Greene's Groats-Worth of Wit
Robert Greene died on the 3rd of September 1592. His final work appeared in print just two and a half weeks later. Henry Chettle entered the pamphlet into the Stationers' Register on the 20th of September 1592 under his own peril. John Danter and John Wolfe printed the book for Wright. Chettle claimed that Greene's handwriting was illegible so he copied the manuscript by hand to allow publication. This act turned a dying man's papers into a public scandal. The booklet became one of several publications capitalizing on Greene's dissolute lifestyle after his death. Other texts like The Repentance of Robert Greene followed this pattern. Thomas Creede reprinted Groatsworth in 1596.
Two brothers named Roberto and Lucanio Gorinius visit the courtesan Lamilia in the story. Their father dies leaving Roberto only a groat to buy wit. Lucanio inherits all the money but spends it on Lamilia who discards him. Roberto becomes a successful playwright while Lucanio ends up as a pimp. The narrative structure serves as a moralistic vehicle for Greene's confession. Characters introduce song lyrics and fables throughout the tale. The narrator eventually reveals the life of Roberto mirrors his own experience. Ten precepts follow the main story urging readers toward an honorable path. An allegory about a grasshopper and an ant concludes the text before a letter to his wife appears.
A specific passage targets an actor who writes plays with university-educated writers. The text calls this person an upstart crow beautified with feathers from others. This line likely references William Shakespeare who was starting his career in 1592. The phrase Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde alludes to Henry VI Part 3 written around 1591. Scholars accept this as the first documented reference to Shakespeare since 1585. Some argue Thomas Nashe wrote the passage instead due to personal provocation. Katherine Duncan-Jones suggests Nashe had reason to be angry at Greene. Anti-Stratfordians have claimed the insult applies to Edward Alleyn rather than Shakespeare. Stephen Greenblatt speculated that Greene modeled Falstaff after himself.
Greene addresses three unnamed gentlemen who spend their wits making plays. The famous gracer of Tragedians refers to Christopher Marlowe educated at Corpus Christi College Cambridge. He is accused of atheism and admired Machiavelli in his work. Young Juvenal identifies Thomas Nashe educated at St John's College Cambridge. Nashe defended Greene against detractors using swelling blank verse in 1589. George Peele educated at Christ Church Oxford forms the third writer. Peele collaborated on Titus Andronicus which modern scholarship attributes partly to him. Both Nashe and Peele may have worked with Shakespeare on Henry VI Part 1. Gary Taylor argues for Nashe's dominant role in the authorship of the first act.
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Common questions
When did Robert Greene die and when was his final work published?
Robert Greene died on the 3rd of September 1592. His final work appeared in print just two and a half weeks later.
Who wrote the famous upstart crow insult against William Shakespeare in Greene's Groats-Worth of Wit?
The text calls an actor who writes plays with university-educated writers an upstart crow beautified with feathers from others. This line likely references William Shakespeare who was starting his career in 1592.
Which three unnamed gentlemen does Robert Greene address in his tract about playwriting?
Greene addresses Christopher Marlowe educated at Corpus Christi College Cambridge, Thomas Nashe educated at St John's College Cambridge, and George Peele educated at Christ Church Oxford. These three men are accused or described regarding their atheism, Machiavellian views, and collaboration on Titus Andronicus.
Did Henry Chettle write Greene's Groats-Worth of Wit himself or only transcribe it?
Henry Chettle denied writing the work in a preface to Kind Heart's Dream published later in 1592. He stated he only transcribed Greene's original manuscript into his own hand after claiming Greene's handwriting was illegible.
What is the moral story within Robert Greene's final tract about Roberto and Lucanio Gorinius?
Two brothers named Roberto and Lucanio Gorinius visit the courtesan Lamilia in the story where their father dies leaving Roberto only a groat to buy wit. The narrative structure serves as a moralistic vehicle for Greene's confession with characters introducing song lyrics and fables throughout the tale.