All Fools: George Chapman

Of all the poets Francis Meres names in his famous Palladis Tamia, Wits Treasury (1598), just two rate a mention as being both 'our best for tragedy' and 'the best poets for comedy': William Shakespeare and George Chapman. All Fools, written in 1599, is the only Elizabethan comedy based directly on the plays of Terence. By taking episodes and characters from two brilliant comedies, The Self-Tormenter and The Brothers, Chapman creates something that is distinctly Elizabethan, while remaining faithful to the spirit of the great Roman master. To the pranks, intrigues and trickery we associate with Terence, Chapman adds rich satire of English manners and customs, particularly regarding marriage and divorce, all to demonstrate that those who are most boastful about their ability to fool others are the most likely to be fooled themselves. In his extensive introduction and commentary, Charles Edelman shows how Chapman combines the literary and theatrical traditions of ancient Rome with everyday life in his own time to fashion a comedy that would delight audiences today as much as it would have done in 1599.