author
Christopher Marlowe
1564–1593
A brilliant, unruly voice of the English Renaissance, he helped transform stage language with mighty verse, dangerous ambition, and unforgettable tragic heroes. Though he died young, his plays and poems still feel bold, restless, and alive.
13 Audiobooks
The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus From the Quarto of 1604
by Christopher Marlowe
Tamburlaine the Great — Part 1
by Christopher Marlowe
Hero and Leander and Other Poems
by Christopher Marlowe, George Chapman
The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus From the Quarto of 1616
by Christopher Marlowe
Edward the Second
by Christopher Marlowe
Tamburlaine the Great — Part 2
by Christopher Marlowe
The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 3 (of 3)
by Christopher Marlowe
Hero and Leander
by Christopher Marlowe
The Tragedy of Dido Queene of Carthage
by Christopher Marlowe
The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 2 (of 3)
by Christopher Marlowe
Massacre at Paris
by Christopher Marlowe
The Life and Death of Doctor Faustus Made into a Farce
by William Mountfort, Christopher Marlowe
The Jew of Malta
by Christopher Marlowe
About the author
Born in Canterbury and baptized on February 26, 1564, Christopher Marlowe studied at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, before emerging as one of the most exciting playwrights of the Elizabethan age. He was also a poet and translator, and his writing quickly stood out for its force, speed, and musical command of blank verse.
In a career that lasted only a few years, he produced major works including Tamburlaine, Doctor Faustus, The Jew of Malta, and Edward II, along with the narrative poem Hero and Leander. His characters often reach beyond ordinary limits—seeking power, knowledge, wealth, or love—and that intense ambition helped shape the future of English drama.
Marlowe died in Deptford on May 30, 1593, when he was still in his twenties. Even so, he is widely seen as Shakespeare's great predecessor and one of the writers who gave English tragedy its thrilling scale and energy.