W. S. Gilbert (1836-1911) was an English dramatist best known as one half of the writing duo Gilbert and Sullivan. He began his career working in burlesques, establishing himself as a tasteful, intelligent writer. He then moved on to various other genres, unhappy with his lack of control over the burlesque form. Among his most famous collaborations with Arthur Sullivan are Pirates of Penzance, Trial by Jury, and H. M. S. Pinafore.
The Bab Ballads are a collection of light verse by W. S. Gilbert, illustrated with his own comic drawings. Gilbert wrote the Ballads before he became famous for his comic opera librettos with Arthur Sullivan. In writing the Bab Ballads, Gilbert developed ...[SEE MORE]