Penulis: Nicholas Udall

Nicholas Udall (1504 – 23 December 1556) was an English playwright, cleric, and schoolmaster, known as the author of the first comedy to be written in the English language, “Ralph Roister Doister”. This particular work is often cited as pivotal in the development of English Renaissance theatre. Udall”s comedies are marked by their witty dialogue, satirical edge, and a certain robust humor that reflected the mores and culture of Tudor society. Born in Hampshire, Udall was educated at Winchester College and later, at Oxford University, where he exhibited a strong affinity for Latin and Greek classics, influences that are perceptible in his dramatic work. “Ralph Roister Doister”, written around 1552, while he was headmaster at Eton College, draws heavily on Plautus and Terence, Roman playwrights whose works were pivotal to the comedy genre. The play was a forerunner of the English comedy, setting the stage for later Elizabethan and Jacobean playwrights. Udall also contributed to the arts with his translations, such as “The Flowers of Latin Speaking” (translated from Erasmus” work), which underscores his role in the intellectual movement of his time. His literary style, both erudite and accessible, mirrors the dual aspects of his career as an educator and a dramatist. Udall”s impact on English literature, specifically comedic theatre, is enduring, marking him as a figure of considerable significance in the early stages of English theatrical history.