The Upstart Crow: A Literary Mystery Quiz

Answer: Robert Greene

Robert Greene (1558 - 1592) was a remarkably versatile and prolific author, who wrote plays, poetry, and prose tracts. The preceding quotation appeared in one of his last works, "A Groats-worth of Witte, bought with a million of Repentance," which was published posthumously in 1592 by the printer, Henry Chettle. It was supposedly written while Greene was on his deathbed. In it, Greene laments the dissolute life he has followed, and warns his fellow writers not to follow in his footsteps.

Some scholars have expressed doubts about Greene's authorship, some suggesting that Chettle himself wrote it. I think this is very doubtful; it has all the hallmarks of Greene's style. Chettle may have edited it, however.

Answer: 1778

Almost every orthodox biography of William Shakespeare cites this passage as the first mention of William Shakespeare to appear in print. But, curiously, this idea was not put forward until 1778, by a scholar named Thomas Tyrwhitt. It has subsequently been accepted unquestionably by almost everyone.

Answer: Henry VI, Part 3

The original line, spoken by Richard, Duke of York to Queen Margaret is "O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!" The fact that it is a line from a play now widely (although not universally) believed to have been written by William Shakespeare, and the use of the word "Shake-scene" are what lead many to identify the "upstart Crow" with William Shakespeare. But, as we shall see, that identification is far from positive.

For one thing, it is important to remember that Greene was writing for a general audience, or at least the London audience. They were far more likely to identify a famous line with the actor who spoke the words on stage than with the author who wrote them. Think about it; if someone says "Here's looking at you, kid," who comes to mind - Humphrey Bogart or Julius Epstein? Furthermore, the term "Shake-scene" is a perfect term to describe an actor, especially one who was known to speak in a thundering voice.

Answer: A dying writer has been abandoned by his patron

It seems almost no one has read "A Groatsworth of Wit" in its entirety, although it is readily available online for free. It is the story of a scholar who is disinherited by his materialistic father, who dies leaving him a single groat, with instructions to use it to "buy himself some wit." A groat was a small silver coin worth fourpence. The scholar, named Roberto, who represents Greene himself, is approached by a richly dressed "player" who offers him employment is writing plays. Later, this patron, who has grown wealthy by staging Roberto's plays, refuses to help Roberto as he lies dying in poverty. The famous quotation about the "upstart Crow" is only a part of a longer passage in which Greene warns three, unnamed young writers not to write for the theatre, or they will eventually wind up like him. The entire relevant passage is as follows:

"Base minded men all three of you, if by my misery you be not warned: for unto none of you (like me) sought those burres to cleave: those Puppets (I mean) that spake from our mouths, those Anticks garnished in our colours. Is it not strange, that I, to whom they all have been beholding: is it not like that you, to whom they all have been beholding, shall (were ye in that case as I am now) be both at once of them forsaken?

Yes trust them not: for there is an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tigers hart wrapped in a Players hyde, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blank verse as the best of you: and being an absolute Johannes fac totum, is in his own conceit the only Shake-scene in a country.

O that I might entreat your rare wits to be employed in more profitable courses: & let those Apes imitate your past excellence, and never more acquaint them with your admired inventions."

It is clear, in context, that Greene is writing about a man who is primarily an actor, who only dabbles in writing, and who is immensely wealthy.

Answer: Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Nashe, and George Peele

The first, called the "famous gracer of Tragedians," is almost certainly Marlowe, due to references to Machiavelli, who features in several Marlowe's plays, and a warning to abandon atheism, a belief with which Marlowe was often charged. The second, "Young Juvenal," is undoubtedly Thomas Nashe, who was known by that name due to his biting satire.

The identity of the third is less clear, but a reference to a dissolute lifestyle (for which Peele was infamous) and another to "sweet St. George," makes Peele the most likely candidate. All are known to have written plays for the theatre.

Answer: In 1592, he was still living in Stratford

Actually, we don't have any idea where Shakespeare was living in August, 1592, when "A Groatsworth of Wit" was presumably written. We do know that while he may have done some acting, he was never a prominent actor. Existing tax and property records make no mention of him, so it is very doubtful if he had accumulated any appreciable wealth at this time. And he had not published a word. The name "William Shakespeare" did not appear in print until June, 1593, and then it was in the dedication of a poem, "Venus and Adonis," not a play. There is nothing at all to link Shakespeare to the theatre until 1594.

