Richard Edwards
Richard Edwards was a notable figure in the mid-sixteenth century, recognized for his role in English theater, despite the scarcity of his surviving works. He served as the Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal under Queen Elizabeth I, leading a group of child actors and singers who performed for royal events. Edwards is known to have staged his plays, including the notable "Palamon and Arcite," during royal progressions, particularly in Oxford, where he had obtained his degrees. Although the full text of "Palamon and Arcite" has been lost, it is remembered for its elaborate production that captivated audiences and even caused a tragic accident during its performance. His other surviving play, "Damon and Pythias," revolves around themes of friendship and sacrifice and demonstrates his ability to blend moral lessons with humor. Both plays reflect the cultural and social dynamics of life at court during Elizabethan times. Edwards's contributions, though limited in quantity, highlight the rich tapestry of early English drama and the theatrical traditions of his era.
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Subject Terms
Richard Edwards
Poet
- Born: 1524
- Birthplace: Somersetshire, England
- Died: October 31, 1566
- Place of death: England
Biography
Richard Edwards has the dubious distinction of being highly regarded by his contemporaries of the mid-sixteenth century while having left us very few of his literary works. In fact we have only two of his plays and a few of his poems. We also know very little of his life, though what we do know is reveals much about life at Court. Under Queen Elizabeth I, Edwards served as Master of the Children of the Chapel Royal, a company of child actors and male singers who provided royal worship services and court entertainments. Some of those entertainments were plays written by Edwards.
On two occasions, Edwards accompanied the Queen on royal progressions to Oxford, where Edwards had earned his bachelors and masters degrees. For the royal residence at Oxford in 1566 he staged three plays at Christ Church College. One of these was his own Palamon and Arcite. The text for that play is lost with the single exception of the song, “An Elegy on the Death of a Sweetheart,” which was published in the later collection of poems by Edwards and others under the title The Paradise of Dainty Devices.
While the text for Palamon and Arcite is lost, we do have accounts of its production at Oxford that imply that the play was a great success both with the Court and the Queen herself. It was an elaborate spectacle with sound and visual effects that stunned the audience. So many people crowded in to see the play that they caused a stone wall to collapse, killing three and injuring many more. The performance went forward anyway. Part one played September 2, 1566, and so delighted the Queen that she asked that Part two be postponed a day because of an indisposition. A little over month later, on October 31, Edwards died at the age of forty-two.
Damon and Pythias and Palamon and Arcite appear to be similar in that both are plays about friendship that demonstrate strong morals and carry an undercurrent of wit and satire. In the case of Damon and Pythias, which was presented at Court during the 1564 Christmas season, Pithias agrees to be a surrogate in the unjust death sentence passed on Damon, an act that so impresses the king that he pardons Damon and frees the both of them. Edwards also provides a comic subplot that works in parallel with the main plot. Palamon and Arcite, however, has two close friends in conflict as rivals for the hand of the beautiful Emilia. They engage in battle, which Arcite wins only to be struck down by the god Saturn. The plot derives from Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale (1380-1386).