John Fletcher - The Faithful Shepherdess: "That soul that can be honest is the only perfect man"

The life of John Fletcher, born in 1579, reflects a transition from potential religious vocation to a prominent career in commercial theatre. After early education at Cambridge, he abandoned church aspirations for the bohemian world of London's stage. Despite an initial setback with his adaptation of "The Faithful Shepherdess," Fletcher found success with "Philaster," marking the start of a fruitful collaboration with John Beaumont. By the mid-1610s, his plays rivaled Shakespeare's in popularity, leading to a prolific output of nearly fifty works before his death in 1625.