Thomas Nashe

Preface to Greene's Menaphon Thomas Nashe

This early work by Thomas Nashe was originally published in 1589 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'Preface to Greene's Menaphon' is Nashe's first appearance in print and offers an overview of contemporary literature and a definition of art. Thomas Nashe was born in November 1567. He was an English Elizabethan Pamphleteer, playwright, poet and satirist, but little is known with certainty about his life. Much of the information we have has been inferred from his writings. Nashe's first appearance in print was his preface to Robert Greene's Menaphon (1589), in which he offers a brief definition of art and an overview of contemporary literature. His early exercise in euphuism The Anatomy of Absurdity was published in the same year. From then on Nashe became involved in numerous political and religious causes, including the Martin Marprelate controversy where he sided with the bishops. Nashe offers an important insight into the workings of 16th century English life and his writings will continue to be studied for both their literary content and historical relevance.