Robert Greene English poet, novelist and playwright. Date of Birth: 11.07.1558 Country: Great Britain

1. Biography of Robert Green
2. Early Works
3. Realism and Confessional Pamphlets
4. Dramatic Works
5. Style and Influence

Biography of Robert Green

Robert Green was an English poet, prose writer, and playwright. He was born in Norwich and baptized on July 11, 1558. After graduating from the University of Cambridge, Green became one of the first writers in England to earn a living from his literary work. Despite having modest talent, he gained popularity through his novels, pamphlets, and dramas. He lived a disorderly lifestyle and often struggled financially. Green passed away in London on September 3, 1592.

Early Works

Initially, Green imitated the didactic style of D. Lily in his work "Mamillia" (1580). Later, influenced by Arcadia by Sir Philip Sidney and Greek novels, he created his best pastoral novels "Pandosto" (1588) and "Menaphon" (1589).

Realism and Confessional Pamphlets

After 1590, Green turned to realism in his "rogue" pamphlets of 1591 and 1592, which exposed London fraudsters, as well as in his confessional pamphlets "Groatsworth of Wit Bought with a Million of Repentance" (1592) and "Repentance" (1592), written on his deathbed.

Dramatic Works

Among the many plays attributed to Green, the ones that undoubtedly belong to him are "Alphonsus, King of Aragon" (1587), "Orlando Furioso" (around 1589), "Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay" (around 1590), and "James IV" (around 1590). He also co-wrote the play "A Looking Glass for London and England" (around 1590) with Thomas Lodge. It is highly probable that Green also wrote "George-a-Greene" (post-1587).

Style and Influence

Green's attempt to imitate Christopher Marlowe's blank verse in "Alphonsus" and "Orlando Furioso" resulted in pompousness. The fantastical scenes in his most famous play, "Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay," were also an obvious attempt to compete with Marlowe's "Doctor Faustus." In "Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay" and "James IV," Green laid the foundations of romantic comedy, with its idealized heroines, sometimes dressed in men's clothing, and touching love stories. These plays share similarities with Shakespeare's romantic comedies.