Marlowe's Representation of the Death of Edward II
2009; Oxford University Press; Volume: 56; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1093/notesj/gjn229
ISSN1471-6941
Autores Tópico(s)Literature: history, themes, analysis
ResumoALTHOUGH it was common knowledge that Edward II was murdered with a red hot spit thrust into his anus, as Holinshed's Chronicles made clear, Christopher Marlowe appears to have had his protagonist killed by a table.1 The insertion of stage directions in modern editions has probably not helped readers who have assumed that the transgressive Marlowe must have followed the shocking nature of the murder contained in the source texts. However, the scene as represented in The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second, King of England with the tragicall fall of proud Mortimer: and also the life and death of Peirs Gaueston, the great Earle of Cornewall, and mighty fauorite of king Edward the second, as it was publiquely acted by the right honorable the Earle of Pembrooke his seruantes (1598), seems to be clear enough: Edw. Something still busseth in mine eares, And tells me if I sleepe I neuer wake, This feare is that which makes me tremble thus. And therefore tell me, wherefore art thou come? Light. To rid thee of thy life, Matreuis come, Edw. I am too weake and feeble to resist, Assist me sweet God and receive my soule, Light. Runne for the table. Edw. O spare me, or dispatch me in a trice. Light. So, lay the table downe, and stampe on it But not to hard, lest that you bruse his bodie. Matr. I feare mee that this crie will raise the towne, And therefore let vs take horse and away. Light. Tell me firs, was is not braueley done? Gurn. Excellent well, take this for thy reward, Then Gurney stabs Lightborne. Come let vs cast the bodie in the mote, And beare the Kings to Mortimer our Lord, away. Exeunt omnes.2
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