Upstart Crow (1592)

Robert Greene used three saints, S. Christopher, Thomas called Didymus, and S. George to reflect three poets, Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Nashe, and George Peele.

The third part of Greene’s Groats-Worth of Wit addresses to three poets who used their wits in making plays for an “upstart crow.” Greene called them his quondam (former) acquaintance, which means they had kept distance with Greene already.

To those Gentlemen his Quondam acquaintance, that spend their wits in making Plays, R. G. wisheth a better exercise, and wisdom to prevent his extremities.

Robert Greene (R. G.) was forsaken by his master and poets like Roberto by Lucanio who represents poets serving Wilton House. “Spend their wits in making Plays” can spell Mary Sidney Shakespeare, suggesting these poets were making plays for Mary Sidney’s Shakespeare.

First Poet, Christopher Marlowe

Saint Christopher, Thomas called Didymus, and Saint George are used by Greene to reflect Christopher Marlowe (1564–93), Thomas Nashe (1567–1601), and George Peele (1556–96). The key is “sweet S. George” in Greene’s comment on George Peele. The first line describing each poet riddles that poet’s name. Greene started with Marlowe:

Wonder not (for with thee Will I first begin), thou famous gracer of Tragedians, that Greene, who hath said with thee (like the fool in his heart) There is no God, should now give glory unto his greatness: . . . The brother of this Diabolical Atheism is dead.

*Wonder not: Before Saint Christopher being sainted, he wished to serve the greatest king of the world. He wandered for many days in finding and serving kings and devils before meeting Christ. “Wonder not” may play for “Wander not” to warn Christopher Marlowe not to wander like Saint Christopher, for Marlowe is serving devil now as an atheist.

*with thee Will I first begin: Of the three poets Greene would “first begin” with Marlowe may be due to Marlowe’s sound play of marrow and morrow; marrow has the usage of to be a partner, hinted by “with thee”; morrow of morning, the beginning of a day or an event.

*thou famous gracer of Tragedians: The term “thou famous” can spell Faustus, a tragedy by Marlowe, hinted by “the brother of this Diabolical Atheism is dead.” Greene died in September 1592. Doctor Faustus was written between 1588 to 1592. Marlowe’s other tragedies include The Jew of Malta (c. 1590), Dido, Queen of Carthage (c. 1587), and Tamburlaine the Great (c. 1588).

Second Poet, Thomas Nashe

With thee I join young Juvenal, that biting Satirist, that lastly with me together writ a Comedy. Sweet boy, might I advise thee, be advised, and get not many enemies by bitter words.

*With thee I join: a hint (“Let us also go”) taken from Bible, that Thomas called Didymus joined Christ to rise the dead Lazarus who had lain in the grave four days already.

Then saide Thomas (which is called Didymus) vnto his felow disciples, Let vs also goe, that we may die with him. — Geneva, John 11:16

*Juvenal, that biting Satirist: Juvenal refers to the Roman satirist Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Decimus can spell Didymus, alluding to Thomas called Didymus in Bible. Bite has the usage of to gnash; “biting” hints at gnash that sounds like Nashe. Thomas Nashe is the youngest one among the three poets.

*lastly with me: Greene was dying when he wrote this pamphlet. He might wish to join Thomas (Didymus) the Apostle to the Last Judgment as hinted by “lastly” via borrowing the name Thomas from Thomas Nashe.

*Comedy: a perfect anagram of come-dy; dy is an obsolete form of die, appeared often in Shakespeare’s 1623 folio. Come-dy alludes to resurrection; a comedy-like ending was desired by Greene when he was facing his death.

*bitter words: Thomas Nashe was a satirist. His writing style raised various enemies, like the quarrel with Harveys from 1590.

Third Poet, George Peele

And thou no less deserving than the other two, in some things rarer, in nothing inferior; driven (as myself) to extreme shifts, a little have I to say to thee: and were it not an idolatrous oath, I would swear by sweet S. George, thou art unworthy better hap, sith thou dependest on so mean a stay.

*no less deserving: Peele sounds like peer, equal or “no less” in value. His first name George appears in later lines.

*driven (as myself) to extreme shifts: Peel has the usage of to plunder or pillage, a warning to poets who were exhausted and robbed as being peeled. *as myself: indicating Robert Greene. Robert sounds like robber. (George) Peele is being peeled and Robert (Greene) being robbed.

*were it not an idolatrous oath: This line can spell Wilton House, suggesting that poets under oath of Wilton House were considered idolatrous worship of nobles.

*S. George: the key to solve these riddles. Each name of the three poets has a corresponding saint taken by Greene. George sounds like judge, a sound play also in Shakespeare’s King Richard II: “Mine innocence, and S. George to thrive.”

*so mean a stay: Legendary Saint George (?–303) stayed with the wrong master Diocletian, alluding to George Peele with the wrong Wilton House.

There Is an Upstart Crow

Robert Greene accused Shakespeare being “an upstart Crow beautified with our feathers.” It says someone new to the drama world beautified with works of other poets. Crow has the usage of a carrion bird, noisy poet, door-knocker, or a grappling hook. The word crow and feather can be found in The Comedy of Errors.

Antipholus of Ephesus.

I’ll break in: go borrow me a crow.

Dromio of Ephesus.

A crow without feather, Master mean you so.

This “upstart Crow” carries a crow-bar (door-knocker) to steal. Robert Greene wasn’t the only one taking pains to give up one’s own work under Shakespeare’s name.

Greene’s Advice

Yes, trust them not: for there is an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tiger’s heart wrapt in a Player’s hide, 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.

*an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers: a noisy newcomer in the drama world. *upstart: a suddenly risen person in a certain field. *our feathers: feather pens of poets.

*Tiger’s heart wrapt in a Player’s hide: Hide can be a pun on skin and concealment. Shakespeare’s speare hides in Player’s hide. This line appears also in Shakespeare’s Henry VI Part 3 applied to Queen Margaret.

Yorke.

Oh Tygre’s Heart, wrapt in a Woman’s Hide,

How could’st thou drayne the Life-blood of the Child,

To bid the Father wipe his eyes withall,

And yet be seene to beare a Woman’s face?

Greene changed “a Player’s hide” to “a Woman’s Hide” alluding that the Player is a woman disguised as a man. The line “wrapt in a Woman’s Hide” can spell Mary Sidney.

*an absolute Johannes factotum: one who controlled everything like a tyrant.

*own conceit: Mary Sidney’s own view on drama dominated poets supported by Wilton House.

*only Shake-scene in a country: Shake-scene can be a sound play of shake-sin. *only Shake-scene: Shakespeare has taken all deeds and fame. *in a country: reflecting the “country Author” as the Player called himself, an author of the nation’s higher rank. Shake-scene and Player’s hide in the following lines hide the name Shake-speare. It’s why the profession of Roberto’s supporter is a player.

“What is your profession?” said Roberto.

“Truly, sir,” said he, “I am a player.”

The play company Earl of Pembroke’s Men was already known in 1592, which can fit the description of “upstart Crow” here. Crow is close to crew, a band of persons with the same goal. Greene used the term Shake-scene to describe the Player, for Players can spell speare (an anagram that hides in Player’s hide). Shake-scene and Player can spell Shakespeare. Scene sounds like sin. From Greene’s view, Shake-speare was sinful in “beautified with our feathers.”