Christopher Marlowe - Literary Devices
Christopher Marlowe - Literary Devices
Literary Devices
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Christopher Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe’s Life
A famous poet, playwright, and translator of the Elizabethan era, Christopher Marlowe holds a
prominent place among the famous Elizabethan playwrights. Yet there are aspects of his life that
are still shrouded in mystery. According to some literary biographers, he was baptized on
February 26, 1564 in Canterbury, England, but they are not certain about his date of birth. It is
certain, though, that he was born a few days prior to this date. He was thus just a few months
older than Shakespeare.
Son of John Marlowe, a cobbler, Marlowe studied in Canterbury’s King School. Later he attended
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, after winning a scholarship. He completed his Bachelor of
Arts in 1584, and subsequently completed his Masters. Initially, the University hesitated to award
him Master of Arts, for there were rumors that he wanted to go to the English college at Rheims,
and was preparing for ordination to become a Roman Catholic Priest.
However, Marlowe was awarded the Master of Arts when the Privy Council intervened on his
behalf, and praised Marlowe for his “good services” to the Queen. It, however, did not clearly
state the nature of his services, though it sent a letter to the authorities of Cambridge about this
connection. This led to speculations about Marlowe being a spy working for Sir Francis
Walsingham, a famous intelligence network operator at that time. Although there was no direct
evidence available to corroborate this theory, the letter of Council is stated to be enough evidence
to prove that Marlowe served for the government in some secret capacity.
Marlowe was assumed an atheist, but modern historians are of the opinion that his apparent
atheism was a pretense to serve as a government spy. He is also described as a homosexual,
though some scholars report that this was a rumor meant to paint him in a bad light.
In 1589, Francis Kett, an Anglican, was burnt alive for heretic views. This may have left a deep
impact on Marlowe and influenced his thoughts about religious issues. Marlowe came under fire
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for these beliefs. He faced charges in 1592Mortgage
in the Netherlands for counterfeiting coins, and was
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subsequently arrested. However, this arrest did not deter him from his literary pursuits, and he
was released later. Read Next Story
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Marlowe died at very young age of 29 in Deptford, Kent in England and was buried in the St.
Nicholas graveyard. Though no one knows the real circumstances of his death, it is said that he
was killed on account of his atheistic views and rejection of orthodoxy.
Marlowe’s plays received a great deal of success during the Elizabethan period. Though he wrote
poetry too, Marlowe is considered a greater playwright than poet.
Critics considered Marlowe to be the father of English tragedy and blank verse. It is said that his
works contained the true spirit of Elizabethan era. His most popular poems are “Hero and
Leander,” “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love,” and “Elegies.”
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