Christopher Marlowe : As a Dramatist

Christopher Marlowe as a Dramatist :

     Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593) was an English dramatist, poet and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe was the foremost Elizabethan tragedian of his day who belonged to the group of university-educated practitioners of literature known collectively as the ‘University Wits’. He greatly influenced William Shakespeare, who was born in the same year as Marlowe and who rose to become the pre-eminent Elizabethan playwright after Marlowe's mysterious early death. 

He is famous for his dramas-Tamburlaine, Doctor Faustus, Jew of Malta and Edward II.

Tragedies of Marlowe :

Marlowe’s tragedy is significant due to its newness, renaissance influence, Machiavellian morality, powerful and passionate expressions, element of tragic inner conflict, overreaching protagonists, popular literary style, high seriousness, bombastic language and blank verse. 

Swinburne remarks: ‘Before him, there was neither genuine blank verse nor genuine tragedy in our language. After his arrival the way was prepared and the paths were made straight for Shakespeare.’

Marlowe’s contribution to English tragedy is very vital and manifold. He has rightly been called the ‘Morning Star’ of the great Elizabethan drama. Following are the salient features of his tragedies.

Tragedy before Marlowe 

It was in the fifteenth century that tragedy came into English dramatic field. And this was due to the influence of the Revival of Learning and the translation of great Italian tragedies of Seneca. And the first English tragedy was Gorboduc by Thomas Norton and Thomas Sackville. In the style and treatment of theme Seneca was very much their model. Although this tragedy showed some innovation, yet most of the Senecan characteristics—long sententious speeches, lack of action, talkative ghosts and horrible scenes of murder were very much there. The credit goes to Marlowe to free the Elizabethan drama from the worst features of the Senecan tragedy. We can discuss various characteristics of his tragedy to point out how he formulated the English drama, specially the tragedy which was improved upon and perfected by a genius like Shakespeare. 

Marlowe’s Tragic Heroes 

Marlowe put forward a new kind of tragic hero. The medieval concept of tragedy was the fall of a great man, kings or royal personalities. But it was left to Marlow to create the real tragic hero. Almost all the heroes of Marlowe—Tamburlaine, Faustus or Jew of Malta—are of humble parentage, but they are endowed with great heroic qualities and they are really great men. His tragedy is, in fact, the tragedy of the hero. All other characters of Marlovian drama look insignificant besides the towering personality of the tragic hero.

Tragic Flaw in His Heroes 

Marlowe revived the Aristotelian conception of tragic hero in so far as he introduced a certain flaw or flaws in his character. His heroes are men fired with indomitable passion and inordinate ambition. His Tamburlaine is in full-flooded pursuit of military and political power, his Faustus sells his soul to the devil to attain ultimate power through knowledge and his Jew of Malta discards all human values in order to gain maximum wealth. But they perish by the forces beyond their control. 

Inner Conflict 

Another great achievement of Marlowe was to introduce the element of conflict, especially inner struggle in two of his great tragedies—Doctor Faustus and Edward II. And this inner conflict reveals the real significance of character as the main-stay of a great tragedy. 

Poetic Excellence / Blank Verse 

Marlowe’s poetic excellence was highly appreciated even by his contemporaries. Swinburne pays his tribute: ‘The first great English poet was the father of English tragedy and the creator of English blank verse.’ All of Marlowe’s heroes, Faustus is the most poetic, as he is a prototype of Marlowe himself with his passionate love of beauty and yearning for sensuous pleasures. 

Conclusion :

Christopher Marlowe stands as a pioneering figure in the evolution of English drama. His bold innovations in blank verse, especially his masterful use of iambic pentameter, revolutionized the dramatic form and laid the groundwork for subsequent playwrights like William Shakespeare. Marlowe's plays, such as Doctor Faustus, Tamburlaine the Great, and The Jew of Malta, showcase his ability to blend profound philosophical ideas with compelling, larger-than-life characters.

Marlowe's works reflect the spirit of the Renaissance, emphasizing human potential, ambition, and the often-tragic consequences of overreaching. His protagonists are defined by their insatiable desires and their struggles against societal, divine, or moral limitations, making them deeply human and relatable. Despite his untimely death, Marlowe's influence endures, as he transformed English theater into a medium capable of exploring complex themes of power, morality, and existentialism. In conclusion, Christopher Marlowe remains a cornerstone of English drama, celebrated for his poetic brilliance, thematic depth, and groundbreaking contributions to the theatrical tradition.

References :

Shuaib, M. "Christopher Marlowe as a Dramatist." Shuaib’s Blogspot, 25 Aug. 2013, shuaib6727.blogspot.com/2013/08/christopher-marlow-as-dramatist.html. Accessed [5 January 2025].

"CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE - The Morning Star of English Drama ." Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (JETIR), vol. 9, no. 5, 2022, www

.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2205883.pdf. Accessed [5 Jan. 2025].