Christopher Marlowe and the University Wits were game-changers in English drama. These educated playwrights brought new ideas and styles to the stage, using blank verse and exploring deep themes like ambition and power.

Marlowe, the star of the group, wrote famous plays like "Doctor Faustus" and "Tamburlaine." His work set new standards for tragedy, influencing future playwrights and helping establish professional theater in England.

The University Wits and Elizabethan Drama

Key Figures and Their Contributions

• The University Wits were a group of educated playwrights who emerged in the 1580s and 1590s, named for their university educations at Oxford or Cambridge
• Key figures among the University Wits include Christopher Marlowe, Robert Greene, Thomas Nashe, Thomas Lodge, George Peele, and John Lyly
• The University Wits were instrumental in the development of English drama, introducing new genres, themes, and techniques that elevated the art form
  • Popularized the use of blank verse, a form of unrhymed iambic pentameter, which became the standard for Elizabethan drama
  • Incorporated classical themes, mythological references, and historical subjects into their plays, reflecting their educated backgrounds
  • Created complex characters with psychological depth and a focus on the individual's struggle against societal norms or fate

Christopher Marlowe's Influence on Tragedy

Marlowe's Groundbreaking Works

• Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) was the most prominent and influential of the University Wits, known for his groundbreaking contributions to English tragedy
• Marlowe's most famous works include:
  1. "Tamburlaine the Great" (Parts I and II) (1587): Introduced the concept of the overreaching protagonist who defies societal norms and seeks to rise above their station through ambition and conquest
  2. "The Jew of Malta" (c. 1589): Explores themes of religious hypocrisy, revenge, and the corrupting influence of wealth, featuring a complex and morally ambiguous protagonist (Barabas)
  3. "Doctor Faustus" (c. 1592): Based on the German legend of a scholar who sells his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and power, exploring themes of temptation, damnation, and the consequences of unchecked ambition
  4. "Edward II" (c. 1592): A historical tragedy that depicts the reign and downfall of King Edward II, showcasing Marlowe's ability to create psychologically complex characters and explore themes of power, sexuality, and political intrigue

Marlowe's Influence on Elizabethan Dramatic Language and Themes

• Marlowe's works are characterized by their use of blank verse, vivid imagery, and rhetorical flourishes, which influenced the development of Elizabethan dramatic language
• Marlowe's protagonists often challenge societal norms and hierarchies, questioning the established order and exploring the consequences of individual action and desire
  • Examples include Tamburlaine's rise from a shepherd to a world conqueror and Faustus' pursuit of forbidden knowledge
• Marlowe's plays often feature morally ambiguous characters and explore the complexities of human nature, setting a precedent for future Elizabethan tragedies

Themes and Techniques of the University Wits

Recurring Themes in the Works of Marlowe and the University Wits

• The works of Marlowe and the University Wits often explore themes of ambition, power, and the consequences of unchecked desire
  • Overreaching protagonists who defy societal norms and expectations, seeking to rise above their station or pursue forbidden knowledge (Tamburlaine, Faustus)
  • Morally ambiguous characters who challenge the audience's perceptions of good and evil (Barabas in "The Jew of Malta", Faustus in "Doctor Faustus")
• Incorporation of supernatural elements, such as ghosts, demons, and magic, to explore the boundaries between the natural and the otherworldly
  • The demon Mephistopheles in "Doctor Faustus" and the ghost of Don Andrea in Thomas Kyd's "The Spanish Tragedy"

Dramatic Techniques Employed by the University Wits

• Use of soliloquies and asides to reveal the inner thoughts and motivations of characters, adding psychological depth to their works
  • Faustus' soliloquies in "Doctor Faustus" and Barabas' asides in "The Jew of Malta"
• Employment of dramatic irony, where the audience is aware of information that the characters are not, to create tension and anticipation
  • The audience's knowledge of Faustus' impending damnation in "Doctor Faustus"
• Use of rhetorical devices, such as repetition, antithesis, and hyperbole, to create vivid and memorable language
  • Tamburlaine's grandiose speeches in "Tamburlaine the Great" and Barabas' rhetorical flourishes in "The Jew of Malta"

The University Wits and Professional Playwriting

The University Wits as Professional Playwrights

• The University Wits were among the first generation of professional playwrights in England, earning a living through their writing and contributing to the establishment of a commercial theater industry
• Their university educations and classical knowledge lent a new level of sophistication and prestige to the art of playwriting, elevating it from its previous status as a low-brow entertainment
• The success and popularity of the University Wits' works helped to create a demand for new plays and established playwriting as a viable profession

The Impact of the University Wits on the Future of English Drama

• The University Wits' emphasis on individual authorship and their practice of publishing their plays helped to establish the concept of literary property and the idea of the playwright as an artist
• The innovations and techniques introduced by the University Wits, such as the use of blank verse and the exploration of complex themes and characters, set new standards for dramatic writing that would influence future generations of playwrights, including William Shakespeare
• The University Wits' engagement with contemporary social and political issues, such as religious conflict and the abuse of power, demonstrated the potential for theater to serve as a platform for public discourse and critique
  • Examples include Marlowe's critique of religious hypocrisy in "The Jew of Malta" and his exploration of the abuse of power in "Edward II"