42. Special Episode: Christopher Marlowe is Assassinated, Deptford, England, 1593
The famous portrait of Christopher Marlowe might not be him at all. Of course. It was found under some rubble at the Master’s Lodge at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where Marlowe was a student, and it has an inscription saying that it’s 1525 and the sitter is 21, and Marlowe was that age at that time. The incredible sumptuousness of the clothing is an issue, though; Marlowe, theoretically, could not have afforded that outfit. Nor would he have been technically allowed it, since it would have denoted someone of higher class than he. But Marlowe was already working for the government, and Marlowe never minded silly things like rules. And lord knows he had attitude.
At the end of May 1593, the most important and influential playwright in England died at the age of 29. Rumor and gossip and a great many history books and literature collections would say, over the centuries, that he died in a tavern brawl. To be fair, his earlier history with drunken brawl involvement makes this plausible. But the evidence — or rather, the lack of evidence — given at the inquest makes it clear that he was being got rid of. Oh, besides being a writer, he was involved in Walsingham’s Elizabethan espionage net. There’s that. In this special episode, stepping out of the middle ages and into the early modern era, we discuss the evidence. Also Michelle has found some musicals. Yikes.
2 thoughts on “42. Special Episode: Christopher Marlowe is Assassinated, Deptford, England, 1593”
I am a Life Member of rhe Marlowe Society of England and collaborated with the late Dolly Wraight on the authorship problem – the evidence is overwhelming in Marlowe’s favor – yes he was legally dead but remained in the secret service attached to the English embassy at Venice where his death mask was taken now absurdly called the death mask of Shakespeare
I’m delighted to hear from you! Thank you so much for stopping in.
What do you make of his absolute silence, after he was legally dead? I find that so very improbable.
I am a Life Member of rhe Marlowe Society of England and collaborated with the late Dolly Wraight on the authorship problem – the evidence is overwhelming in Marlowe’s favor – yes he was legally dead but remained in the secret service attached to the English embassy at Venice where his death mask was taken now absurdly called the death mask of Shakespeare
I’m delighted to hear from you! Thank you so much for stopping in.
What do you make of his absolute silence, after he was legally dead? I find that so very improbable.