Elizabethan Drama as a Mirror :: Plays Literature Essays

A. How God hath dealt with some of our countrymen your ancestors, for sundry vices not until now left, this book named A Mirror for Magistrates can shew which therefore I humbly offer unto your Honors, beseeching you to accept it favorably. For here as in a looking glass, you sh each(prenominal) see (if every vice be in you) how the like hath been punished in other heretofore, whereby, admonished, I trust it pull up stakes be a good occasion to move you to the so mavinr amendment.W light-headediam Baldwin, A Mirror for Magistrates (1559) B. In Playes, all cosonages, all cunning drifts ouer guylded with outward holinesse, all strategems of warre, all the cankerwormes that breede on the rust of peace, are most lieuely anatomizd they shew the ill successe of treason, the fall of hastie climbers, the wretched end of vsurpers, the miserie of ciuill dissention, and how iust God is euermore in punishing of murther. And to proue euery one of these allegations, could I propound the cir cumstances of this play and that play ... they are sower pils of reprehension, wrapt vp in sweete words ... and as for corrupting prentices when they come, thats false for no Play they haue, encourageth any man to tumults or rebellion, but layes before such the halter and the gallowes or prai touch onh or approoueth pride, lust, whoredome, prodigalitie, or drunkennes, but beates them downe vtterly.Thomas Nashe, Pierce Penilesse (1592) C. 0 London, mayden of the misstresse Ile,Wrapt in the foldes and swathing cloutes of shameIn thee more sinnes then Niniuie containes,Contempt of God, dispight of reuerend age. leave off of law, desire to wrong the pooreCorrpution, whordome, drunkennesse, and pride.Swolne are thy browes with impudence and shame.0 proud extracurricular glorie of the West,The neighbors burn, yet doest thou feare no fireThy Preachers crie, yet doest thou shut off thine eares.The larum rings, yet sleepest thou secure.London awake, for feare the master do frowne,I set a looking scrape before thine eyes.0 turne, 0 turne, with weeping to the LordRepend 0 LondonThomas Lodge and Robert Green, A Looking Glass for London and England (1590), lines 2388-2404 D. Suit the action to the word, the word to the action with this special observance, that you offend not the modesty of nature for anything so overdone is from the purpose of playing, whose end, twain at the first and now, was and is, to hold, as twere, the mirror up to nature to furnish virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and carcass of the time his form and pressure.