Christopher+Marlowe





Background == == == Christopher Marlowe was born in Canterbury, in 1564 and was the son of a shoemaker. He attended the King's School and was awarded a scholarship from the foundation of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury. Christopher studied the Bible and the Reformation, as well as philosophy and history at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Marlowe then left college and his studies and went to London and became a dramatist. He made important friends, including the famous Sir Walter Raleigh, who had started the first colony in Virginia. Marlowe began writing after Cambridge. His first dramas were composed in blank verse. One of his first plays Tamburlaine the Great was supposedly performed in London in 1587. In the play Tamburlaine burns the Koran and after conquering the world he wants to conquer the heavens. Marlowe was also notorious for his bad temper and crimes In 1589 Marlowe was charged for killing William Bradley and was sent to Newgate Prison, but was released after two weeks. Also In 1592 he was charged because of street fighting, in which a man was killed. Marlowe was also deported from Netherlands for counterfeiting gold coins. Numerous plays have been assigned to Marlowe. Unfortunately, Marlowe refused to publish many of his texts, and many of the remains of his literary work were incomplete. However, his blank verse which he wrote with great intensity, and the use of villain and heroes which was a new thing on the English stage, influenced deeply the theatre of his time. He is known as the father of English tragedy and the creator of English blank verse, so therefore also was the teacher and the guide of Shakespeare. Shakespeare and Marlowe both wrote plays for Lord Strange's acting company and influenced each other's work. Also Shakespeare favored the blank verse. Marlowe's major plays were written between 1585 and 1593, among them where Tamburlaine, Parts I and II, and The Jew of Malta, a tragedy and parody of Niccolo Machiavelli. The Tragical History Of Doctor Faustus was based on the medieval legend of the bargain with the Devil, after making his deal with the Devil and finds vague answers to his questions, the tragic hero rejects black magic and calls upon Christ to save him. Marlowe himself was accused of atheism. Edward II was a historical tragedy in blank verse and Marlowe's last play. Marlowe's plays were produced by the Earl of Nottingham's Company. He also wrote poetry, including Hero and Leander, based on the Greek of Musaeus (5th century AD), The Passionate Shepherd, and translated Ovid's Amores Marlowe's mysteriously died in Deptford in Eleanor Bull's house supposedly about who should pay the bill. His Accusations of atheism, blasphemy, subversion and homosexuality, also ruined his public image. Marlowe was buried two days later in an unmarked grave. His killer pleaded self-defense and received == a pardon from the Queen.

Marlovian Theory

Christopher Marlowe was born into the same social class as Shakespeare, but spent six more years than Shakespeare receiving his education at Cambridge University. Marlowe was one of the first to master the blank verse, which coincidentally was a style of writing that Shakespeare seemed to use a lot. The Marlovian theory states that Christopher Marlowe was really the great writer we know as Shakespeare and is heavily based on the fact that there are records that show that his death had been faked allowing him to secretly write “Shakespeare’s” poems and plays. The reason for his death being faked was for Marlowe to escape execution by the courts for charges of atheism. A specific example that provides evidence for Marlovians is that Shakespeare’s very first work, Venus and Adonis, was registered with no author’s name and was then printed with Shakespeare’s name signed to the dedication 13 days after Marlowe’s death. Shakespeare’s career really took off shortly after Marlowe’s reported death. Similarities between the two styles of writing are overwhelming and also lead one to believe Marlowe was the true author.

Stratfordian Theory

There are many controversies on whether William Shakespeare himself wrote the Shakespeare plays or it was another writer who disguised himself as Shakespeare. A group known as the Stratfordians believes that William Shakespeare wrote the plays and disagrees with the possibility that it was someone else including Francis Bacon, Edward De Vere, and Christopher Marlowe. They say that between Marlowe and Shakespeare their style of writing differs tremendously. Also, William Shakespeare was an actor and part owner of the acting company that owned the Globe Theatre. This is where they performed the plays and therefore he must be the real author. Another argument supporting William Shakespeare is that at the end of the day his name is written on top of each play signifying that he is the real author.

Controversy

After much discussion, it has been concluded that the controversy between Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare, doesn’t really exist. Historical facts say that Marlowe had faked his death in order to write plays in honor of Shakespeare. Our group opinion is that Marlowe was the real Shakespeare. Shakespeare is rumored to be a thief of other play writes as well. According to the Marlovians, of the Marlovian theory, Shakespeare was a fake, he was not the author of hid plays. Only after Marlowes real death, Shakespeare’s name had appeared on some work. Many believe that on May 30, 1593 Marlowe faked his death in order to escape charges and only after that day were Shakespeare's plays published.