Shakespeare and Marlow

Putting conspiracy theories about Shakespeare's identity aside, William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe both thrive in the same trend-setting niche of English Renaissance literature.

Their writings inspired generations of authors to follow, and the mysteries surrounding their personal lives have kept them both relevant beyond expectation.

How did these similarities develop despite their differing trajectories, and what effect do the mysteries surrounding both of their lives have on readers today?

William Shakespeare

Early Life

• William Shakespeare was born in April 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon. His mother was an heiress, and his father was a merchant and local leader in the community.
• He most likely attended the King's New School in Stratford, where he would have learned to read and write.
• In 1582, he married Anne Hathaway. They had three children together.

The Lost Years

• There is no record of Shakespeare's life during the late 1580s.
• Based on the content of his poetry and plays, some experts assume he traveled abroad or worked as a schoolmaster.
• Others think he headed to London during that time.

Career

• By 1592, Shakespeare was working in London as a playwright and actor with the King's Men acting company.
• By 1597, roughly half of his plays were being published and performed.

PLays-Early Career

• Some of his most notable comedies are As You Like It, The Merchant of Venice, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, and The Tempest.
• Shakespeare mostly wrote comedies early in his writing career, along with historical tragedies.
• His early historical tragedies include Richard II, Henry V, and Henry VI

PLays-LAte Career

• Later in his career, Shakespeare perfected the art of the tragedy and tragicomedy.
• These plays include Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth, and The Tempest.

Poetry

• He wrote over 150 sonnets and a handful of poems.

Writing Style

• Shakespeare wrote his plays in blank verse, and only used different forms for a handful of passages.
• His sonnets are written in the traditional iambic pentameter.
• Shakespeare's writing is most famous for its timeless portrayal of the human condition, as well as his inventive use of language.

Shakespeare and the Modern Audience

• Shakespeare's works, especially his tragedies, continue to be popular today.
• However, the modern interpretation of some of his works may differ from its original intent in the 17th century.

ShakesPeare and Sexuality

• Whereas historically, Shakespeare's dedicatio to the Earl of Southampton was for purely economic gain, some of his poetry can be interpreted to have homoerotic undertones.
• In sonnet 20, the speaker seems to be addressing a young man's superior beauty compared to a woman. Some readers believe this is evidence of Shakespeare's sexuality, however, it could also be interpreted as a homage to youth.

Christopher Marlowe

Early Life

• Marlowe was born in Canterbury in 1564, the same year of Shakespeare's birth.
• Unlike Shakespeare, there is a clear record of Marlowe's education.
• He attended Corpu