John Fletcher è stato un drammaturgo inglese.
Si formò nella città di Cambridge, ma poco si conosce del suo passato. In seguito al trasferimento a Londra, intraprese l'attività di drammaturgo.
È celebre per la sua collaborazione con Francis Beaumont e con molti altri celebri esponenti del teatro elisabettiano, tra cui William Shakespeare, assieme al quale compose la tragicommedia I due nobili cugini e, probabilmente, la perduta Cardenio.
Tra le sue opere figurano:
The Faithful Shepherdess, pastorale
Valentinian, tragedia
Monsieur Thomas, commedia
The Tamer Tamed, o The Woman's Prize commedia
Bonduca, tragedia
The Chances, commedia
Wit Without Money, commedia
The Mad Lover, tragicommedia
The Loyal Subject, tragicommedia
The Humorous Lieutenant, tragicommedia
Women Pleased, tragicommedia
The Island Princess, tragicommedia
The Wild Goose Chase, commedia
The Pilgrim, commedia
A Wife for a Month, tragicommedia
Rule a Wife and Have a Wife, commedia Wikipedia
“Let's meet and either do or die.”
John Fletcher The Island Princess
The Island Princess (c. 1620; published 1647), Act II, scene 2. Compare: "Let us do or die", Robert Burns, Bannockburn; same in Thomas Campbell, Gertrude of Wyoming, part iii. stanza 37.
Act III, scene 2. Song.
Rollo, Duke of Normandy, or The Bloody Brother, (c. 1617; revised c. 1627–30; published 1639)
Variante: Three merry boys, and three merry boys,
And three merry boys are we,
As ever did sing in a hempen string
Under the gallow-tree.
“Death hath so many doors to let out life.”
John Fletcher The Custom of the Country
The Custom of the Country (with Philip Massinger; c. 1619–23; published 1647), Act II, scene 2
Compare: "I know death hath ten thousand several doors / For men to take their exits.", John Webster, Dutchess of Malfi (1623); act IV, scene ii
“And he that will to bed go sober
Falls with the leaf in October.”
Act II, scene ii. The following well-known catch, or glee, is formed on this song: "He who goes to bed, and goes to bed sober, Falls as the leaves do, and dies in October; But he who goes to bed, and goes to bed mellow, Lives as he ought to do, and dies an honest fellow".
Rollo, Duke of Normandy, or The Bloody Brother, (c. 1617; revised c. 1627–30; published 1639)
“Of all the paths lead to a woman's love
Pity's the straightest.”
The Knight of Malta (1647), Act I, sc. i.
“There's nothing that allays an angry mind
So soon as a sweet beauty.”
John Fletcher The Elder Brother
Act III, scene 5.
The Elder Brother (c. 1625; published 1637)
“As high as Heaven, as deep as Hell.”
John Fletcher The Honest Man's Fortune
Act IV, scene 1.
The Honest Man's Fortune, (1613; published 1647)
“What mare's nest hast thou found?”
Act IV, scene 2.
The Tragedy of Bonduca (1611–14; published 1647)
“Whistle, and she'll come to you.”
John Fletcher Wit Without Money
Act IV, scene 4.
Wit Without Money (c. 1614; published 1639)
Act V, scene 5.
The Tragedy of Bonduca (1611–14; published 1647)
“All things that are
Made for our general uses are at war,—
Even we among ourselves.”
John Fletcher The Honest Man's Fortune
The Honest Man's Fortune, (1613; published 1647)
Act IV, scene i. Compare: "Take, O, take those lips away, That so sweetly were forsworn; And those eyes, the break of day, Lights that do mislead the morn: But my kisses bring again, bring again; Seals of love, but sealed in vain, sealed in vain", William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure.
Rollo, Duke of Normandy, or The Bloody Brother, (c. 1617; revised c. 1627–30; published 1639)
“Lie lightly on my ashes, gentle earthe.”
Act IV, scene 3. ("Sit tibi terra levis," familiar inscription).
The Tragedy of Bonduca (1611–14; published 1647)
Comedy of Monsieur Thomas (c. 1610–16; published 1639), Act III, scene 1.
The Lover's Progress (licensed 6 December 1623; revised 1634; published 1647), Act I, scene 1.
John Fletcher Wit Without Money
Act IV, scene 1.
Wit Without Money (c. 1614; published 1639)
John Fletcher The Little French Lawyer
Act I, scene 1.
The Little French Lawyer (c. 1619–23; published 1647)
John Fletcher Rule a Wife and Have a Wife
Rule a Wife and Have a Wife (licensed 19 October 1624; 1640), Act III, scene 5.
Act V, scene 2.
The Tragedy of Bonduca (1611–14; published 1647)
John Fletcher The Little French Lawyer
Act II, scene 1.
The Little French Lawyer (c. 1619–23; published 1647)
John Fletcher Wit Without Money
Act V, scene 2. Compare William Shakespeare, The Taming of the Shrew, introduction, scene 1, line 5. Also Scene 2, line 146. ("Slip" in folio).
Wit Without Money (c. 1614; published 1639)
John Fletcher Wit Without Money
Act IV, scene 4.
Wit Without Money (c. 1614; published 1639)
