The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 2 (of 3)

"The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 2 (of 3)" by Christopher Marlowe is a collection of plays written during the late 16th century. This volume includes significant works such as "The Jew of Malta" and "Edward the Second," showcasing Marlowe's talents in dramatic storytelling and character development. The primary themes revolve around ambition, betrayal, and the complexities of human motivations, encapsulated through memorable characters like the cunning Barabas in "The Jew of Malta." At the start of "The Jew of Malta," we are introduced to Barabas, a wealthy Jewish merchant in Malta, who is initially counting his considerable wealth. The narrative quickly unfolds to reveal his abject anger and despair as the governor of Malta seizes half of his riches to pay a debt to the Turks. Barabas's character is marked by his manipulative tendencies and resentment towards the Christians who oppress him. The opening sets the stage for Barabas's schemes for revenge against those who have wronged him, foreshadowing the dark and dramatic turns that will follow in the story. Through Barabas and other characters, the themes of greed and vengeance are established, promising a tale rife with intrigue and conflict. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Christopher Marlowe, also known as Kit Marlowe, was an English playwright, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. Marlowe is among the most famous of the Elizabethan playwrights. Based upon the "many imitations" of his play Tamburlaine, modern scholars consider him to have been the foremost dramatist in London in the years just before his mysterious early death. Some scholars also believe that he greatly influenced William Shakespeare, who was baptised in the same year as Marlowe and later succeeded him as the preeminent Elizabethan playwright. Marlowe was the first to achieve critical reputation for his use of blank verse, which became the standard for the era. His plays are distinguished by their overreaching protagonists. Themes found within Marlowe's literary works have been noted as humanistic with realistic emotions, which some scholars find difficult to reconcile with Marlowe's "anti-intellectualism" and his catering to the prurient tastes of his Elizabethan audiences for generous displays of extreme physical violence, cruelty, and bloodshed.