Timon of Athens is a five-act tragedy by the English dramatist William Shakespeare. It was probably written and first performed in 1607 and published in 1623. Some critics believe that Shakespeare wrote it in collaboration with his fellow English dramatist Thomas Middleton. The play is one of the least staged of all Shakespeare’s works.
The play is partly based on the Life of Antony by the ancient Greek biographer Plutarch, as translated in 1579 from a French version by the English writer Sir Thomas North. Shakespeare also borrowed from a humorous dialogue by the ancient Greek satirist Lucian. The play is set in Athens during the 400’s B.C. and tells the story of Timon, an Athenian nobleman. Surrounded by flatterers and parasites (people who live off his generosity), Timon spends his money extravagantly. But after he becomes penniless, his friends all desert him. Their ingratitude turns Timon into a bitter person who hates humanity. Timon leaves Athens and goes to live in a cave near the sea, where he finds a buried treasure. But his new-found wealth brings him no happiness. He dies, still a bitter man, in the cave.
Timon of Athens appears to be unfinished according to some critics, and it has flaws in its uneven writing, thin characters, and improbable plot. But it also has passages of great eloquence. Several such passages occur when Timon pours out his scorn for humanity. Throughout the play, Shakespeare portrays people at their worst, with few of the honorable qualities that lighten his great tragedies.
