George Lillo (3 February 1691-3 September 1739) was a British playwright whose most famous work was The London Merchant, produced in 1731. Lillo wrote his plays based on the social standings of the middle class. He was not a prominent playwright during his time, but his work became successful posthumously in British Literature.
George Lillo | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 3, 1691 Morrfields, London |
| Died | September 3, 1731 |
| Nationality | British |
| Notable works | The London Merchant |
Life
editGeorge Lillo was born on February 3, 1691 in Morrfields, London. Once he was an adult he became a partner in his father’s goldsmith-jewelry business. He produced his first play titled Silvia, or The Country Burial, in 1730. A year later, he produced The London Merchant. He produced six more plays until his death in 1739, including but not limited to The Christian Hero (1735), Fatal Curiosity (1737), and Marina (1738). Only three of the plays produced brought in any income. All of his plays were produced in London. There is little known about Lillo’s education and life style. George Lillo died September 3, 1739 in London. [1]
Social Context
editLillo was born during one of London’s population downturns, caused by leading factors such as fewer pregnancies and a higher infant mortality rate. When Lillo was producing Silvia, or The Country Burial, prior to producing The London Merchant, a group of Cherokee Indians from South Carolina visited the royal court to discuss peace talks during a standstill in the population influx. [2] This evidence of globalization and patterns of change in population led to the construction of Founding Hospital in 1741. The hospital aided citizens in areas of general health and pregnancy. However, the most significant cause in population increase in the mid-18th century was the increase of migration between London and the surrounding rural areas. There was a growing maritime industry, which attracted people from surrounding areas who were involved in the industry. Toward the end of Lillo’s life, London saw an increase in the black population due to the development of the slave trade between the Americas, Africa, The West Indies, and Europe.
Plays and Other Works
editLillo wrote approximately eight plays between 1730 and his death in 1739. His first work in the theater was the ballad opera Silvia, or The Country Burial in 1730. He wrote it in order to regenerate the success of John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera; however, the play received mixed reviews and only showed for three nights.[3] The following year, Lillo wrote The London Merchant; or, The History of George Barnwell(1731), which is considered one of the most popular and produced plays of the 18th century. In this play, Lillo redefined the subject of dramatic tragedy and demonstrated that middle and lower class citizens were worthy of tragic downfalls. The seventeenth century ballad about a murder in Shropshire was the historical foundation for the play. Lillo dedicates the play to Sir John Eyles, a prominent member of the merchant class in London, in a letter before the text and plot begins.[3] Following The London Merchant, Lillo wrote The Christian Hero in 1735, Fatal Curiosity in 1737, and Marina in 1738. Lillo based Marina on a play written by William Shakespeare. Many believe that the play Arden of Feversham was originally written by Lillo, but completed by John Hoadly in 1762.[3] Other works include Elmerick and Britannia and Batavia. [4]
References
edit- ^ "George Lillo". International Dictionary of Theatre: Vol. 2. Gale Biography In Context.
{{cite web}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ Norton, Rictor. "Cherokee Indians Visit London, 1730". Early Eighteenth-Century Newspaper Reports: A Sourcebook. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ a b c Gainor, J. Stanton (2009). The Norton Anthology of Drama: Vol. 1. United States: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
- ^ Lillo, George (1775). The Works of Mr. George Lillo, With Some Accounts of His Life. London, T. Davies.