Udall, Nicholas

About the author

Nicholas Udall, born in 1505, was an English playwright and educator whose life coincided with the English Reformation. His career included significant roles in academia, where he was instrumental in shaping educational curricula at Eton College.

His most famous work, Roister Doister, is celebrated as one of the earliest comedies in English literature, preceding Shakespeare's plays. This play humorously portrays the follies of a boastful suitor, satirizing social behaviors and providing a comedic lens on human vanity and courtship in the 16th century.

Udall's influence on English drama and education is profound, setting standards for comedy and contributing to the literary culture that would flourish in the Elizabethan era.