The History of Literature — Episode 754: "Christopher Marlowe (with Stephen Greenblatt) | My Last Book with Eric White"

Release Date: December 1, 2025
Host: Jacke Wilson
Guests: Stephen Greenblatt (author of Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival) & Eric White

Episode Overview

This episode spotlights Christopher Marlowe, the enigmatic Elizabethan playwright, poet, and alleged spy whose brilliance arguably set the stage for Shakespeare and the English Renaissance itself. Renowned scholar Stephen Greenblatt joins Jacke Wilson to delve into Marlowe’s turbulent life, his radical innovations in theater, the treacherous context of Elizabethan England, his debated death, and his complex relationship with Shakespeare. The episode closes with a lighter segment featuring Eric White, author of a recent biography of Gutenberg, who shares what his “last book” would be.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Reality of Elizabethan England (06:15–09:30)

• Jacke Frames the Era: Jacke introduces England’s late 16th-century society not as the nostalgic “Renaissance Fair,” but as a dangerous, oppressive, and unpredictable state.
• Greenblatt’s Contextualization:
  • “It was also a world rather more like North Korea than North Carolina. It was a very dangerous world in which you could get in trouble quite easily. There’s no free public space, no defense of freedom of thought or freedom of speech.” (Stephen Greenblatt, 06:53)
  • The period was marked by regime changes, religious persecution, and a cultural shutdown, making it perilous for original thinkers.

2. Marlowe’s Early Life and Education (10:03–14:55)

• Humble Beginnings:

  • Born 1564 in Canterbury—Marlowe’s family was working class, his father a cobbler with a rough background, his mother likely illiterate.
  • “Christopher Marlow was from an even more implausible family to make a career than Shakespeare… The chances of the son of such a family receiving a serious education were virtually nil in Canterbury of the 1570s.” (Greenblatt, 10:23)

• Unlikely Opportunity Through Education:

  • Marlowe received a scholarship to the King’s School, and later went to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.

3. The Transformative Power of Latin and Classical Texts (14:03–17:26)

• Latin learning was a gateway from Marlowe’s impoverished background to another world:
  • “If you actually took in what you were reading, you could be sprung, as it were, in the most radical way from the actual world in which you were living…” (Greenblatt, 14:55)
  • Exposure to Ovid, Catullus, and Virgil injected subversive ideas (“transgressive impulse”) into Marlowe’s thinking.

4. Theater in Universities and Social Attitudes (17:26–19:43)

• Contradictory Cultural Attitudes:
  • Theatrical performance (primarily in Latin) was both encouraged and feared as a potential source of subversion.
  • Marlowe definitely participated in plays during his education, foreshadowing his later achievements.

5. Early Spy Craft and Political Engagement (23:21–31:06)

• “His Suddenness”:

  • The term “suddenness” is linked to Marlowe’s volatile comments and personality; highlighted during investigations by authorities.
  • Instead of taking holy orders (the usual route for poor scholars), Marlowe was likely recruited as a spy, evidenced by a remarkable letter from the Privy Council ensuring he received his MA.

• Marlowe as Double Agent?:

  • Motivations are unclear—could have been adventure, money, or necessity due to lack of options.
  • “What was Marlowe going to do if he didn’t want to be a priest? He’s the least likely person to have a religious vocation from everything he wrote…” (Greenblatt, 29:36)
  • His play Dr. Faustus may be interpreted as a self-examination of deals with “the devil.”

6. Innovations with Tamburlaine and Blank Verse (31:06–35:55)

• Dramatic Breakthrough:

  • Tamburlaine’s unprecedented use of blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter) elevated English theater language: “Blank verse sounds like ordinary conversational English, but conversational English on steroids…” (Greenblatt, 31:38)
  • The play’s wild success, yet Marlowe’s lack of official recognition—plays were rarely published with names attached.

• Marlowe & Shakespeare:

  • Marlowe’s innovations were rapidly adopted and surpassed by Shakespeare, fundamentally reshaping English drama.

7. Marlowe and Literary Fame, Patronage, and Shakespeare (35:55–39:08)

• Fame and Fortune:

  • Playwrights could eke out a living, but didn’t usually become famous or wealthy; Marlowe never found a stable patron.
  • “He wrote, period. He wrote play. But there’s no evidence that he could have figured out, would have figured out how to make a stable life that way…” (Greenblatt, 36:29)
  • Shakespeare’s business acumen was exceptional for the time.

• Their Relationship (“Lennon and McCartney”?):

  • Evidence suggests they collaborated on the Henry VI plays.
  • Greenblatt speculates about their personal dynamic, noting Shakespeare’s reticence and survival skills versus Marlowe’s outspokenness.

