Christopher Marlowe's Work and Style

Christopher Marlowe's Work and Style

Christopher Marlowe is a famous Elizabethan poet and playwright. Although often overshadowed by Shakespeare’s popularity, he nonetheless is deserving of attention. Not to dampen the masterpiece of his other works, I believe Marlowe’s unique style is best exemplified in his plays. Marlowe’s plays include Dido, Queen of Cathage, Tamburlaine the Great Parts One and Two, The Jew of Malta, The Massacre at Paris, Edward the II, and The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus. All of Marlowe’s works are unique and astounding in their own ways. Audiences loved the Jew of Malta, and it was performed thirty-six times over the course of four years. Keep in mind that was an amazing record in Marlowe’s time. However, more important to mention may be his great contributions to the art of drama.

Marlowe donated two major gifts to drama. The first is the improvement of the blank verse. Some had shunned its use and claimed it was unscholarly. Others used it, but were unable to lift if above commonplace. In such work, it was constructed with isolated lines, one right after another, without grouping according to thought. All of the verses were made after one rhythmical pattern, with the same number of feet and “caesura” always in place. ( Hopkins 11).

Marlowe’s first genius was, “the invention of numberless variations while still keeping the satisfying rhythm within a recurring pattern. Sometimes he left a redundant syllable, or left the line one syllable short, or moved the position of the caesura. He grouped his lines according to the thought and adapted his various rhythms to the ideas. Thus, the blank verse became a living organism, plastic, brilliant, and finished” (Cutts 19).

His se...

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...looked by the better-known Shakespeare. From his contributions to drama, which included his use of blank verse and heroic tragedy, to his great themes and characters we see a timeless collection of work and style.

Works Cited

Cartelli, Thomas. Marlowe, Shakespeare, and the Economy of Theatrical Experience. Philadelphia: U of Pennsylvania P, 1991.

Cutts, John. The Left Hand of God. Haddonfield. New Jersey: Haddonfield House, 1973.

- - -. Introduction. The Left Hand of God. Haddonfield, New Jersey: Haddonfield House, 1973.

Hopkins, Lisa. “Characteristics of Marlowe’s Work.” A Short History of the Theatre. Ed. Martha Fletcher Bellinger. New York: Henry Holt, 1927 (221-222).

Munson Deats, Sara. “The Subversion of Gender Hierarchies in Dido, Queen of Carthage.” Marlowe, History and Sexuality. Ed. Paul Whitfield White. New York: AMS Press, 1998.