Anonymous and the Marlowe Conspiracy

The Shakespearean authorship controversy has spawned its own genre of books, films and plays, most recently the movie Anonymous, which dramatizes the theory that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, was the author of the Shakespearean canon. The "Oxfordian" theory is just as weak as any of the other authorship theories. However, I am partial to the Christopher Marlowe authorship school, not because of any factual basis, but because I think it makes the best story. If you're going for fictional intrigue, I say, choose the best fiction.

Here are some of the juicy details. Christopher Marlowe was born in Canterbury in 1564 to parents of modest circumstances, just two months before William Shakespeare's birth at Stratford-upon-Avon. Marlowe was a precocious young man, and attended Cambridge University on a scholarship, although the university nearly withheld his degree when it was rumored that he had converted to Roman Catholicism. Only after the Privy Council intervened, citing his "good service" to Queen Elizabeth, was he granted the degree. What was his "good service?" More about that in a bit.

Almost immediately upon graduation, Marlowe began having his plays produced in London, to great success. Tamburlaine, about the conqueror Timur, was one of the first English plays written in blank verse. His historical plays, The Jew of Malta, Edward II and The Massacre of Paris followed in quick order. His final play The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, is perhaps his greatest work.

To say that Christopher Marlowe was outspoken would be a gross understatement. He made no secret of his beliefs and his proclivities. He openly proclaimed himself an atheist and is quoted as saying that "Christ was a bastard and his mother dishonest." He was defiantly homosexual, declaring that "all they that love not tobacco and boys are fools." A drinker and brawler, heretic and homosexual, Marlowe was the rock star of Renaissance dramatists, admired above all others by his contemporaries by the time he was 25.

But there was an even more intriguing aspect to Marlowe's life -- espionage. Apparently Marlowe was recruited by Sir Francis Walsingham, the principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth and her notorious "spymaster." As a spy for the Protestant Queen, Marlowe reportedly infiltrated the entourage of the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots and other centers of Catholic resistance. However, in 1593, when the Privy Council learned of a threat to Protestant refugees, the dramatist Thomas Kyd was arrested and made several accusations against Marlowe. The Privy Council, who did not know that Marlowe was acting as a double agent for Walsingham, issued an order for Marlowe to appear to answer the charges. Before he could appear, Marlowe was killed, allegedly stabbed in the eye in a barroom brawl, but more likely on orders from Walsingham, who wanted him silenced. The alleged killers were later found to be in the employ of Walsingham.

How then, if Marlowe died in 1593, could he have been the real Shakespeare, who continued to write for more than 15 years? Here's where the fictional narrative gets really interesting, because it relies on speculation and improbable what-ifs -- all grist for any good conspiracy tale. Marlowe's body was reportedly removed from the scene and buried in an unmarked grave in Deptford. In fact, no one actually saw the body or verified the identity of Marlowe. The theory is that Marlowe's death was faked and he escaped to exile in Italy with the help of Sir Francis's cousin, Thomas, who was also Marlowe's lover.

After a brief stint in the Italian sunshine attending commedia dell'arte plays, the story goes, Marlowe was again writing, this time under the pseudonym of William Shakespeare, an obscure actor who had either died or emigrated to America. In 1594, Marlowe had his first production as Shakespeare. The play was Taming of the Shrew, a comedy greatly influenced by the Italian style of commedia dell'arte and the first of his series of Italianate comedies.

The Marlowe authorship school argues that Marlowe then returned to England in a sort of Renaissance witness protection program, in which he assumed the identity of Shakespeare, including a revived marriage of convenience with Anne Hathaway, who had not seen the real Shakespeare for more than a decade. Marlowe was thus able to abandon his past as a renowned atheist, homosexual and spy, and assume the identity of Shakespeare, the successful and conservative dramatist, for the remainder of his life.

As long as some aspects of Shakespeare's life remain shrouded in mystery, there will be lots of conspiracy theories about his true identity. Which is why, if conspire you must, I'd say go for the tale that Shakespeare could have written -- the tale of lust, intrigue, palace-plotting, and fake identities -- even if, as many of Shakespeare's plays, it departs from history to make for terrific drama.

This article was originally published in Cultural Weekly.

 

 

 

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Comments

[Egghead]

11:34 PM on 11/21/2011

Marlowe makes more sense to me than Oxford. At least we know he wrote good, popular plays. Of course, he didn't have much of a sense of humor, but maybe Kit developed one while he was hiding out pretending to be somebody else.

Why not Ben Jonson? I mean, here are all these plays that aren't remotely like Jonson's. Then Jonson could pick a fight with "Shakespeare" over whose plays were better, and then make up, and then Jonson could extravagantly praise "Shakespeare" and then yank him down again. It would have been like the sort of smack wrestlers talk about each other. I am telling you, it would have been publicity genius.

[juna]

08:42 PM on 10/31/2011

I would like to make a case for Elizabeth I. She had the education to be Shakespeare. She read both Greek and Latin as well as knowing at least 5 modern languages. Shakespeare's plays display a deep knowledge of Greek tragedy. She had time, since she was very good at relegating government work to her trusted and talented cabinet, especially her Prime Minister William Cecil who was followed by his equally talented son. In addition she was highly energetic. Most people just laugh me off when I make this suggestion, but I think this would make a fascinating story. The Elizabethans loved secrecy.

