author
Nicholas Rowe
1674–1718
An early 18th-century playwright and poet, he helped shape how generations of readers encountered Shakespeare. Best known in his own day for popular tragedies like The Fair Penitent and Jane Shore, he also served as Poet Laureate under George I.
2 Audiobooks
Some Account of the Life of Mr. William Shakespear (1709)
by Nicholas Rowe
Jane Shore : A tragedy, in five acts
by Nicholas Rowe
About the author
Born in Bedfordshire in 1674, Nicholas Rowe was an English dramatist, poet, and editor who became one of the best-known literary figures of his time. Although he was originally intended for a legal career, he turned to writing instead and found lasting success in the theatre.
Rowe wrote tragedies that were widely admired on the 18th-century stage, including The Fair Penitent, Jane Shore, and Lady Jane Grey. In 1715 he was appointed Poet Laureate, a sign of how highly he was regarded during his lifetime.
He is also remembered for his 1709 edition of Shakespeare, an important milestone in Shakespeare publishing. It was the first edition to supply a substantial biographical account of Shakespeare and helped present the plays in a form that later readers would find more familiar. Rowe died in London in 1718 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.