Peter Grimes must write an opera, and where I belonged. Britten returned to England in April 1942. Soon after his return, he asked Montagu Slater to be his librettist for "Peter Grimes". Britten and Pears both had a strong hand in drafting the story, and in this process the character of Grimes became far more complex. Rather than being the clear-cut villain he is in Crabbe's version, he became a victim of both cruel fate and society, while retaining darker aspects in his character. It is left to the audience to decide which version is more true, and to see how clear-cut
Thomas Grimes Thomas Grimes Sir Thomas Grimes or Grahme was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1624. Grimes was the son of Thomas Grimes, citizen and haberdasher of London and of Peckham and his wife Jane Muschamp daughter and co-heir of Thomas Muschamp, of Peckham. He was knighted at Hanworth, Middlesex on 2 June 1603. He was J.P. and Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey. In 1614, he was elected Member of Parliament for Haslemere. He was re-elected MP for Haslemere in 1621. In 1624 he was elected MP for Surrey. Grimes married Margaret, daughter of Sir