[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$f3MSipl9k5nDBe2SlYLi-F234eJM6bDwddEiD2SVsubQ":3,"$ftQWSV4xun4SG-ukFvszuKbTEUuqdf8miF_Dv263kBR8":52},{"author":4,"tags":51},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":10,"bio_jsonld":11,"slug":49,"image_url":50},35083,"Thomas Middleton","T",24,"Thomas Middleton was born in London in 1580, a city that formed the setting for his life as a citizen of the Kingdom of England. The precise date of his birth is recorded variously, with sources placing it either on the twenty-eighth of April or the eighth of May of that year. He received his education at Christ's Hospital before continuing his studies at The Queen's College, a course of schooling that brought him through two distinct institutions.\n\nMiddleton worked as a playwright, poet, writer, and dramaturge, composing in the English language during the Jacobean period. Among his notable works is The Changeling, a play that forms part of his documented output as a working dramatist. Women Beware Women is another notable work associated with his name, and together these two plays represent the portion of his writing that has been recorded in the available account of his career.\n\nHis roles as playwright, dramaturge, and poet indicate a range of involvement in the production of written and performed work. He composed in English, and his activity as a dramaturge suggests engagement with theatrical work that extended alongside his work as a poet and writer. The Jacobean period provided the context within which he carried out this work as a citizen of the Kingdom of England.\n\nMiddleton died in London in 1627, the same city in which he had been born. The date of his death is given variously as the twelfth or the fourteenth of July of that year. He had worked as a playwright, poet, writer, and dramaturge throughout his career, and his death in London in 1627 marks the documented close of the life of an English Jacobean playwright and poet who had been educated at Christ's Hospital and The Queen's College.","Thomas Middleton was born in London in 1580, a city that formed the setting for his life as a citizen of the Kingdom of England. The precise date of his birth is recorded variously, with sources placing it either on the twenty-eighth of April or the eighth of May of that year. He received his education at Christ's Hospital before continuing his studies at The Queen's College, a course of schooling that brought him through two distinct institutions.",{"@graph":12,"@context":48},[13,25],{"@id":14,"name":6,"@type":15,"sameAs":16,"birthDate":22,"deathDate":23,"description":24},"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q344865","Person",[14,17,18,19,20,21],"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Middleton","https://viaf.org/viaf/292459958/","https://id.loc.gov/authorities/names/n79054288","https://openlibrary.org/authors/OL136454A","https://d-nb.info/gnd/11873380X","1580-05-08","1627-07-14","English playwright and poet",{"@type":26,"author":27,"headline":30,"isBasedOn":31,"mainEntity":32,"reviewedBy":33,"articleBody":9,"dateCreated":34,"dateModified":35,"additionalProperty":36,"creativeWorkStatus":47},"Article",{"name":28,"@type":29},"Editorial Team","Organization","Thomas Middleton — biography",[14,17,19,20],{"@id":14},{"name":28,"@type":29},"2026-05-24T15:56:10.737169+00:00","2026-05-24T16:02:48.085392+00:00",[37,41,44],{"@type":38,"value":39,"propertyID":40},"PropertyValue","Q344865","wikidata",{"@type":38,"value":42,"propertyID":43},"1.000","factscore",{"@type":38,"value":45,"propertyID":46},"claude-sonnet-4-6-r1","draftModel","AI-drafted, auto-published","https://schema.org","thomas-middleton",null,[],{"quotes":53,"pagination":118},[54,62,68,74,80,86,93,100,106,112],{"id":55,"quote_text":56,"author_id":5,"source_id":57,"has_image":58,"author":59,"source":60,"quote_tag":61,"commentary":50},3970178,"There's no hate lost between us.",7,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"id":63,"quote_text":64,"author_id":5,"source_id":57,"has_image":58,"author":65,"source":66,"quote_tag":67,"commentary":50},3970172,"Though I be poor, I'm honest.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"id":69,"quote_text":70,"author_id":5,"source_id":57,"has_image":58,"author":71,"source":72,"quote_tag":73,"commentary":50},3970164,"When affection only speaks, truth is not always there.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"id":75,"quote_text":76,"author_id":5,"source_id":57,"has_image":58,"author":77,"source":78,"quote_tag":79,"commentary":50},3970158,"Anything for a quiet life.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"id":81,"quote_text":82,"author_id":5,"source_id":57,"has_image":58,"author":83,"source":84,"quote_tag":85,"commentary":50},3970153,"He travels best that knows when to return.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"id":87,"quote_text":88,"author_id":5,"source_id":89,"has_image":58,"author":90,"source":91,"quote_tag":92,"commentary":50},3474885,"FRANCISCUS: How sweetly she looks! Oh, but there’s a wrinkle in her brow as deep as philosophy.",6,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"id":94,"quote_text":95,"author_id":5,"source_id":89,"has_image":58,"author":96,"source":97,"quote_tag":98,"commentary":99},3474870,"Tis time to die, when ’tis a shame to live.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nThis poignant quote is attributed to Thomas Middleton, a renowned English playwright and poet, who lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries in England. The sentiment likely reflects his observations on the human condition during a time of great social change and upheaval. As Middleton navigated the complexities of life under the reign of King James I, he may have been grappling with the impermanence of power, wealth, and status.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe counter-intuitive truth in this quote lies in its reversal of traditional notions of \"quality of life.\" Most people would associate a high quality of life with being able to live without shame. However, Middleton suggests that it is precisely when one's existence becomes shameful or ignominious that it is time to die, implying that continued existence may be more painful than death itself.\n\n**How to Use This**\nIn today's fast-paced, image-conscious world, this mindset can serve as a catalyst for self-reflection and professional rebirth. Instead of clinging to a faltering career or social status, individuals can recognize the signs of their own \"shame\" and take bold action towards transformation, even if it means embracing uncertainty and change.",{"id":101,"quote_text":102,"author_id":5,"source_id":89,"has_image":58,"author":103,"source":104,"quote_tag":105,"commentary":50},3474865,"If he were not as he is, he would be better than himself.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"id":107,"quote_text":108,"author_id":5,"source_id":89,"has_image":58,"author":109,"source":110,"quote_tag":111,"commentary":50},3474855,"How sweetly she looks! O, but there’s a wrinkle in her brow as deep as philosophy. – Anacreon, drink to my mistress’ health, I’ll pledge it. Stay, stay, there’s a spider in the cup! No, ’tis but a grape-stone; swallow it, fear nothing, poet. So, so; lift higher.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"id":113,"quote_text":114,"author_id":5,"source_id":89,"has_image":58,"author":115,"source":116,"quote_tag":117,"commentary":50},3474845,"Tis time to die when we are ourselves our foes.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":49,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":50},{},[],{"currentPage":119,"totalPages":120,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":121},1,3,10]