“Tamburlaine” and “Edward II”

By (author) George L. Geckle

An examination of two of Marlowe’s most performed plays, which are frequently set at “A” level. Geckle places both texts in the context of Renaissance “de Casidus” tragedy, Elizabethan comedy and the English history play and demonstrates Marlowe’s development as poet and dramatist. The performance section discusses all that is known of the plays’ first productions in the 16th century, followed by a detailed examination of some important modern treatments, such as Tyrone Guthrie’s productions of “Tamburlaine” and Toby Robertson’s Edinburgh Festival production of “Edward II”.