author
John Skelton
d. 1529
A lively and unruly voice from the early Tudor court, this poet is remembered for sharp satire, inventive rhythms, and a style so distinctive it gave English literature the term “Skeltonic.” Priest, playwright, and royal tutor, he wrote with wit, bite, and a real ear for the changing English language.
2 Audiobooks
The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 2 (of 2)
by John Skelton
The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 1 (of 2)
by John Skelton
About the author
Born around 1460 and dead in 1529, John Skelton was an English poet, playwright, and priest who worked during the early Tudor period. He is often described as one of the most important poets of that era, and he also served as tutor to the future Henry VIII.
Skelton is especially known for satirical writing and for the energetic, irregular short-line verse now called Skeltonics. His work could be playful, fierce, and politically daring, moving between court culture, religious life, and public argument in a way that still feels vivid.
Although his reputation rose and fell over the centuries, modern readers value him for his originality, his comic force, and the way his writing stands at a turning point in English literary history, between Middle English and the language that would become Early Modern English.