Christopher Marlowe
Born :- 26 February 1564
Died :- 30 may 1593
Occupation :- playwright - poet
Era :- Elizabethan
Notable works :-
(1) Hero and Leander
(2) Tamburlaine the Great
(3) Edward the second
(4) The tragical history of Doctor Faustus.
(5) Dido, The Queen of carthage
Movement :- English Renaissance.
Preface:-
Christopher marlowe born in 26 February 1564 and died at 30 may 1593. he was also known as kit marlowe. He was the most prominent figure of the English Renaissance. He was well known poet, playwright and also a translator. But mostly people considered him as a most well known playwright. some Scholars also believe that he greatly influenced William Shakespeare. Marlowe was the first to achieve a critical reputation for his use of blank verse, which became the standard for the era. He is one of the most suggestive figure of the English Renaissance, and he was the greatest from Shakespeare's predecessors.
His Life :-
He was born in 26 February 1564 and baptised at Saint. George's Church Canterbury. He was the second of nine childrens of his father shoemaker john Marlowe and mother Katherine.he was two month older than William Shakespeare. he was attending the king's School Canterbury on scholarship and two years later corpus Christi college, Cambridge. and there he also received his bachelor of arts degree in 1584. But during this three years Marlowe began to absent himself from the college for weeks on end. And it is not so common at that time. so this kind of action of Marlowe earned the ire of the college administration.
Also the rumours getting spread that marlowe planned to defect to the Catholic seminary of rheims France. So when administration denied to give him degree, at that time the privy Council conveyed them that marlowe had been in government service all along so give him degree. this evidence suggests that he had been serving England as a Spy rheims.
In the following six years, before his early death, Marlowe continued to achieve success through such works as, Dr. Faustus, The Jew of Malta, and the Massacre at Paris. The last part of marlowe's life was violent and contains some supicious conincidence. A year before his death Marlowe appeared so threatening. he was staying at the Walsingham's country house in sacadbury at the time he was killed. the circumstances of Marlowe's death provide much more for speculation on May 30, 1593.
When Marlowe was only 29, he was feasting in a rented private room in a deptFord house, with a group of four men. he quarrelled with a Ingram friser, who killed him on the spot by stabbing him above the right eye. and still friser pardoned shortly after this. David riggs points out that the queen herself had ordered for Marlowe's death, four day before. but it is still debated that what is the reality.
But the young poet died before his thirties, was a man, who studied to take Holy orders, who likely served his country in espionage and still died violently.
His life is also like a interesting story of his works. if we looked into his work, we found that somehow his work in which he took liberty and freedom of writing even in sensitive subject, is responsible for his violent death. let me here considere some of his well-known works.
His works :-
Marlowe was a poet and playwright at the fore front of the 16th century dramatic Renaissance. While Christopher Marlowe's literary career lasted less than six years, and his life only 29 years. still his achievements, and especially the play, "The tragicall history of doctor Faustus", ensured his lasting legency.
Marlowe as a playwright :-
As he mainly known as a playwright, we discuss here about some of his plays his. first play is, "dido, queen of cathage". but was not published until 1594. his second play was the two-part "Tamburlaine the great", published in 1590. it is considered as a beginning of the elizabethan theatre, and was the last of Marlowe's play to be published before his ultimately death, according to chronology, the order of his play are thus.
1 ] The jew of malta
2] Doctor Faustus
3] Edward the second
4] The massacre at Paris
Here we discusses his most famous play Dr Faustus, is in detail.
Dr. Faustus :-
Here i am sharing a link of animated movie of the play, "Tragicall history of doctor Faustus".
Marlowe's most famous play is, "Tragicall history of Dr. Faustus". But as is the case with most of his plays, it has survived only in corrupt form, and when Marlowe actually wrote, it has been a topic of debate. The play doctor Faustus, was first performed around 1588, and were first published in 1604. This first virson is usually called as a A - text. And the revised addition which appeared in 1616 and 1631 is called as B - text.
Summary :-
The play doctor Foustus, is based on the German faustbuch and acknowledged as the first dramatized version of the Faustus Legend. The play is about a scholar named dr. Faustus, who is crazy for knowledge, and use his whole technology, philosophy, medicine, and law, and the four science of the time, into the study of magic. And because of that the man sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power. While versions of story began appearing as a early as the fourth century. Marlowe deviates significantly by having his hand. unable to repent and have his contract annulled at the end of the play. He is warned to do so throughout by yet another marlowe variation of the retelling a good angel but Faustus ignores the Angel's advice continually.
The concept of Marlowe, creating good Angel and bad angel, to show inner confusion about to do or not to do, is a unique way of portraying such things.
in the end, Faustus finally seems to repent for his deeds, but it is either too late or just simply irrelevant, as Mephistopheles collects his soul. and it is clear that Faustus exists to hell with him. So this how like most of his plays, the protagonist got a tragic death.
Analysis :-
More than any other play, Marlowe's doctor Faustus have a strong, good power of language. And wide imaginary concept. The setting of play is also very intresting and well structured by including various elements.
1 ] Chorus :-
If we analyse the play and it's setting, we found the technique of the chorus, which was adapted from the traditions of classic Greek Drama. Throughout the play, chorus functionally works. Chorus stands out side the play and comments upon various parts if the drama. The chorus directly speaks to the audience and tell them basic background history of Faustus and explains that the play is to concern his downfall. The work of chorus in drama is to express author's view and to remind the audience of the proper moral to be learned from the play itself. And the opening speech of thw chorus also take as a prologue. So this how the chorus is one of the most important part of that drama.
2] Dr. Faustus and Icarus :-
Doctor Faustus was compared to the greek myth of Icarus, a boy whose father Daedalus gave him wings made out of feathers and beeswax. Icarus did not heed his father's warning and flew too close to the sun. Which causing his wings to melt and sending him plunging to his death. In similar way the chorus tells us that, doctor Faustus will "Mount above his reach" and suffer the consequences.
3] Subject :-
Instead of a subject dealing with love or war, this play will present the history of a scholar. Normally at the time when people mainly liked Holly dramas, related to religion. The dr. Faustus of Marlowe was the new experience of that era. Traditionally, tragedies had dealt with such grand subjects as the history of kings, great wars, or powerful love affairs. But marlowe introduced different subject matter to audience and it widely accepted by all. He introduced a downfall of a Normal man, instead of king, Prince, god, superiors, angels or anyone eles.
So this how he creat something new by the play dr. Faustus and still it is performed and accepted also widely by audience, and people still praised it after a so many years also. Also the play has very less characters but all were portraits so effectively.characters like servants of dr. Faustus and all, marlowe add a test of humour in play, along with tragedy. Also Monologue of Faustus, make the play much intresting.
Conclusion :-
Thus to conclude we can able to consider Marlowe as a most prominent figure among the Renaissance. but for his mysterious settings, plot against the stage rules and story about against Christianity and the law of Bible lead his early death, and he murdered in the age of 29. but from Renaissance to present time, people love his plays, many of his plays still performes in various theaters, such like most famous Globe Theatre of America, and others.
:- (1527 words)
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