The Dramatic uses of Homeric Idealism: The Significance of Theme and Design in George Chapman's The Gentleman Usher

Abstract

George Chapman's elusive dramatic art has been approached from many angles of perspective. Perhaps one can best understand the varying ideologies attributed to Chapman-Stoicism, Platonism, School of Night Marlovianism, and, of course, Christian Humanism-if one sees them reflected in the prism of Chapman's constantly expanding Homeric idealism.1 On the evidence of the plays it would seem that Homer looms larger in Chapman's thought as the 1590's draw to a close. At the turn of the century the great translator of Homer seems increasingly aware both of the complex evil in the world and of the compelling good found in the simplicity of epic heroism. The central issue in life becomes the relationship of man to evil as played against the normative vision of a Homeric golden age.2 In his early comedies Chapman could be tolerant of modern