John Lyly

John Lyly (c. 1553/1554 – November 1606) was an English writer, dramatist, courtier, and politician, best known for his prose romance Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit (1578) and its sequel Euphues and His England (1580). Lyly is credited with popularizing a highly mannered and elaborate prose style known as "Euphuism," characterized by balanced sentences, antitheses, alliteration, classical allusions, and rhetorical questions.

Lyly was born in Kent, likely Canterbury, and educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he received his B.A. in 1573 and his M.A. in 1575. He sought patronage at court, hoping for a position as Master of the Revels, but was ultimately unsuccessful. Instead, he became involved in the theater, writing comedies for the Children of Paul's and the Children of the Chapel, two prominent boy acting companies.

His plays, which often drew on classical mythology and history, include Campaspe (c. 1584), Sapho and Phao (1584), Endymion, the Man in the Moon (1588), Gallathea (1588), Midas (c. 1589), Mother Bombie (c. 1590), and The Woman in the Moon (c. 1593). These plays were known for their wit, elegance, and sophisticated language, and they were highly popular with court audiences.

Beyond his literary works, Lyly served as a Member of Parliament for Hindon in 1589 and for Aylesbury in 1597 and 1601. Despite his literary success and political endeavors, Lyly struggled financially throughout his life and faced periods of debt and disappointment. He died in London in November 1606.

Lyly's influence on English literature is significant, particularly in the development of English prose style and dramatic comedy. While "Euphuism" eventually fell out of fashion, it helped to shape the language of the Elizabethan era and paved the way for later writers like William Shakespeare, who borrowed from and satirized Lyly's style. His plays also contributed to the growth and development of English Renaissance drama.