Marly-babes

It seems to be a new craze that everyone writes a brief biography on Marlowe? So I'll join in :)

Christopher Marlowe was an English dramatist and poet born in 1564 (no one know exactly when but it is guessed to be February as he was baptised on the 26^th February). He was a famous Elizabethan Tragedian, like Shakespeare. His father was a shoemaker and his mother a clergyman’s daughter. He was educated at King's School in his native Canterbury and at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he achieved both a B.A. in 1584 and M.A. in 1587. During studying for his M.A, Marlowe was employed by the government to carry out a job that required someone ‘orderly and discreet’. This work as a confidential agent for the government continued for the rest of his life- not a long time, because he died on 30^th May 1593.           Meanwhile Marlowe became known as an outstanding dramatist in London, in association with the Admiral's Company of players. Many details of his life were a source of scandal to some of his contemporaries, and there is still much mystery of his life.

Marlowe’s first play was called Tamburlaine, which attracted attention in 1588, as many thought of the play as "atheist Tamburlaine". Marlowe is said to have consulted a number of historical accounts of the East for his material, and even contemporary geographical works for some of his references to distant places. In this first play Marlowe developed his "mighty line," as the playwright Ben Jonson called it, and made it a ‘fit instrument for the intense and passionate characters created by him’.

In May 1593, Thomas Kyd, a fellow playwright, was found in possession of a document that was considered atheistic. He declared the document to be Marlowe's, left with Kyd when he was in the service of a noble lord for whose players Marlowe was writing. Testimony as to blasphemous conversations on Marlowe's part was also produced. Before the Privy Council took definite action about the charges, Marlowe was killed. Records discovered by Hotson show that he was stabbed in a tavern in Deptford by Friser, one of three companions who also were, or had been, in the service of the government.

Doctor Faustus was written sometime between 1588 and 1592. The earliest known edition was not published until 1604, and it contains some material which bears evidence of composition after Marlowe's death. Some scholars trace Dekker's hand in this version. Apparently the serious parts of the play have been cut, with an enlargement of the spectacular and comic scenes of conjuring and dancing, the sort of thing ‘always loved’ by the London populace. The play is said to represent Marlowe at his best, in spite of the imperfections of the surviving texts.

NOSFERATU

So I finally watched it!

The first thing that became apparent to me was the beginning was quite similar to the start of Frankenstein- the main character is introduced as young, seemingly successful, happy, and in love. This could be a common theme in Gothic texts because it magnifies the impact when everything goes wrong and horrible. The love between Harker and Nina is also very innocent to begin with, but becomes corrupted by their experiences, and leads to events such as Nina breaking her promise and reading The Book of Vampires. This is a good example of corruption of innocence.

Also, Gothic texts seem to make a point of the action of one character leaving their lover- it is suggested that wherever they are going, bad things will happen to them and they won't be the same upon return.

There is a large amount of dramatic irony in the film, for example everyone apart from Harker knows to be afraid of Nosferatu, we know that Nosferatu is onboard the ship, and we know that the 'plague' is actually Nosferatu biting people.

The Gothic setting was iconic; spooky castle with no one in it apart from Nosferatu- he says the 'servants have gone to bed' but I don't think servants are ever actually seen? Also the setting of the castle, far from any other civilisation and across dangerous terrain, makes the atmosphere tense even as Harker tries to leave- he is still in the 'Phantom lands' even when he is far away from the castle.

The characters were all pretty typical of a Gothic story- innocent woman, innocent but too ambitious man, scary evil villain and a few more weird people to pad out the cast.

Overall I thought the film was a good example of a Gothic story, but not necessarily a good production- the music was no where near as good at creating a tense atmosphere as in other films we've watched have done.
A theme in Nosferatu in particular seems to be the ignorance of Harker as everyone who hears of his plan tries to dissuade him.