Thomas Middleton

Thomas Middleton was the son of a working class man, though his parents sent him to good schools in the hopes that he would get a proper education. Middleton’s father died when Middleton was young, so he was largely raised by his mother. Middleton went to college at Oxford, though he never graduated. Still, he began his writing career there, which eventually led to the publication of his first play, The Phoenix, which was first performed in 1604. Over the next two decades, Middleton would cement his reputation as one of the finest working playwrights, as he published comedies such as The Roaring Girl and A Chaste Maid in Cheapside, along with tragedies such as The Changeling and Women Beware Women. Middleton is one of the few Renaissance playwrights, along with William Shakespeare, who excelled at both comedy and tragedy. Thomas Middleton died in his home at the age of 47, though the cause of his death is unknown. Following his death, Middleton faded into relative obscurity for some time. Middleton’s plays were rarely staged, and he was not regarded as if he were in the company of William Shakespeare, John Fletcher, and Ben Jonson. However, the 20th century saw a revival of Middleton’s reputation amongst scholars and performers. Now, Middleton is considered one of the greatest playwrights of the era, with some claiming he is second only to Shakespeare.