John Fletcher was a prominent English Jacobean playwright. He is best known for his successful collaborations with Francis Beaumont and his work as the successor to William Shakespeare as the house playwright for the King's Men. His plays, noted for their tragicomic structure and witty dialogue, were among the most popular of their time. Fletcher's influence on the drama of the 17th century was significant, with his works remaining staples of the stage for many years after his death from the plague in 1625.