Thomas Middleton
(born April? 1580, London, Eng. — died July 4, 1627, Newington Butts, Surrey) British playwright. Middleton studied at Oxford University and had written three books of poetry by 1600. He learned to write plays by collaborating with
John Webster and others on works for the producer
Philip Henslowe. His tragedies
Women Beware Women (
c. 1621) and
The Changeling (1622, with William Rowley) are considered his masterpieces. His comedies, which picture a society dazzled by money, include
Michaelmas Terme (
c. 1605),
A Trick to Catch the Old-one (1608),
A Mad World, My Masters (1608),
A Chast Mayd in Cheape-side (
c. 1613), and
A Game at Chess (1625).
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