The Winter’s Tale” after being influenced by Peele’s “Old Wives Tale” . 

Read More: Hamlet as a revenge tragedy

Thomas Lodge and Thomas Nashe: Thomas Lodge and Thomas Nashe were the most inferior dramatists from the group of University wits. Talking about the plays of Thomas Lodge “The Wounds of the Civil War” and “A Looking Glass for London and England” are notable. Like Lodge, Nashe also does not have any such play which is worth mentioning except one “Summer’s Last Will and Testament” .  Nashe was basically a journalist and most of his prose works were related to politics and also satirical. 

Impact of the University Wits on Shakespeare:

Needless to say, Shakespeare’s originality is beyond doubt, but the impact of the earlier dramatists on him is also distinctly visible. We can see glimpses of Marlowe in Shakespeare’s tragedies. Certainly, Marlowe’s tragedies do not exhibit the powerful internal conflict of Shakespeare’s famous protagonists like Hamlet , Othello, Macbeth, and so on. Nonetheless, Marlovian plays convey an outlook of the inner conflict to which a character is administered. It is believed that Marlowe’s “Edward II” has an explicit manifestation in Shakespeare’s “Richard II” particularly its dramatic tension and external conflict. 

Read More: Shakespeare as a dramatist

We can see the influence of Thomas Kyd in the revenge tragedies of Shakespeare particularly in “ Hamlet ” . Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is found conspicuously owing to Thomas Kyd’s famous revenge play “The Spanish Tragedy”. The main theme of both the plays was revenge , apart from this, supernatural elements, madness, gory scenes, murder, etc. were dominated both the plays. 

In the realm of romantic comedy, we can see the influence of John Lyly in Shakespeare’s plays such as “The Tempest” and “Love’s Labor Lost”. There were certain aspects of Lyly’s comedies that perhaps found in Shakespeare’s romances such as woods as places for self-realization, imps with an ability to interact, a story revolving around marriage, and so on. 

Conclusion: 

There is no doubt that as a playwright Shakespeare is a genius but it is also true that there is no artist who is not inspired or influenced by anyone. Shakespeare was also influenced by his predecessors, whom we also call University Wits . So in the end we can say that English Drama started with University Wits and later Shakespeare took it to a level that was not exceeded in any other period. The University Wits transmitted poetic charm and elegance to British drama.

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• University Wits - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

university wits , the notable group of pioneer English dramatists who wrote during the last 15 years of the 16th century and who transformed the native interlude and chronicle play with their plays of quality and diversity .

The university wits include Christopher Marlowe , Robert Greene , and Thomas Nashe (all graduates of Cambridge), as well as Thomas Lodge and George Peele (both of Oxford). Another of the wits, though not university-trained, was Thomas Kyd . Preceded by John Lyly (an Oxford man), they prepared the way for William Shakespeare . The greatest poetic dramatist among them was Marlowe, whose handling of blank verse gave the theatre its characteristic voice for the next 50 years.

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A physicist and a musician explore the wonders of the Universe live on stage

23 August 2024 - Wits University

Alumni Luca Pontiggia & Yasheen Modi present HIDDEN GIANTS, a talk about black holes, the unseeable giants in our Universe, accompanied by live original music.

This Universe on Stage production takes place on two nights only, 13 and 14 September 2024, at 19h30 at the Joburg Theatre. Buy tickets here: Webticket – Hidden Giants .

Audiences of all ages (kids above 5) and backgrounds are encouraged to attend and experience the fascinating science behind one of the universe’s greatest mysteries.

Step into a world where science meets art and Dr Luca Pontiggia and Yasheen Modi, through The Universe on Stage , bring the mysteries of black holes to life through a captivating talk, live original music, and cinematic visuals.

Pontiggia, a physicist and seasoned storyteller, will guide the audience through the remarkable journey of how humanity captured the first image of a black hole – an unseeable object.

The show is accompanied by an original score created by award-winning pianist and composer Yasheen Modi.

Woven through the talk is the idea that this incredible feat was made possible by humanity's greatest resource: our curiosity. This has been the key to unlocking the hidden potential in all our lives.

“This isn’t just a show; it’s an immersive journey through our universe and our place in it – a truly novel kind of live entertainment,” says Pontiggia. “It’s for people of any age and any background. Our goal is to ignite curiosity and wonder about the universe while providing a memorable experience and inspiring us to see the world with a child-like perspective.”

This unique event promises to be an inspirational, educational, and emotional experience like no other.

About the Physicist

Born into an Italian family with an artist mother and engineer father, Pontiggia was drawn to physics as a blend of creativity, logic, and beauty. He developed a love for questioning and playing from a young age and eventually earned an undergraduate degree in Nuclear Engineering and, at the age of 27, a PhD in String Theory from Wits. He has mastered the art of storytelling, having won short film awards, delivering talks to sold-out shows, and working as a data science communicator.

About the Musician

Modi is a talented musician and actuary from South Africa. He learnt to play the piano at the age of eight years, and soon went on to win the Sanlam National Music Competition, which earned him recognition as a top young musician in the country. He also excelled academically, graduating summa cum laude from Wits University with a degree in actuarial science . Modi is currently working on an EP, showcasing his skills as a pianist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist.

Wits University and Black Holes

In 2022, two Wits scientists were part of the global team that made the first image of the black hole in the centre of our galaxy.

On 12 May 2022, at simultaneous press conferences around the world, Wits Professor Roger Deane and postdoctoral fellow Dr Iniyan Natarajan were only two of the more than 300 researchers based on African soil who unveiled the first image of the supermassive black hole at the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy. 

The South African press conference took place at the reimagined Wits Anglo American Digital Dome ( formerly the Planetarium) at Wits University, which opens officially in November 2024.

Pontiggia says that The Universe on Stage's HIDDEN GIANTS focuses more on the original black hole picture taken at the centre of the M87 galaxy in 2019. "The exact same technique was used to take the one at the centre of our galaxy referred to in the Wits story ," he says."The work that the Wits people did is related to what I present in HIDDEN GIANTS".