Rival Playwrights

Shakespeare was not the only playwright of his time. There were many others doing the
same thing Shakespeare was doing. A number of different theaters were built just for the
plays to take place. We will explore four of Shakespeare's rivals; Christopher Marlowe,
John Marston, and Beaumont and Fletcher and how they differed from and/or were
inspired by Shakespeare.
There is more information for us to look at about Christopher Marlowe than there
is about Shakespeare. The reason for this is because Marlowe attended a University
which means there were records of his existence. Marlowe was born on February 6, 1564
and was the eldest son a shoemaker. He is best known for his works of Tamburlaine, a
two act play about a "man of humble birth who rises from victory to victory to the noon
or meridian of his fortunes, where the dramatist leaves him a happy warrior and a happy
lover" (wilson19), Hero and Leander, The Jew of Malts: Doctor Faustus, and The
Massacre at Paris: Edward II. It wasn't until Marlowe and Shakespeare in the 1580's did
dramatic poetry begin to appear. At this time the country of England was taking pride in
itself and the poets were ready and willing. The actors of that time also had an impact on
the beginning of dramatic poetry. The status of the common player was rising and there
were more capable actors who were able to interpret these plays. Marlowe was a "man
of humble birth, who had already done some service to the State, who knew that to make
his way in the world in which he lived he must be both 'a great doer and a great speaker'"
(Wilson23). This is portrayed in his theme of 'ruling passion' in his Tamburlaine drama
where his character is "a man of action whose eloquence is part of his success as a man
of action" (Wilson23).
One of the big differences between Marlowe and Shakespeare was in their ideas
of comedy. Shakespeare wrote comedies such as Comedy of Errors in a way that
Marlowe was never comfortable with. Shakespeare's comedies were of the middle class
with a sense of fun without the correction of manners. If Marlowe ever wrote comedies
of these sorts, there are no records of them. Marlowe was only two months older than
Shakespeare, but died long before he. Marlowe was never able to see the refinement of
comedies that Shakespeare developed. Perhaps if Marlowe would have lived longer he
would have also developed comedies along these lines, but no on will ever know.
Marlowe was one of the great writers of his time, an there is even evidence that
Shakespeare imitates Marlowe in some of his plays.
A good definition of a satire is, "a kind of non-narrative poetry in which human
faults are reprehended, and erring classes or individuals, the later usually under assumed
names, are made hateful or ridiculous. Each satire usually attacks a single vice under
several different aspects." (Allen84). A satirist of Elizabethan time is John Marston. He
was born about 1575 and died June 25, 1634. He came from a good family and was a
gentlemen. The dramas that he wrote show a conflict between the "desire to depict lust
in striking forms, and a bent towards corrective satire" (Allen9). A list of some of
Marten's works are as follows: Pygmalion and Certain Satires, The scourge of Villainy
(these were ordered burned on June 4, 1599 because of their immorality, but probably
only increased their popularity), Antonio and Melissa, a revision of Histriomastix,
Antonio's Revenge, Jack Drum's Entertainment, and What You Will. A response to
Jonson's (another playwright of Shakespeare's time) Poetaster was Maston's influence on
Kedder's Satiromasix. In 1603, Malcontent was written, and in 1604 the Dutch
Courtezan and the Fawn were composed. 1605 brought about the writing of Eastward
Ho, and in 1606 Sophonisba was written. Marston was married while he was still writing
plays to Mary, the daughter of the Reverend William Wilkes. Later in Marston's life he
joined the church and took orders. So 1606 was the last of Marston's literary works that
we have in possession. Marston was a great satirist of his time and was in constant
competition with Ben Jonson, another of Shakespeare's rival playwrights.
Beaumont and Fletcher are two names that go side by side in English literature.
They, also, were playwrights during Shakespearean time. Beaumont died in 1616, a
month before Shakespeare, and Fletcher in 1625. Together they wrote at least six plays;
The Coxcomb, Cupid's Revenge, The Scornful Lady, Philaster, The Maid's Tragedy, and
A King and No King. It is thought that separately, Beaumont wrote The Woman Hater,
and The Knight of the Burning Pestle. Fletcher was said to have written The Tamer
Tamed and The Faithful Shepherdess. Many have argued that Fletcher and Beaumont
greatly admired Shakespeare's works and have a tendency to imitate Shakespeare in their
work.
Other authors and playwrights of the time include names such as Ben Jonson as
mentioned earlier, Sir William Davenant of whom Shakespeare visited often, and
Thomas Kyd who wrote many early Elizabethan Tragedies.
These were all very talented and devoted playwrights of Elizabethan time. All are
still well known, however, none as famous as Shakespeare. Shakespeare seemed to have
the ability of all of these men rolled into one fantastic author of whom we read often
today.

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