johns wilmot, depp, and malkovich there have been many fascinating characters to come out of english restoration but none are more intriguing than the poet (and johnny depp look-a-like) john wilmot, the second earl of rochester—a notorious rake known throughout england for his debauchery, dirty jokes, and drunken hijinks. yet he was admired by literary all-stars by the likes of tennyson, voltaire, hazlitt, and goethe. a listicle » he graduated from oxford at the age of 12 and earned a master’s by 14. he married a famous actress two years after he attempted to abduct her. he was briefly exiled by his friend and patron, king charles the second for writing a satire on charles which labeled him a sex maniac. while exiled, he masqueraded as the quack “dr. bendo”, a gynecologist specialising in fertility. he also assumed the role of “mrs. bendo” presumably so he could inspect young women privately without arousing their suspicions. he was renowned for drunkenness, vivacious conversation, and “extravagant frolics” as part of the “merry gang” a “mob of gentlemen who wrote with ease.” he died at the age of 33 from the effects of venereal disease and alcoholism. he was portrayed by johnny depp in the 2004 (direct to dvd) movie, the libertine. incidentally, john malkovich played king charles. an aside: the movie smells. UPDATE: a further aside: but the intro to the movie is rather marvelous.

johns wilmot, depp, and malkovich

there have been many fascinating characters to come out of english restoration but none are more intriguing than the poet (and johnny depp look-a-like) john wilmot, the second earl of rochester—a notorious rake known throughout england for his debauchery, dirty jokes, and drunken hijinks. yet he was admired by literary all-stars by the likes of tennyson, voltaire, hazlitt, and goethe. a listicle »

  • he graduated from oxford at the age of 12 and earned a master’s by 14.
  • he married a famous actress two years after he attempted to abduct her.
  • he was briefly exiled by his friend and patron, king charles the second for writing a satire on charles which labeled him a sex maniac.
  • while exiled, he masqueraded as the quack “dr. bendo”, a gynecologist specialising in fertility. he also assumed the role of “mrs. bendo” presumably so he could inspect young women privately without arousing their suspicions.
  • he was renowned for drunkenness, vivacious conversation, and “extravagant frolics” as part of the “merry gang” a “mob of gentlemen who wrote with ease.”
  • he died at the age of 33 from the effects of venereal disease and alcoholism.
  • he was portrayed by johnny depp in the 2004 (direct to dvd) movie, the libertine. incidentally, john malkovich played king charles.

an aside: the movie smells.

UPDATE: a further aside: but the intro to the movie is rather marvelous.

August 5, 2009
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1600s literature poetry movies
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