Home > Nathaniel Lee

He was the son of Dr Richard Lee, a Presbyterian clergyman who was rector of Hatfield and held many preferments under the Commonwealth. He was chaplain to George Monck, afterwards Duke of Albemarle, but after the Restoration he conformed to the Church of England, and withdrew his approval for Charles I's execution.

Nathaniel Lee was educated at Westminster School, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, taking his B.A. degree in 1668. Coming to London, perhaps under the patronage of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, he tried to earn his living as an actor, but acute stage fright made this impossible. His earliest play, Nero, Emperor of Rome, was acted in 1675 at Drury LaneThis article is about a street in London called Drury Lane. For the fictional detective created by Ellery Queen writing as Barnaby Ross, see Drury Lane. Drury Lane is a London street, originally named after the Drury family, owners of a large house there. Two tragedies written in rhymed heroic couplets, in imitation of John DrydenJohn Dryden ( August 19, 1631 May 12, 1700) was an influential British poet and playwright. He was born in a village rectory near Oundle in Northamptonshire and educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was a professional writer th, followed in 1676 Sophonisba, or Hannibal's Overthrow and Gloriana, or the Court of Augustus Caesar. Both are extravagant in design and treatment.

Lee's reputation was made in 1677Events First performance of Racine's tragedy, Phedre Sarah Churchill marries John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough Battle of Cassel, Philippe I of Orleans defeats William of Orange Mary II of England marries William of Orange English Statute of frauds i with a blank verseBlank verse is a type of poetry, distinguished by having a regular meter, but no rhyme. In English, the meter most commonly used with blank verse has been iambic pentameter. The first known use of blank verse in the English language was by Henry Howard, E tragedy, The Rival Queens, or the Death of Alexander the Great. The play, which deals with the jealousy of Alexander the Greatbust of Alexander the Great Alexander III (late July, 356 BC June 10, 323 BC), King of Macedon ( 336 BC-323 BC), known as Alexander the Great was one of the most successful military commanders of the ancient world. Following the unification of the multipl's first wife, RoxanaRoxana (Bactrian: Roshanak meaning "little star") wife of Alexander the Great, was born earlier than the year 327 BC although the date remains uncertain. The daughter of a Bactrian nobleman named Oxyartes, she married Alexander in 327 BC after he captured, for his second wife, Statira, was a favourite on the English stage right up to the days of Edmund KeanEdmund Kean ( March 17, 1787 May 15, 1833) was an English actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever. He was born in London. His father was probably Edmund Kean, an architect's clerk; and his mother was an actress, Ann Carey, grand-daughter of Henry. Mithridates, King of Pontus (acted 1678), Theodosius, or the Force of Love (acted 1680), Caesar Borgia (acted 1680), an imitation of the worst blood and thunder Elizabethan tragedies: Lucius Junius Brutus, Father of His Country (acted 1681), and Constantine the Great (acted 1684) followed.

The Princess of Cleve (1681) is a gross adaptation of Madame de La FayetteMadame de La Fayette ( baptized March 18, 1634 May 25, 1693) was a French writer, the alleged author of La Princesse de Cleves France's first historical novel and often taken to be one of the earliest European novels of its day. Christened Marie-Madeleine's exquisite novel of that name. The Massacre of Paris (published 1690) was written about this time. Lee had given offence at court by his Lucius Junius Brutus, which had been suppressed after its third representation for some lines on Tarquin's character that were taken to be a reflection on King Charles II. He therefore joined Dryden, who had already admitted him as a collaborator in an adaptation of Oedipus, in The Duke of Guise (1683), a play which directly advocated the Tory point of view. In it part of the Massacre of Paris was incorporated. Lee was now thirty, and had already achieved a considerable reputation. He had lived in the dissipated society of John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester and his associates, and imitated their excesses. As he grew more disreputable, his patrons neglected him, and by 1684 his mind was completely unhinged. He spent five years in Bethlehem Hospital, and recovered only to die in a drunken fit in 1692, and was buried in St Clement Danes, Strand, on May 6.

Lee's Dramatic Works were published in 1784. In spite of their extravagance, they contain many passages of great beauty.