Greene, as Roberto, makes it clear that the man he is talking about is the leading actor of his company, and a man of great wealth. This does not jibe at all with the William Shakespeare of 1592.

Answer: Edward Alleyn

Edward Alleyn was the preeminent actor of his day. Physically imposing, standing nearly seven feet tall, his acting style is said to have been flamboyant and bombastic. He began acting in his early teens, and by 1592 was already a wealthy man, and the leading actor of the Admiral's Men. Alleyn is best known for acting the leading roles in Christopher Marlowe's plays, but he also appeared in many plays written by Robert Greene. He married the daughter of the impresario Philip Henslowe, thus becoming part-owner of many theatres and other properties. He appears to have lent Greene money, thus keeping him always in his debt. By the time of his death, Alleyn was wealthy enough to found and endow Dulwich College.

The fact that Alleyn lent Greene money against his writing plays for him in the future is significant. In "A Groatsworth of Wit," Greene addresses his fellow playwrights, saying "I knowe the best husband of you all will never prove an Usurer, and the kindest of them all [the theatre owners] will never prove a kind nurse." There is no evidence that Greene ever had any dealings with Shakespeare, or that the two men even knew each other.

Answer: Yes

Two years before "A Groatsworth of Wit" appeared, Greene published another pamphlet called "Francesco's Fortunes," in which he attacked Edward Alleyn in these terms: "Why Roscius, art thou proud with Aesop's crow, being pranct with the glory of other's feathers? Of thyself thou canst say nothing, and if the Cobbler hath taught thee to say Ave Caesar, disdain not thy tutor because thou Pratest in a King's Chamber." Roscius was a Roman actor; the "Cobbler" is likely to be Christopher Marlowe, whose father was a shoemaker; and the line "Ave Caesar" comes from the anonymously published play, "Edward III," in which Alleyn had played the leading role. "Edward III" is sometimes attributed to Shakespeare, but, as this passage shows, Marlowe is the more likely author. No one doubts that Greene was addressing Alleyn in this pamphlet.

The similar language adds weight to the argument that Alleyn, not Shakespeare, is the "upstart Crow" in "A Groatsworth of Wit."

Answer: Edward Alleyn

"Tambercam" was written in imitation of Christopher Marlowe's incredibly successful play, "Tamburlaine." We know that its author was Edward Alleyn from notations in Philip Henslowe's account books. This is important because it shows that, in addition to acting, Edward Alleyn tried his hand at playwriting at least once.

This accounts for the comment "supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blanke verse as the best of you" in the "upstart Crow" passage. As the play appeared shortly before Greene wrote his pamphlet, it is another piece of evidence that Greene was addressing Alleyn, not Shakespeare.

Answer: He was forced to apologize

The publication of "A Groatsworth of Wit" must have caused a great deal of controversy. Thomas Nashe was accused of being the true author, and he took pains to deny this, calling it "a scald trivial lying pamphlet," and saying "God never have care of my soul, but utterly renounce me, if the least word or syllable in it proceeded from my pen." Chettle was forced to apologize for it in the preface to his pamphlet, "Kind-Hearts' Dream."

He began by saying that every word in "A Groatsworth of Wit" was entirely Greene's, and that he had only removed some offending passages, but sadly "not enough." Next we learn that two men must have been especially provoked by the pamphlet, because Chettle tells us "With neither of them that take offence was I acquainted, and with one of them I care not if I never be." The latter is likely to be Marlowe, and the other the "upstart Crow."

"The other, whom at that time I did not so much spare as since I wish I had . . . I am as sorry as if the original fault had been my fault, because myself have seen his demeanour no less civil than he excellent in the quality [acting] he professes. Besides, divers of worship have reported his uprightness of dealing, which argues his honesty, and his facetious grace in writing, that approves his art."

Since Chettle dismisses Marlowe out of hand, and praises the other man in a somewhat groveling fashion, one has the impression that he was coerced into making this apology. At this time in his career, Shakespeare would have not have had this kind of influence. Alleyn, on the other hand, and his wealthy father-in-law, Philip Henslowe, were men to be reckoned with. Furthermore, Chettle had numerous dealings with Henslowe both in his capacity as a printer and as a writer. His only connection with Shakespeare appeared much later, when he published a pirated and unauthorized edition of "Romeo and Juliet."