Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe (1564–1593) was an English playwright and poet. He was baptised in Canterbury on 26 February 1564; his exact date of birth is unknown.[1] His plays include Tamburlaine the Great, Doctor Faustus and Edward II.[2]
Life and theatre
Marlowe attended the King’s School in Canterbury and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. After leaving university in 1587, he worked in the theatre in London. His other plays include The Jew of Malta, The Massacre at Paris and Dido, Queen of Carthage, the last written with Thomas Nashe. Most of his plays appeared in print after his death, so their publication dates should not be treated as dates of composition.[2]
Marlowe died in Deptford on 30 May 1593. The circumstances of his death have been disputed.[2]
Poetry and translation
Alongside drama, Marlowe wrote poetry. Hero and Leander and “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love” circulated in manuscript as well as print.[3] His translation of the Roman poet Ovid’s Amores was printed as All Ovids Elegies, following an earlier selection of ten poems.[3]
References
- ↑ Tom Rutter, “Life and historical contexts”, The Cambridge Introduction to Christopher Marlowe (Cambridge University Press, 2012), public chapter summary.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Royal Shakespeare Company, “Who was Christopher Marlowe?”. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 “Christopher Marlowe”, Catalogue of English Literary Manuscripts 1450–1700, Folger Shakespeare Library. Accessed 10 October 2026.