8. Dr. Faustus and the Marlowe–Shakespeare Dynamic (40:24–42:18)

• Unique Marlowe Contributions:
  • Dr. Faustus springs from a genuinely scholarly imagination—one Shakespeare could not quite emulate, though he was influenced.
  • Shakespeare’s The Tempest is the closest thematic parallel.

9. Mysterious Death of Marlowe (42:18–46:28)

• Official Story vs. Intrigue:
  • The official account: Marlowe is killed in a tavern brawl over “the reckoning” (the bill), stabbed with his own knife to the brain.
  • “...All three men who were in the room with Marlo were also working in one form or other and connected… to the Secret service…” (Greenblatt, 44:33)
  • At the time of his death, Marlowe was under investigation for atheism and blasphemy; secret government papers note: “let this be attended to. Let this be taken care of.”
  • Greenblatt: “It seems to me personally, exceedingly unlikely that this was simply a squabble about the bill...” (46:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Marlowe’s World:
  “It was also a world rather more like North Korea than North Carolina.”
  —Stephen Greenblatt, 06:53

• On Latin Education:
  “If you actually took in what you were reading, you could be sprung… from the actual world in which you were living…”
  —Stephen Greenblatt, 14:55

• On Marlowe’s Life Trajectory:
  “What was he going to do? There are almost no professions open to someone of his class and background…”
  —Stephen Greenblatt, 30:04

• On Marlowe’s Innovation in Theater:
  “Blank verse sounds like ordinary conversational English, but conversational English on steroids...”
  —Stephen Greenblatt, 31:38

• On the Marlowe–Shakespeare Relationship:
  “God help you if you’re imitated by Shakespeare, because Shakespeare was really good at his contemporaries…”
  —Stephen Greenblatt, 41:01

• On the Official Account of Marlowe’s Death:
  “It would be good to know if that actually is true, that account is accurate.”
  —Stephen Greenblatt, 44:31
  “It seems to me personally, exceedingly unlikely that this was simply a squabble about the bill…”
  —Stephen Greenblatt, 46:28

• On the Value of Greenblatt’s Book:
  “The value to me of reading your book was worth more than several hundred million dollars.”
  —Jacke Wilson, 47:05

Eric White: "My Last Book" Segment (51:54–55:50)

• Listener Question: “What do you want your last book to be?”
• White’s Answer: The unexpurgated diary of Johannes Gutenberg, which doesn’t exist but would offer profound personal and technical insight into the genesis of moveable type and early printing.
  • “The book I would really love to read is the unexpurgated diary of one Johannes Gutenberg of Mainz… Even if he didn’t get into his inner thoughts as he worked, it would just give a lot of enjoyment...” (Eric White, 52:37)
• Jacke and Eric share a humorous exchange about the challenges of reading 15th-century handwriting and reference the classic "Twilight Zone" episode, drawing a parallel to the treasured wish of solitary bookish bliss.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Elizabethan England’s Perils: 06:15–09:30
• Marlowe’s Early Life & Family: 10:03–14:03
• Latin & Subversive Education: 14:03–17:26
• Theater and Social Attitudes: 17:26–19:43
• Spying & “Suddenness”: 23:21–31:06
• Innovation in Drama & Tamburlaine: 31:06–35:55
• Fame, Patronage, Shakespeare: 35:55–39:08
• Marlowe & Shakespeare Collaboration: 39:08–42:18
• Dr. Faustus & Intellectual Legacy: 40:24–42:18
• Marlowe’s Mysterious Death: 42:18–46:28
• Jacke’s Closing & Eric White Segment: 51:54–55:50

Tone

Jacke’s conversational, erudite, and self-deprecating enthusiasm pairs well with Greenblatt’s scholarly precision and storytelling verve—making for an exploration both deeply informative and lively.

Summary Conclusion

This episode offers a compelling, richly detailed portrait of Christopher Marlowe—his extraordinary leap from poverty to prominence, the perils and radicalism of Elizabethan society, his innovations that reshaped English drama, and the persistent mysteries of his life and death. Stephen Greenblatt’s insights illuminate Marlowe’s enduring significance and his profound, often subversive influence on Shakespeare. The “My Last Book” cameo with Eric White closes the episode with playful and poignant thoughts on literary desire, scholarly longing, and the dream of a book that reveals it all.

Recommended for:
Anyone interested in Renaissance drama, Elizabethan intrigue, or the vibrant, dangerous ferment that produced both Christopher Marlowe and William Shakespeare alike.

Next Episode Teaser:
Look forward to a deep dive into George Orwell’s 1984, as well as upcoming examinations of works by Arthur Conan Doyle, Susan Glaspell, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Gertrude Stein, and Robert Louis Stevenson.