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The English Renaissance in the late 16th and early 17th century was influenced by the Italian Renaissance and promoted advances in arts, literature, and philosophy. Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson, and William Shakespeare were among the greatest playwrights of the time, with Shakespeare popularizing new genres. The theater flourished under Queen Elizabeth’s patronage, and the works of Renaissance playwrights remain popular today.
The English Renaissance was a cultural explosion that occurred in late 16th and early 17th century England. Influenced heavily by similar artistic changes throughout Europe, especially the Italian Renaissance, the movement promoted advances in the arts, literature and philosophy. The theater was a major area affected by the movement, and Renaissance playwrights Christopher Marlowe, Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare are considered by scholars to be among history’s greatest writers.
Christopher Marlowe was the first of the popular playwrights of the time. His work dealt mainly with tragic themes, characterized by heroes torn down by their egos. He used his works as a means of political activism, a dangerous concept in an age when dissidents were often beheaded by monarchs. Experts believe his works contain magnificent passages of prose and poetry, and include Tamburlaine, The Jew Of Malta and The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.
The Paris Massacre, one of Marlowe’s last plays, entered dangerous waters by dealing with a contemporary event and including characters based on political figures still active in Marlowe’s time. Marlowe was arrested in 1593 for libel and heresy, but was quickly dismissed. Ten days after his arrest, Christopher Marlowe was stabbed to death under mysterious circumstances. The evidence has not yet proved conclusive, but some experts suggest that Marlowe was assassinated on the orders of Queen Elizabeth’s personal secretary, Thomas Walsingham.
The best-known comedian of the English Renaissance was Ben Jonson, who had great success on the London stage in 1598 with the comedian Every Man In His Humor. Jonson had a checkered youth, having his thumb branded as punishment after killing a man in a fight. Frequently satirizing political officials, Jonson has often found himself arrested or threatened by officials throughout his career. With the succession of James I to the throne of England in 1603, Jonson began writing masques for the royal court. Jonson often collaborated on these elaborate and expensive productions with Inigo Jones, a production designer who is considered the father of modern stagecraft.
The most famous of the English Renaissance playwrights was William Shakespeare. Unlike Jonson and Marlowe, Shakespeare wrote extensively in all genres, from bawdy comedies like Love’s Labors Lost to epic tragedies like Hamlet and Macbeth. Some experts believe that Shakespeare began his career emulating Marlowe’s lyrical style, but soon developed his own. Shakespeare is also credited with popularizing new genres of plays, including tragicomedy or romance.
Before the Renaissance, the theater in England held a precarious place. Depending on the religious and political views of the current monarch, plays were occasionally banned altogether. Most plays were either re-enactments of religious events performed for church festivals, or morality plays intended to impart a clear message from the church or monarchy to the audience. Traveling theater companies, especially in the style of the Italian Commedia dell’arte, instilled in English citizens a love for the most complex comedies. Under the patronage of the theatre-loving Queen Elizabeth, Renaissance playwrights mostly had free rein on subject matter and language.
The works of Renaissance playwrights were groundbreaking in their choice of subjects, use of poetic language, and incredible popularity. Many scholars consider the plays of Marlowe, Jonson and Shakespeare to be the greatest in the history of the theatre. Productions of their plays have remained popular since the 16th century and continue to make up a large portion of the live theater repertoire.
