Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe Born in 1564 in Canterbury, Kent.Born in 1564 in Canterbury, Kent. Attended King’s School and later Corpus Attended King’s School and later Corpus

Christi College, Cambridge (theology and Christi College, Cambridge (theology and ancient languages).ancient languages).

While a student at Cambridge Marlowe While a student at Cambridge Marlowe travelled abroad on Government business, travelled abroad on Government business, from which information scholars conclude he from which information scholars conclude he was spying for Sir Francis Walsingham’s secret was spying for Sir Francis Walsingham’s secret service. He may have infiltrated the Catholic service. He may have infiltrated the Catholic Jesuit Community at Rheims in France.Jesuit Community at Rheims in France.

Christopher MarloweChristopher Marlowe However, it is also speculated that he may have However, it is also speculated that he may have

become a Catholic sympathiser and a double agent become a Catholic sympathiser and a double agent while in France. while in France.

Marlowe left for London in 1587 and took up the Marlowe left for London in 1587 and took up the profession of playwright.profession of playwright.

Dates of composition are not certain:Dates of composition are not certain:Dido, Queen of Carthage

Tamburlaine the Great

The History of Doctor Faustus

The Jew of Malta

The Massacre at Paris

Edward II

Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe Marlowe’s lifestyle in London was that of a single Marlowe’s lifestyle in London was that of a single

man who lived amongst a crowd of similar friends, man who lived amongst a crowd of similar friends, including Paywright Thomas Kid. His contacts including Paywright Thomas Kid. His contacts included intellectuals, con-men and spies. He also included intellectuals, con-men and spies. He also had political connections, including the spymaster had political connections, including the spymaster and Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth I, Sir and Secretary of State to Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Walsingham.Francis Walsingham.

At the time of his death (May 1593) some At the time of his death (May 1593) some contemporaries claimed that Marlowe expressed contemporaries claimed that Marlowe expressed atheistic views and often tried to persuade men to atheistic views and often tried to persuade men to Atheism.Atheism.

However we cannot take this as straightforward However we cannot take this as straightforward truth.truth.

The Faust StoryThe Faust Story It is now clear to us that the real Dr. Faust, It is now clear to us that the real Dr. Faust,

on whom Marlowe based his play, was not on whom Marlowe based his play, was not a magician at all but rather an incredible a magician at all but rather an incredible braggart and trickster. His stories were braggart and trickster. His stories were bred in the German inns of the sixteenth bred in the German inns of the sixteenth century, an environment described by E. century, an environment described by E. M. Butler as a place where "jugglers, M. Butler as a place where "jugglers, charlatans, and quacks of all kinds thrived. charlatans, and quacks of all kinds thrived. . ., the ideal breeding ground for those . ., the ideal breeding ground for those crass deceptions and knavish tricks crass deceptions and knavish tricks associated with the real Faust" (121).associated with the real Faust" (121).

Dr. Faust was known to publicize himself as Dr. Faust was known to publicize himself as chief of all astrologers, the most learned chief of all astrologers, the most learned chemist of all times, a palmist, a crystal chemist of all times, a palmist, a crystal gazer, and a man who could perform miracles gazer, and a man who could perform miracles greater than Christ (121). Unfortunately for greater than Christ (121). Unfortunately for Faust, he was never able to bring about any of Faust, he was never able to bring about any of these miracles (unless one wants to argue these miracles (unless one wants to argue that such a man achieving a good theological that such a man achieving a good theological degree is a miracle in itself). The only degree is a miracle in itself). The only documented facts that might have given him documented facts that might have given him credibility as a wizard, among his bar mates, credibility as a wizard, among his bar mates, were things that now seem trivial. were things that now seem trivial.

These include such occurrences as his These include such occurrences as his keeping a dog with him at meals (some of keeping a dog with him at meals (some of the sixteenth century general public the sixteenth century general public considered demons to disguise themselves considered demons to disguise themselves as dogs), his ability to occasionally obtain as dogs), his ability to occasionally obtain out-of-season game, and his threatening a out-of-season game, and his threatening a group of monks with a poltergeist because group of monks with a poltergeist because they gave him bad wine. Whenever he would they gave him bad wine. Whenever he would claim to bring someone back from the dead, claim to bring someone back from the dead, he always needed a couple of days to he always needed a couple of days to prepare, no doubt to hire the right actors and prepare, no doubt to hire the right actors and create an eager audience.create an eager audience.

Dr. Faust was not made famous and immortalized Dr. Faust was not made famous and immortalized in literature by such authors as Marlowe because in literature by such authors as Marlowe because of amazing acts, but rather because his amazing of amazing acts, but rather because his amazing amount of bragging caused false stories to amount of bragging caused false stories to become exaggerated over time. In truth, the real become exaggerated over time. In truth, the real Faust sounds more like Shakespeare's comically Faust sounds more like Shakespeare's comically boastful Falstaff than the respectable man unable boastful Falstaff than the respectable man unable to avoid temptation that Marlowe creates.to avoid temptation that Marlowe creates.

Faust's own legend did grow, however, to the Faust's own legend did grow, however, to the point of his banishment from the city of Ingostadt point of his banishment from the city of Ingostadt for being a soothsayer. Faust brought this on for being a soothsayer. Faust brought this on himself though. himself though.

Unlike the Faustus in Marlowe's play, the Unlike the Faustus in Marlowe's play, the real Faust went out of his way to inform real Faust went out of his way to inform people of his pact with the devil. According people of his pact with the devil. According to Johannes Weir, Faust once came up to him to Johannes Weir, Faust once came up to him and said, "I surely thought that you were my and said, "I surely thought that you were my brother-in-law and therefore I looked at your brother-in-law and therefore I looked at your feet to see whether long, curved claws feet to see whether long, curved claws projected from them" (124). Faust had to projected from them" (124). Faust had to know that such a statement would not be know that such a statement would not be taken lightly by many in the sixteenth taken lightly by many in the sixteenth century, a time connected with great fear of century, a time connected with great fear of Satan.Satan.

Other Literary SourcesOther Literary Sources

The theme of human being whose The theme of human being whose ambition and vision lead him or her to ambition and vision lead him or her to challenge or disobey a god is challenge or disobey a god is widespread in most cultures. widespread in most cultures.

Your turn!Your turn!

Can you think of any examples Can you think of any examples (religious or not) of human (religious or not) of human ambition leading to a challenge of ambition leading to a challenge of God or gods?God or gods?

Literary SourcesLiterary Sources Marlowe’s play derives specifically from Marlowe’s play derives specifically from

several of these:several of these: The Adam and Eve myth from the Judaeo-The Adam and Eve myth from the Judaeo-

Christian tradition, is referred to in scene 1: Christian tradition, is referred to in scene 1: Original sin is what the human race is Original sin is what the human race is supposed to have inherited from Adam.supposed to have inherited from Adam.

The fall of Lucifer from heaven to hell as a The fall of Lucifer from heaven to hell as a punishment for wishing to be equal with God.punishment for wishing to be equal with God.

The Ancient Greek myth of Dedalus and The Ancient Greek myth of Dedalus and Icarus, where Icarus disobeyed his father’s Icarus, where Icarus disobeyed his father’s instructions and perished because he flew too instructions and perished because he flew too high.high.