The Mysterious Connection between Thomas Nashe, Thomas Dekker, and T. M.: An English Renaissance Deception?

Thomas Nashe was in a pickle. During the summer of 1597, he was banished from London for his co-authorship of the scandalous play The Isle of Dogs. With its publishing houses and theaters, London was the place to be for a professional humorist, pamphleteer, and playwright like Nashe. In January, 1598, humorist Thomas Dekker came to life in the London record books; curiously, he wrote just like Nashe. The Archbishop of Canterbury destroyed Nashe’s works in 1599 and banned him from future publishing, and at some point between then and 1601 Nashe died, although details of his death are lacking. Thomas Dekker took up Nashe’s banner, however, specializing in Nashe’s mediums, plays and pamphlets plus poetry within them, tackling many of the same subjects in a similar style. Coincidence or deception? The Mysterious Connection between Thomas Nashe, Thomas Dekker, and T. M.: An English Renaissance Deception? sets forth substantial linguistic evidence that the witty Nashe out-witted authorities by assuming the identity of Thomas Dekker and writing under that name as well as T. M., Adam Evesdropper, Jocundary Merry-brains, Jack Daw, William Fennor, and Anonymous, making it appear that several authors could write in Nashe’s seemingly distinctive style. Under these names, it proposes, Nashe shed light onto societal abuses, and bestowed the gift of lightheartedness to all.