Michael Drayton

Angus Vine (University of Stirling)
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Born in 1563 (?) in the village of Hartshill, near Atherstone in Warwickshire, Michael Drayton was a contemporary of Shakespeare and a near contemporary of Spenser. Most of what is known about Drayton’s life is conjectural, often derived from elliptical hints in his poetry. A major poet, Drayton published works in a variety of genres, including pastoral, epic and nymphal. Like many of his contemporaries, Drayton was also a playwright, although only one of his plays has survived. Important in his own right, as both the pre-eminent Spenserian and the foremost antiquarian poet of the early modern period, Drayton is also of great importance because of his friendships and associates. He numbered figures as diverse and prominent as William Camden, John Selden and William Browne of Tavistock…

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Citation: Vine, Angus. "Michael Drayton". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 June 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1315, accessed 19 March 2024.]

1315 Michael Drayton 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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