John Day
John Day was a Jacobean playwright from Cawston, Norfolk, England, whose works reflect the cultural and political landscape of his time. Educated at Caius College, Cambridge, he faced expulsion in 1592 due to a book theft. Day is primarily recognized for his play "The Parliament of Bees," an allegorical masque that cleverly satirizes the reign of King James I through the metaphor of bees addressing their grievances. His other notable work, "Isle of Guls," takes inspiration from Sir Philip Sidney's "Arcadia," and humorously critiques the tensions between England and Scotland, leading to legal troubles for its creators. Day collaborated with prominent figures in the theatre, such as Henry Chettle, contributing to popular plays like "The Blind Beggar," which explores themes from the early years of King Henry VI's reign. Though active in the theatrical scene from 1598, his later life remains largely undocumented, with the last known reference to him appearing in an elegy dated 1640. Overall, Day's contributions to Jacobean drama are marked by his inventive wit and allegorical style, which resonated with contemporary audiences while posing challenges for modern readers.
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John Day
Dramatist
- Born: 1574
- Birthplace: Cawston, Norfolk, England
- Died: c. 1640
Biography
John Day, a minor Jacobean playwright, was born in Cawston, Norfolk, England, and educated at Ely before enrolling in Caius College, Cambridge. He was expelled in 1592 from this school for the theft of a book. Six of his dramas are extant, and a seventh, The Mayde’s Metamorphosis, originally attributed to John Lyly, is now thought to be his work.
Day is remembered primarily for The Parliament of Bees. Critics have commented on the play’s “delicate fancy and dainty inventiveness.” An allegorical masque, this play centers on Prorex, the chief bee, who is showered with a variety of complaints against such other bees as wasps, ordinary bees, and drones. Prorex is expected to deal with them. Finally, Oberon, who wields power over the royal bees, metes out justice. This play, clearly satirizing popular concerns about the reign of King James I, is witty. It is peppered with references to events contemporary with James’s rule, but these are so localized that modern readers miss many of them. This oblique way of commenting on royalty was popular through much of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in Great Britain.
Day’s Isle of Guls was based on Sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia, and was performed by the Children of the Chapel at Blackfriar’s. This comedy contained a great many localized witticisms that undoubtedly amused contemporary audiences but baffle modern readers. Isle of Guls satirizes the strained relations between England and Scotland, in ways that resulted in the imprisonment of those involved in the play. It must be remembered that the right of accession after the death of King Henry VIII caused a considerable chasm to grow between England and Scotland.
In 1608, Day published two of his plays, both of which had been performed earlier. He had since 1598 been active in writing or collaborating on plays for Philip Henslowe’s dramatic company. Day also collaborated with Henry Chettle, Wentworth Smith, Richard Hathway, and William Haughton, all associated with Philip Henslowe’s production company.
The Blind Beggar, a collaboration with Chettle, is concerned with the early years of the reign of King Henry VI. It was immensely popular in its day. In this play, as in most of his solo work, one is struck by Day’s skillful use of euphemisms and indirection, quite in the spirit of John Lyly, who pioneered that form of restrained communication in English drama. Although Day presumably lived until 1640, little is known of his later life. The only mention that has been found of Day’s death is in John Tatham’s elegy to him, which is dated 1640.