Christopher Marlowe: Tamburlaine the Great
Christopher Marlowe’s Tamburlaine the Great (c. 1587) is a landmark in Elizabethan drama, marking the rise of blank verse and the Renaissance tragic hero. The play, divided into two parts, follows the meteoric rise and fall of Tamburlaine, a Scythian shepherd who becomes a ruthless conqueror.
Key Themes
Ambition and Power: Tamburlaine’s insatiable thirst for domination reflects Renaissance humanism and Machiavellian ideals.
Fate vs. Human Will: Despite his belief in self-made glory, Tamburlaine’s downfall suggests the limits of mortal power.
Violence and Excess: The play’s graphic battles and cruel executions highlight the destructive nature of unchecked ambition.
Dramatic Innovations
Mighty Lines: Marlowe’s use of blank verse ("Is it not passing brave to be a king / And ride in triumph through Persepolis?") revolutionized English drama.
Overreaching Hero: Tamburlaine is the first tragic overreacher, a prototype for later figures like Faustus and Macbeth.
Exotic Setting: The play’s vast geographical scope (from Persia to Egypt) expanded the horizons of Elizabethan theatre.
Legacy
Tamburlaine influenced Shakespeare’s Henry V and Macbeth, while its psychological depth and poetic grandeur set new standards for tragedy. Marlowe’s blend of classical rhetoric and spectacular violence made it a sensation, cementing his reputation as a pioneer of English Renaissance drama.
In Tamburlaine, Marlowe not only redefined tragic heroism but also laid the groundwork for the golden age of Elizabethan theatre.