Nathaniel Lee
Nathaniel Lee (c. 1653 – 6 May 1692) was an English dramatist. He was the son of Dr Richard Lee, a Presbyterian clergyman who was rector of Hatfield and held many preferments under the Commonwealth; Dr Lee 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.Lee was educated at Westminster School (though some sources say Charterhouse 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 Lane. Two tragedies written in rhymed heroic couplets, in imitation of John Dryden, 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 1677 with a blank verse tragedy, ''The Rival Queens, or the Death of Alexander the Great''. The play, which deals with the jealousy of Alexander's first wife, Roxana, for his second wife, Statira, was a favourite on the English stage right up to the days of Edmund Kean. Lee followed this with ''Mithridates, King of Pontus'' (acted 1678); ''Theodosius, or the Force of Love'' (acted 1680); and ''Caesar Borgia'' (acted 1680), an imitation of the worst blood and thunder Elizabethan tragedies. Lee was also named as a collaborator with Dryden in an adaptation of ''Oedipus'' (1679). ''The Princess of Cleve'' (1681) is an adaptation of Madame de La Fayette's 1678 novel of the same name. ''The Massacre of Paris'' was written about this time but not published until 1690.
''Lucius Junius Brutus'' (acted 1681) gave offence at court. The play was 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 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. ''Constantine the Great'' (acted 1683) followed.
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 allegedly completely unhinged. He spent five years in the notorious Bedlam Hospital. He lamented his situation with the following missive: "They called me mad, and I called them mad, and damn them, they outvoted me". He recovered and was released.
Lee died in a drunken fit in 1692. He was buried on 6 May in St. Clement Danes, Strand.
Lee's ''Dramatic Works'' were published in 1734. In spite of their extravagance, they contain many passages of great beauty. Copies of Lee's books remain sought after in bibliographic circles. Provided by Wikipedia
Showing 1 - 20 results of 73 for search 'Lee, Nathaniel', query time: 0.03s
Refine Results
-
1
Gloriana, Or the Court Of Augustus Cæsar Acted At the Theatre-Royal, By Their Majesties Servants ... By Nat. Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1676Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
2
Constantine the Great A Tragedy. Acted At the Theatre-Royal, By Their Majesties Servants. Written By Nat. Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1684Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
3
Cæsar Borgia; Son Of Pope Alexander the Sixth A Tragedy Acted At the Duke's Theatre By Their Royal Highnesses Servants. Written By Nat. Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1680Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic eBook -
4
Mithridates, King Of Pontus, a Tragedy Acted At the Theatre Royal, By Their Majesties Servants. Written By Nat. Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1678Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
5
Lucius Junius Brutus; Father Of His Country A Tragedy Acted At the Duke's Theater, By Their Royal Highnesses Servants. Written By Nat. Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1681Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
6
Sophonisba, Or Hannibal's Overthrow A Tragedy, Acted At the Theatre-Royall, By Their Majesties Servants. Written By Nathaniel Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1676Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
7
Theodosius: Or, the Force Of Love, a Tragedy Acted By Their Royal Highnesses Servants, At the Duke's Theatre. Written By Nat. Lee. With the Musick Betwixt the Acts by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1680Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
8
The Tragedy Of Nero, Emperour Of Rome As It Is Acted At the Theatre-Royal, By His Majesties Servants. By Nathaniel Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1675Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
9
The Rival Queens, Or the Death Of Alexander the Great, Acted At the Theater-Royal By Their Majesties Servants. By Nat. Lee, Gent. by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1677Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
10
The Princess Of Cleve, As It Was Acted At the Queens Theatre In Dorset-Garden. By Nat. Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1689Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
11
The Massacre Of Paris: a Tragedy As It Is Acted At the Theatre Royal By Their Majesties Servants. Written By Nat. Lee by Lee, Nathaniel
Published 1690Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic Book -
12
The embattled farmers; a Massachusetts countryside in the American Revolution. by Newcomer, Lee Nathaniel
Published 1971Call Number: Loading…
Located: Loading…Book Loading… -
13
Caesar Borgia, son of Pope Alexander the Sixth : a tragedy acted at the Duke's Theatre by Their Royal Highnesses servants / by Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692
Published 1680Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic eBook -
14
Works. by Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692
Published 1954Call Number: Loading…
Located: Loading…Book Loading… -
15
The rival queens. by Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692
Published 1970Call Number: Loading…
Located: Loading…Book Loading… -
16
Lucius Junius Brutus. by Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692
Published 1967Call Number: Loading…
Located: Loading…Book Loading… -
17
To the Duke on his return. / by Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692
Published 1682Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic eBook -
18
The true lovers tragedy: : being an incomparable ballad of a gentleman and his lady, that both killed themselves for love, under the disguised names of Philander and Phillis, Phill... by Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692
Published 1680Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic eBook -
19
The true lovers tragedy: : being an incomparable ballad of a gentleman and his lady. [sic] that both killed themselves for love, under the disguised names of Philander and Phillis,... by Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692
Published 1680Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic eBook -
20
The rival queens, or, The death of Alexander the Great : acted at the Theatre-Royal by Their Majesties servants / by Lee, Nathaniel, 1653?-1692
Published 1684Call Number: Loading…CONNECT
Located: Loading…
Electronic eBook
Search Tools:
Related Subjects
Ballads, English
Drama
English drama
Prologues and epilogues
Augmentation
Communication networks
Death and burial
English drama (Tragedy)
History
Kings and rulers
Mission planning
Network analysis
Political ballads and songs
Saint Bartholomew's Day, Massacre of, France, 1572
Songs with continuo
Songs, English
Telecommunication