Значение слова MASSINGER в Литературной энциклопедии

MASSINGER

PHILIP (1583-1640).-Dramatist, was probably _b._ at Salisbury. His _f._ appears to have been a retainer of the Earl of Pembroke, by whom and by Queen Elizabeth he was employed in a confidential capacity. M. was at Oxf., but quitted the Univ. suddenly without graduating. He is next found in London writing for the stage, frequently in collaboration with others. Few details of his life have come down, but it seems that he was on the whole unfortunate. He was found dead in bed on March 16, 1640, and was buried in St. Saviour's, Southwark, by some of the actors. The burial register has the entry, "buried Philip Massinger, a stranger." Of the many plays which he wrote or had a hand in, 15 believed to be entirely his are extant, other 8 were burned by a servant in the 18th century. He, however, collaborated so much with others-Fletcher, Dekker, etc., that much fine work probably his can only be identified by internal evidence. Among his plays may be mentioned _The Unnatural Combat_ (_pr._ 1639), _The Virgin Martyr_ (1622) (partly by Dekker), which contains perhaps his finest writing. His best plays on the whole, however, are _The City Madam_ (1632), and _A New Way to pay Old Debts_ (_pr._ 1633), which latter kept the stage until the 19th century. He is believed to have joined with Fletcher and Shakespeare in _Henry VIII._ and _The Two Noble Kinsmen_. Other plays which he wrote or had a hand in are _The Duke of Milan_, _The Bondman_, _The Renegado_, _The Roman Actor_, _The Great Duke of Florence_, _The Maid of Honour_, _The Picture_, and _The Fatal Dowry_. His verse is fluent and sweet, and in his grave and reflective passages he rises to a rich and stately music. He often repeats himself, has little humour, and is not seldom coarse. He has, however, much skill in the construction and working out of a story.

Литературная энциклопедия. 2012