Hello and welcome to the Discourse. John Lyly is often credited for writing the very first novel of English literature titled Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit, published on 2 December 1578. He again wrote a sequel to this didactic romance by the title Euphues and His England which was entered in the Stationer’s Register on 25 July 1579 and was published in 1580.
These were the prose romances written by John Lyly, one of the Universal Wits who were the prominent authors before the Shakespearean age.
Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit was the first work of its kind that gave shape to the Elizabethan style of the 1580s. John Lyly used an overly ornated style of writing appended by rhetoric that was taught in the Tudor grammar schools and universities during that period. The titular character of the novel is Euphues which became the root word of Euphuism, a writing style that became popular during that period. Euphuism is a style of writing in which more elaborative and ornate words are used in place of simple, easier words. Paradoxes, antithesis, elaborate similes, alliteration, rhetorical questions, and clever word rhyming make the prose more interesting. Euphuism signifies the use of paradoxical and self-correcting language, while its spokespersons express a great deal of self-doubt and contradiction.
Euphues is a Greek word that means ‘Gracefully Witty.’ Roger Ascham first used it in his work The Schoolmaster published in 1570. The Schoolmaster was a treatise on the right order of teaching and pleaded for gentleness and persuasion instead of coercion and punishment in schools. Ascham described Euphues as a student who is apt by the goodness of his wit and active by the willingness to learn. John Lyly used the name Euphues for his titular character.
Lyly’s work is based on a romantic plot but Euphues in the novel writes several letters on a variety of topics including love, morality, and education. Thus, Euphues, the Anatomy of Wit can also be considered as an epistolatory novel. John Lyly used an impressively ornate style of writing in these novels. Some of the very popular quotes from Eupheus, the Anatomy of Wit include-
“It is far more seemly to have thy Studie full of Bookes, than thy Purse full of money,” and
“Is it not far better to abhor sins by the remembrance of others' faults, than by repentance of thine own follies?”
Some quotes from Eupheus and His England are--
“The rules of fair play do not apply in love and war.”
“In misery, it is great comfort to have a companion.”
“As the best wine doth make the sharpest vinegar, so the deepest love turneth to the deadliest hate.” and,
“All is fair in love and war.”
Characters of Eupheus, the Anatomy of Wit:
Euphues is the main character of the novel. He is a student belonging to a noble family of Athens. He looks handsome and rich. He is highly intelligent and witty but he is not a good person and he often lies. Instead of making good use of his intelligence, he uses his wit to lead a life of wickedness. He is excessively obsessed with pleasure and lives like a Casanova. Philatus is a young man from Naples who is a close friend of Euphues. Philatus is a kind and intelligent person who loves a girl named Lucilla. Philatus blindly trusts Euphues but later learns that his trust in Eupheus was misplaced. Lucilla is the daughter of a wealthy nobleman in Italy. She is a beautiful but fickle-minded person. Don Ferado is the wealthy nobleman and father of Lucilla. Eubulus is an old gentleman of Athens who likes Euphues but is worried by his nature and activities. He tries to guide him to the right path by the wisdom of his experience and advises him to work on his character traits instead of devoting himself to pleasure. However, Euphues ignores his advice. Curio is another character, a young but poor man, a man of "little wealth and less wit,” whom Lucilla finally marries.
Summary of Eupheus, the Anatomy of Wit and His England:
The story of Euphues is a romantic comedy. Euphues is a young Athenian man belonging to a noble family from Athens. His family is based in England. Though he is intelligent and witty, he spent his childhood in frivolous activities. He often uses his many gifts for wrongdoings, choosing to chase hedonistic pleasure rather than uphold virtue. As a result, he has turned into a Bohemian Casanova, spending sumptuous money and ample time in chasing girls and various art forms. Euphues decides to go on travel and reaches Naples, Italy. He meets many people who try to lead him into a life of gluttony and non-productivity. Euphues is cautious about their intentions, however, and escapes their sphere of influence.
Then he meets an old man named Eubulus. The wise old man examines Euphues’s behavior and is impressed by his intelligence and wit but is saddened by Euphues' wicked use of his many gifts. He advises him, by the wisdom of his experience, to work on his character traits instead of devoting himself to pleasure. However, Euphues ignores his advice, rather, he offers witty counterarguments against this advice with various rhetorical questions and parallel structure ("this is true and that is true"). Eubulus realizes that he cannot outsmart Euphues and goes away.
After some time, Euphues meets another young and attractive man named Philatus. Euphues realizes that Philatus is a kind and intelligent man and both swear eternal friendship. Philatus believes that Euphues is a good man and a good friend and trusts him with all his heart. However, both of them are vociferously dedicated to their point of view. The two of them become very close friends. Philatus decides to introduce Euphues to his family members. He takes him to meet Lucilla who is the beautiful daughter of a wealthy and powerful nobleman named Don Ferado.
Lucilla is Philatus’s fiancee and both of them have plans to get married soon. However, when Euphues sees Lucilla, he feels that she is the most beautiful girl he has ever seen. He feels a strong infatuation towards Lucilla and thinks about flirting with her. He contemplates the risks of creating this potential love triangle between him, his close friend Philatus, and Lucilla and decides to pursue her. Lucilla is a fickle-minded girl who is not convinced about her affair with Philatus. When Euphues pursues her, she readily accepts his advances. This breaks Philatus who feels betrayed by both, his friend and fiancee. However, Lucilla proves to be much more fickle than Euphues had thought. Euphues begins feeling true love for Lucilla but she leaves him for another young man named Curio, a man of ‘little wealth and less wit.’ Despite being a poor man with not so much intelligence, Lucilla decides to marry him. After the disastrous love affair between Euphues, his best friend Philautus, and Lucilla, Euphues learns about love, life, and morality. Euphues, heartbroken, goes back to Philautus with sincere apologies, then returns to England and denounces philandering and begins advocating a celibate life of prayer and study. After reaching England, Euphues writes a number of letters advising about behavior, morality, loyalty, and love.
In the second novel, Euphues and His England, Philatus forgives the treachery of Euphues and decides to visit him in England. The two friends, now reconciled, decide to visit Canterbury where they meet a young beautiful pastoral girl named Fidus. Philatus soon falls in love with Fidus but she loves someone else. Euphues now acts like a wise advisor for Philatus and tries to soothe him. Philatus listens to Euphues and decides to woo another beautiful girl and succeeds in that. He returns to Naples with his love.
Seeing Philatus happy, Euphues decides to leave England. He eulogizes England and the women of England while trying to soothe his melancholic heart as he still has not recovered from the heartbreak he suffered in Naples.
So this is it for today. We will continue to discuss the history of English literature. Please stay connected with the Discourse. Thanks and Regards!
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