Thomas Hughes (dramatist) facts for kids

Thomas Hughes was an English lawyer and writer of plays. He lived during the late 1500s and early 1600s. He is best known for writing a play called The Misfortunes of Arthur.

Who Was Thomas Hughes?

Thomas Hughes was born in a place called Cheshire, England. In 1571, he started studying at Queens' College, Cambridge University. He finished his studies and became a fellow at his college in 1576. Later, he also became a member of Gray's Inn, which was a place where lawyers were trained.

His Famous Play: The Misfortunes of Arthur

Hughes wrote a play called The Misfortunes of Arthur, Uther Pendragon's son reduced into tragical notes. This play was shown to Queen Elizabeth I herself! It was performed at Greenwich on February 28, 1588.

Many people helped with the play:

• Nicholas Trotte wrote the introduction.
• Francis Flower wrote the songs for the first two acts.
• William Fulbecke wrote two speeches.
• Other gentlemen from Gray's Inn, including Francis Bacon, helped with the silent parts of the play.

What the Play Was About

The play starts with the ghost of Gorlois, a character who was killed by Uther Pendragon. This ghost gives a speech that is similar to one from an old Roman play called Thyestes. A messenger then tells everyone about the sad events happening in the story. A group of singers, called the chorus, then comment on what is happening.

Where the Ideas Came From

A scholar named Dr. W. J. Cunliffe found that Hughes used many ideas from the Roman writer Seneca. It seems that Hughes knew Seneca's plays very well. His play is like a mix of translations from Seneca, with some of Hughes's own lines added in.

The Misfortunes of Arthur was printed again in a book by J. P. Collier. It was also printed by Harvey Carson Grumline in 1900. Grumline pointed out that Hughes got his story ideas from Geoffrey of Monmouth's book Historia Britonum, not from the more famous Le Morte D'Arthur.

See also

In Spanish: Thomas Hughes para niños