[jhNY]

02:14 PM on 10/28/2011

Interesting conjecture, but all serous people such as myself know for a certainty that the actual author of everything Shakespeare wrote, down to the lowliest sonnet, was penned by the Earl of Squill.

[jhNY]

06:28 PM on 10/28/2011

Correction: Interestin­g conjecture­, but all serous people such as myself know for a certainty that everything Shakespear­e wrote, down to the lowliest sonnet, was penned by the Earl of Squill.

I will read more carefully what I write before I post next time, unless overcome by haste.

[Maureen Duff]

12:30 PM on 10/28/2011

I don't care if Marlowe was homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual. However, for the sake of accuracy, there is not a shred of historical evidence that he was Thomas Walsingham's lover. Secondly, the reference to "tobacco and boys" in the infamous "Baines Note" of May 1593 is now thought by some to be a mis-reading of "tobacco and booze". From that one phrase, a whole homosexual profile has been "created" for Marlowe. There is not a single documented fact about Marlowe's life that even hints at his sexual preference.

[David More]

02:41 PM on 11/02/2011

If it was "tobacco and booze" why would that phrase be excised from the copy of the Baines' note that was sent to the Queen as "tobacco and boys" was? (see Nicholl, The Reckoning, 1st ed, p. 311).

[William Ray]

11:10 AM on 10/28/2011

In response to Ms Barber. None but circumstantial evidence. Marlowe lived around the corner from Fisher's Folly. Kyd, one of Oxford' secretaries, was Marlowe's room-mate. Oxford sponsored the informal college of playwrights at Fisher's Folly, later at King's Place. They had thirty-five distinctive play's phrases in common, spread through their comparative works. Inference they were connected in terms of their common craft. Oxford was fourteen years older and a recognized poet and playwright as well as a Lord. Therefore, if in any position in his household at Fisher's Folly, the Master of the playwrighting master and guild. Hence my informal modern term, Marlowe 'worked for' Oxford --rather than their being equals or Marlowe the master. The article's characterization of the Oxford argument (the concealed mind behind the pseudonymShakespeare) as "weak" seemed flip and as it turned out, not substantiated. The weakest of all arguments is the one for Shakspere of Stratford, no argument at all with the illiterate signatures as primary evidence. Marlowe's style, background, brief life, exposure to court life, preferred images, interests--cumulatively make for a lesser argument for his authorship of the Shakespeare canon. As I have read anyway, it was the Earl of Surrey, Oxford's uncle by marriage, who introduced blank verse as well as adapted the Petrarchan sonnet to English verse, and Oxford who first used it, later to be called the 'Shakepearean' sonnet. Little evidence for, much circumstance against Marlowe. best wishes, William Ray

[MSCblogspot]

10:07 PM on 10/28/2011

On similarities between Marlowe and Shakespeare - yes, real similarities (not lesser argument, with respect to Mr. Ray):

http://www.marloweshakespeare.org/MarloweScholarship.html

[MSCblogspot]

05:01 AM on 10/28/2011

Sir,

Please note that the allegations of Marlowe's atheism, etc. laid out in paragraph four were made by a very, very unhinged fellow, Richard Baines. Please see this post on my blog for more on Marlowe's accuser.
http://marlowe-shakespeare.blogspot.com/2009/03/on-treacherous-richard-baines-by-samuel.html

Thanks.

[QueenOfViolets]

01:40 AM on 10/28/2011

I think the real reason why people believe that Shakespeare didn't really write those plays is because Shakespeare came from the lower classes. Americans today are experiencing a dramatic reduction in social mobility. It's becoming less believable to Americans that a person from the lower classes could produce work of that caliber.

[MSCblogspot]

07:21 AM on 10/28/2011

Well, it's not like these plays are simplistic. Over 30 plays in blank verse . . . not an easy thing. A very, very gifted writer composed these plays. Marlowe fits the bill . . .oh, and he pioneered blank verse in the plays written under his name. Apply Gladwell's theory on 10,000 hours to authorship . . . Marlowe looks better and better:)

http://marlowe-shakespeare.blogspot.com/2010/08/malcolm-gladwells-outliers-implications.html

[MSCblogspot]

07:30 AM on 10/28/2011

Regarding lower class, Marlowe's dad was a cobbler:)

[William Ray]

01:01 AM on 10/28/2011

Where does this guy get off saying the Oxford argument is weak? It has more circumstantial, biographical, and direct evidence than you can shake a stick at. Did I really say that? And Marlowe who worked for Oxford is supposed to be Shakespeare somehow? True there are thirty-five phrases their works have in common, a remnant of the master and apprentice guild system in Elizabethan England. Words were not copy-written like Coke. Thirty-five phrases ain't no Shakespeare.

[MSCblogspot]

07:22 AM on 10/28/2011

The case against Oxford:
http://marlowe-shakespeare.blogspot.com/

[Ros Barber]

07:44 AM on 10/28/2011

Marlowe worked for Oxford? I'd like to see your evidence for this. To my knowledge, there's not a Marlowe biography published in the last 80 years that mentions any such thing. Marlowe has documented connections to Sir Walter Raleigh, the 9th Earl of Northumberland and the 5th Earl of Derby, but there's no documented connection to the Earl of Oxford, unless you include the fact that his friend and patron, Thomas Walsingham, was tutor to the son of William Cornwallis, who lived in Oxford's former house, Fisher's Folly.