Elkanah Settle facts for kids

Elkanah Settle (born February 1, 1648 – died February 12, 1724) was an English poet and writer of plays. He lived a long time ago, during a period when theatre was very popular. He wrote many plays and poems that were enjoyed by people in his time.

Elkanah Settle's Life Story

Early Life and First Plays

Elkanah Settle was born in a town called Dunstable. In 1666, he started studying at Trinity College, Oxford. However, he left college without finishing his degree.

His very first play was a tragedy called Cambyses, King of Persia. It was shown in 1667 and became quite popular. Because of this success, a powerful person called the Earl of Rochester encouraged Settle. The Earl wanted Settle to become a rival to another famous writer, John Dryden.

A Popular Play and a Rivalry

Thanks to the Earl's help, Settle's play The Empress of Morocco (1673) was performed twice for the King at Whitehall. It was a huge success! A writer named John Dennis said it was the first play ever sold in England for two shillings. It was also the first play printed with pictures. These pictures showed scenes from the theatre, making the book very special.

A performance of the Empress of Morocco in 1678 at the Duke's Theatre.

Settle wrote a special introduction for his play, where he made fun of other writers who praised powerful people too much. This was clearly aimed at John Dryden. Dryden, along with John Crowne and Thomas Shadwell, wrote a critical booklet about Settle's play. Settle quickly wrote his own reply. Later, in one of Dryden's famous poems, he even made fun of Settle by calling him "Doeg."

Changing Political Sides

After losing support from the King's friends, Settle became involved in political arguments against the King's religious policies. When those arguments calmed down, he helped to question a person named Titus Oates. Then, when the government changed in 1688, Settle switched his support to the Whig political group. Because he had changed sides so often, people started calling him "recanting Settle." He eventually left politics and became the official poet for the City of London in 1691.

Unique Book Bindings

Around the year 1700, Elkanah Settle started a unique way to earn money. He would write special poems for important events, like weddings or to praise someone. He would then have these poems bound in very fancy book covers. These covers often had the family symbols (like a coat of arms) of a wealthy person. He would send these books to the wealthy person.

It's not fully clear how this worked. Maybe people ordered them, or he offered them for sale, or he hoped to get money in return for the gift. If a book was sent back, he would try another wealthy person. He would change the personal parts of the poem but keep most of the lines. In fact, scholars have found that up to two-thirds of his wedding poems used the exact same lines!

The person who bound these books for Settle was very skilled. Their work is special because they consistently decorated many books with family symbols. These books are now known as Settle bindings. More than 100 of these unique books still exist today, made between 1700 and 1723.

Later Years and Legacy

In his old age, Settle had a booth at a fun event called Bartholomew Fair. People say he even played the part of a dragon there, wearing a green leather suit he made himself! He later became a "poor brother" at the London Charterhouse, a place that helped people in need. He died there.

Elkanah Settle is also mentioned in a famous poem called The Dunciad by Alexander Pope. In the poem, Settle is shown as one of the "dunces," or foolish writers.

Elkanah Settle's Published Works

Settle wrote many plays and poems. Here are some of his well-known works:

• Love and Revenge (1674), a tragedy
• Pastor Fido (1676), a play that mixes serious and funny parts
• Ibrahim, the Illustrious Bassa (1676), a tragedy based on a romance story
• The Female Prelate (1680), a tragedy
• Fatal Love (1680), a tragedy
• Distressed Innocence (1690), a tragedy
• The Ambitious Slave (1694), a tragedy
• The World in the Moon (1697), an opera inspired by a story about a man on the moon. The first scene had a moon that was fourteen feet wide!
• The Virgin Prophetess, or The Fate of Troy (1701), an opera
• The City Ramble (1701), a comedy

Elkanah Settle in Modern Times

Elkanah Settle's work still pops up today! Before the vote for Scottish independence in 2014, a copy of Settle's poem Carmen Irenicum: The Union of the Imperial Crowns of Great Britain went on sale. This poem supported the joining of England and Scotland.

In 2015, there was a plan to name a pub in Dunstable "The Elkanah Settle." However, people realized that the famous Hollywood actor Gary Cooper also had a connection to the town. He went to the local school there. So, the pub was named The Gary Cooper instead!