Stephen Phillips
Stephen Phillips was an English poet and playwright born in 1864 in Summertown, Oxfordshire. He emerged during a time of significant transition in literary styles, producing poetry that recalled the decorous traditions of the early nineteenth century while his plays embraced classical and biblical themes. Unlike some of his contemporaries, such as Oscar Wilde, Phillips's works often lacked irony and focused on lavish pageantry rather than character development. Educated at Queens College, Cambridge, he gained practical stage experience by joining his cousin's dramatic troupe, which contributed to his success as a playwright.
Phillips's literary career saw a rise in fame during the 1890s, highlighted by his award-winning 1897 poetry collection and his long poem "Endymion." He captivated audiences with his verse play "Herod," and his subsequent works, including "Ulysses" and "Paolo and Francesca," further solidified his reputation. His final major play, "Nero," was produced in 1906, showcasing his talent for dramatizing historical narratives. Although Phillips's plays have become less prominent in contemporary performance, they offer valuable insights into British popular culture at the turn of the twentieth century. He also contributed to the literary community as an editor for the Poetry Review before his death in 1915.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Stephen Phillips
Poet
- Born: July 28, 1864
- Birthplace: Summertown, Oxfordshire, England
- Died: December 9, 1915
- Place of death: Deal, Kent, England
Biography
Stephen Phillips lived and wrote in an era and in genres that were undergoing enormous change. Born in 1864 as the modern age was dawning, his poetry looks back to the decorous verse of the early nineteenth century. His dramas, centered on classical and biblical themes, contain none of the irony that structured the plays of his contemporary, Oscar Wilde. Given more to the production of lavish pageant than to the creation and development of character, Phillips wrote for London playgoers who were eager for his work.
Stephen Phillips was born in Summertown, Oxfordshire, England, to the Reverend Stephen Phillips and Agatha Sophia Dockray. He attended Stratford and Peterborough grammar schools and went up to Queens College, Cambridge, eventually leaving school to join the dramatic troupe of his cousin, F. R. Benson. His experience as an actor gave him a practical knowledge of the stage that was a key element in the success of his own plays.
He married May Lidyard in 1892. Two years earlier he had been one of the contributors to a small book of verse printed at Oxford, Primavera. His cousin, Laurence Binyon, was another of the contributors. During the 1890’s Phillips’s fame as a poet grew, culminating in his receiving the prestigious award of the Academy newspaper for his 1897 collection Poems. In 1898 his reputation was established by his long poem, “Endymion.”
His decade as a poet was put to good use as he startled audiences in 1900 with his verse play Herod, dramatizing scenes from the Roman ruler’s life unfamiliar to his audience. Part of Phillips’s success was due to his collaboration with the actor and stage manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree. Tree’s portrayal of the mad King Herod helped to secure the popularity of the play. Two years later, in 1902, Phillips delivered another historical play, Ulysses, to London audiences, playing on playgoers’ familiarity with the story of Homer’s wandering hero.
Phillips had a genius for choosing dramatic moments in the lives of his characters and wringing every dramatic possibility from them. Paolo and Francesca, his play based on the episode of illicit lovers in Dante’s Inferno, was also produced in 1902, and was a great success with London audiences. His last major play was Nero, produced and published in 1906, in which Phillips once again capitalized upon his audience’s familiarity with classical history, delivering a mad ruler engulfed by the flames of a burning city.
Phillips served as editor of the Poetry Review for a few years before his death in 1915. Although his plays are no longer performed and are seldom read, they remain a rich field for the exploration of British popular culture at the end of the nineteenth century.