SOURCE: Axton, Marie. “Thersites.” In Three Tudor Classical Interludes: Thersites, Jacke Jugeler, Horestes, edited by Marie Axton, pp. 5-15. Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1982.

In the following essay, Axton examines the drama Thersites and compares Udall's work with earlier versions of the story.

Thersites [hereafter abbreviated as T] has plenty of action but little plot. The cowardly anti-hero sets off for war with swaggering words and a Herculean club, browbeating Mulciber into forging him some armour. Loftily resisting his Mother's entreaties to stay at home, he shows his valour in combat with a passing snail, but soon takes refuge in Mater's skirts when an honest English soldier appears. A letter comes from Ulysses, delivered by his son, Telemachus, begging his old enemy to intercede with Mater: her aid is sought in curing Telemachus of the worms. Thersites now berates his Mother, knocking her about the stage till her curses...