Sir John Vanbrugh (1664-1726) was an architect and playwright. Though largely known for his work in architecture, Vanbrugh was a somewhat well known playwright in his day (largely due to attacks from Puritan critics) and was a member of the "Kit-Cat Club" alongside other literary figures of the era like William Congreve, John Locke, and Richard Steele.
In/around his lifetime, Voltaire praised Vanbrugh's works, though he was critical of Blenheim Palace stating that it was "a great mass of stone with neither charm nor taste".
Life[]
Born in 1664, Vanbrugh was the eldest surviving son of a London cloth-merchant with Flemish roots. John Vanbrugh grew up in the town of Chester (where his family moved from London). The place of his early schooling is unknown, but is believed to be The King's School in Chester and Ashby-de-la-Zouch.
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Writing style[]
Vanbrugh's early plays are charactered by a skeptical and liberal view. His later plays (possibly because of attacks from Puritan critics, most notably Jeremy Collier) shifted towards a more conservative and "safe" viewpoint.
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Notable works[]
- The Relapse - a sequel to Colley Cibber's Love's Last Shift.
- The Provok'd Wife
- The Confederacy - an adaptation of Florent Dancourt's play Le Chevalier à la mode.
- A Journey to London - an unfinished play
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Sources[]
- Wikipedia
- Introduction to Four Comedies of John Vanbrugh