Concetti Chiave
- Christopher Marlowe, a seminal figure of the English Renaissance, was both a playwright and poet, born in 1564 in Canterbury.
- Marlowe's life was marked by accusations of atheism and immorality, and his untimely death in 1593 remains shrouded in mystery.
- His tragic characters are often driven by destructive passions, as illustrated in works like "The Jew of Malta" and "Doctor Faustus".
- Marlowe's innovative use of rhetoric and imagery in his plays significantly influenced the development of Elizabethan theatre.
- In "Doctor Faustus", the protagonist's quest for forbidden knowledge leads to a pact with the devil, resulting in eventual damnation.
Marlowe
Christopher Marlowe was a contemporary of Shakespeare and he was the first great English Renaissance dramatist
He was born in Canterbury in 1564. After studying at Cambridge and possibly working as a secret agent for the queen. Marlowe began a highly successful career both on the stage and as a poet. This was suddenly ended in 1593 by his death: he was stabbed in the eye in a tavern of a London suburb in unclear circumstances. He had a turbulent life, in which he was repeatedly accused of both atheism and immorality.
The great characters of Marlowe’s tragedies seem to be ruled by self-destructive passions. The Jew of Malta, for example, shows a man who his insane and excessive love of gold. Or either the brilliant scholar Doctor Faustus who is doomed by his immoderate desire for forbidden knowledge.
In his plays, especially in famous speeches and monologues, Marlowe invented a unique blend of rhetoric, powerful images, which became typical of the Elizabethan theatre. He also greatly enhanced the dramatic possibilities of blanck verse.
Let’s talk about Marlowe’s most famous play, Doctor Faustus, usually regarded as one of the first modern tragedies- together with Shakespeare’ Hamlet and Othello
The story talks about Faustus, a great scholar who has achieved all the knowledge man can aspire to on earth. But he wants to go further and learn the causes of life and the means of ruling the elements of nature. This is forbitten knowledge, and for that he has to turn to black magic. He makes a pact with Mephistopheles, the devil’s agent, agreeing to let Hell have his soul in exchange for absolute power and knowledge. This lasts for 24 years, during which he is allowed to perform the impossible. He can even summon up Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman of all times, and enjoy her love.
At the end of his life, everything seems worthless and Faustus is consumed by remorse and despair, and descend into Hell with the damned.
Domande da interrogazione
- ¿Cuál fue el impacto de Christopher Marlowe en el teatro renacentista inglés?
- ¿Qué temas predominan en las tragedias de Marlowe?
- ¿Cuál es la trama principal de "Doctor Fausto" y su desenlace?
Marlowe fue el primer gran dramaturgo del Renacimiento inglés, conocido por su mezcla única de retórica e imágenes poderosas en sus obras, lo que se convirtió en un sello distintivo del teatro isabelino. También mejoró significativamente las posibilidades dramáticas del verso blanco.
Las tragedias de Marlowe suelen estar dominadas por personajes gobernados por pasiones autodestructivas, como se ve en "El judío de Malta" y "Doctor Fausto", donde los protagonistas son consumidos por deseos excesivos e inmoderados.
"Doctor Fausto" narra la historia de un erudito que, en su búsqueda de conocimiento prohibido, hace un pacto con el diablo para obtener poder absoluto. Al final de su vida, Fausto se siente consumido por el remordimiento y la desesperación, y desciende al infierno.
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