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- Sprache: Englisch
Unlock the more straightforward side of Edward II with this concise and insightful summary and analysis!
This engaging summary presents an analysis of
Edward II by Christopher Marlowe, a history play about the 14th-century English monarch of the same name. The play is centred on the relationship between the titular character and his favourite, Gaveston, upon whom he lavishes riches and honours while neglecting his wife and his duties as king. This creates a rift between the king and the most powerful nobles in the land, who eventually band together to depose him.
Edward II is among Marlowe’s most famous works; he is also known for his plays
Tamburlaine and
Doctor Faustus, and his poem
Hero and Leander. He was one of the most important playwrights of the early modern era, and had a significant influence on William Shakespeare.
Find out everything you need to know about
Edward II in a fraction of the time!
This in-depth and informative reading guide brings you:
• A complete plot summary
• Character studies
• Key themes and symbols
• Questions for further reflection
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Seitenzahl: 25
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019
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CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE
ENGLISH PLAYWRIGHT
Born in Canterbury in 1564.Died in London in 1593.Notable works:Tamburlaine (1587), playThe Jew of Malta (1592), playEdward II (1594), playChristopher Marlowe’s dramatic career was brief but dazzling: his first play Dido, Queen of Carthage (1585) was written while he was a student at Cambridge and his last, The Massacre at Paris (1592), followed only seven years later. By the following year, Marlowe was dead – stabbed through the eye in a suburban pub in (allegedly) a dispute over a bill. Many of those present at the time of his death had known links to the world of espionage and criminality, a world to which Marlowe also seems to have been connected. It is very likely, for example, that Marlowe served as a government spy during his university days, defending the Protestant regime against Catholic dissidents. A host of further rumours also circulate: that Marlowe was an atheist; that he was homosexual; and that he sought to encourage rebellion against the monarchy. Whilst these rumours are loosely grounded in a testimony given (under torture) by his friend and former cohabitant Thomas Kyd (English playwright, 1558-1594), they are also amplified by the content of his own plays. Critics have argued that Marlowe, more than any other contemporary playwright, allowed his autobiographical experiences to seep into his work, citing the homosexual tensions in Edward II (1594) and the atheistic representation of devils in Doctor Faustus (1604). What is certain is that Marlowe was an exceptionally talented playwright and inspired the generations which followed with his complex characters, adoption of iambic pentameter (described by the contemporary playwright and poet Ben Jonson [1572-1637] as “Marlowe’s mighty line”) and innovative use of the new outdoor playhouses.
EDWARD II
A HISTORY PLAY
Genre: playReference edition: Marlowe, C. (1995) Edward II. Oxford: Clarendon.1stedition: 1594Themes: love, power, ambition, violence, warWhilst the action of Edward II is instigated by a probable same-sex relationship between King Edward II and his favourite Gaveston, their love for one another is a minor feature of a play which is predominantly concerned with violence, ambition and civil war. Throughout the play, Marlowe alludes to the incompatibility of private desires and public affairs; by pandering to his favourite, Edward alienates his subjects, bankrupts his realm, and provokes his lords to open rebellion. The play is not a straightforward criticism of this incompetent king, however, and the lords who overthrow him are certainly no angels. Instead, Marlowe’s play raises a variety of interesting questions about the nature of power and its corrupting influence, asking what kingship means and who should be entitled to rule.
