Although William Shakespeare is the most notable name among the writers of Elizabethan England, he was by far not the only one. Many playwrights came from this era, most of whom were friends and conspirators of Shakespeare. The Cambridge Companion to Shakespeare and Contemporary Dramatists strives to gain recognition for these names, and their relationship to Shakespeare. In this article, we will discuss a few of these fellow writers, as well as their possible influence on Shakespeare and his success. Thomas KydKyd was born in 1558 in London. Although little is known about his early life, it is known that he was educated at the Merchant Tailor School. He acquired knowledge of French, Italian, Spanish and Latin and used these skills as a translator and producer of brochures. His most notable work is the play Spanish Tragedy (1589). This laid the foundation for revenge plays and was performed continuously throughout the Elizabethan period. The Spanish tragedy included ghosts, madness, murder and suicide – evidence that revealed the “unbridled and sinister genius” of its writer. What is most interesting is the number of reprints The Spanish Tragedy has seen, even updated by Ben Jonson in 1601 through a paid commission. This demonstrates a popularity greater than any of Shakespeare's works. Unfortunately, Kyd's tragic writings have made their way into real life. In 1593, he was arrested and tortured as evidence against his friend and roommate, Christopher Marlowe. After Marlowe was murdered, he was released; but never regained his prominence, later dying in poverty in 1594.Ben JonsonJonson was not as fortunate in his rise as those who preceded him, before his birth in 1572. His father, a clergyman protestant, died...... middle of paper ......hemes. It's easy to imagine these men sitting in living rooms or bars, papers and inkwells strewn across tables and chairs, laughing and exchanging plots and one-liners. The lines that divided classes disappeared, inviting all types to create on a single level. In Elizabethan England, the so-called “golden age of theater,” there were a large number of famous and popular playwrights – not just Shakespeare. It would seem that it was simply the waves of history that reduced the inscriptions to just a few. Although the plays have come and gone, either hidden forever by their author or accidentally used as fire starter by a careless cook, it may simply be the fact that more of Shakespeare's works have survived that has ensured its longevity. One can only hope that more is found, or, at the very least, that current and future writers take note of all that has come before..