Doctor Faustus

About the author Christopher Marlowe was born in Canterbury, Great Britain, in 1564, the second son of a shoemaker. He attended King’s School in Canterbury and graduated from Corpus Christi College in Cambridge. Rather than becoming a clergyman, Marlowe moved to London, where he became a playwright. Among his most important plays, written between 1585 and 1593, are Tamburlaine the Great, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Jew of Malta, The Massacre at Paris, The Troublesome Reign and Lamentable Death of Edward the Second, and his most famous work, The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus, first published in 1604. He also wrote non-dramatic works and poetry. His short life in London was characterised by scandal and disruptive behaviour, which repeatedly led him into problems with authorities. In May 1593, he was arrested on charges of atheism and heresy. In the same month, soon after his release, he was stabbed to death in a tavern in an obscure episode involving a fight over a bill.