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08 - Chapter 3
08 - Chapter 3
TAMBURLAINE
strain of blank verse which became the medium for all glories of
into English drama. The play was so popular that Marlowe was
Rich words trip off his tongue, relished for own sakes in a
play has a shift from the conventional and low comic style of the
man’s spirit after knowledge and power. From this point of view, he
and action and also being born a poor shepherd, he raises his
courage and his brilliant use of words to marry with the most
and abilities and force. So, Marlowe was the first true voice of the
English drama.
tradition had two facets. On the one hand, Tamburlaine had been
gloried in almost esthetically for its own sake, which requires and
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Renaissance feeling the virtue the fascination with what man can
his own destiny are challenging and vying with the goals - “How
and to have power over life and death. That’s why before the battle
chase the stars from heaven with the sun-bright armour of his forces
followers:
power:
THERIDAMAS adds:
splendour of the human will which bears down all opposition and
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ever by his presence and comes over to his side without a battle;
Cosroe, who dethrones his brother and plans to use Tamburlaine for
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straight.
At their second meeting, she is already in love with him and yields
limited by forces outside the control of the will. There are certain
stuff of experience which frustrates and resists the human will. This
world is not the plaything of the ambitious mind. There are even
hints in the play that there is an order in the world, of which man’s
minds are apart, and man acts against this order at his peril. This
part.
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innovation in verse by using mighty lines was the first and foremost
the nature of their lines. Tamburlaine’s lines, for example, are not
rhythmic splendour.
rhetoric to win over Zenocrate and instruct his sons in the arts of
war. Of course, he supports his rhetoric with his majestic looks and
forceful actions, but this style and technique of speech is the key
power and truth. In fact, he wrote such grand and forceful speeches
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sense of excitement. Rich words trip off his tongue, relished for
the silly wordplay of previous literature, this play will feature the
remains with him as his concubine, and then his wife, until her
do so in the following words: ‘But, lady, this fair face and heavenly
hue must grace his bed that conquers Asia’. He then proudly
leader who ultimately beats his brains out on his cage rather than be
over their crowns to their women, Zenocrate and Zabina and for the
scene III, as their lord’s march into battle, their two female
Tamburlaine?
10
ZABINA To Tamburlaine, the great Tartarian thief!
in the battle. Bajazeth’s contributory kings’ are all killed and their
footstool:
over the Turks and Tamburlaine making slaves of Bajazeth and his
His love for Zenocrate does not project any serious dramatic
style that celebrates military power and conquest. But the scenes
which must have struck the Elizabethan audience with most force
situations.
Bajazeth, the Emperor of Turks, and his wife kept like beasts
chair.
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triumphantly proclaims:
conquered kings is projected with his might and glory and restless
entire world are the “ripest fruit of all” and thus the course is set for
the rest of his career. He wanted to attempt to gather all the fruits
that the world has to offer. Tamburlaine’s quest for kingship is that
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and Cosroe, whose royalty did not prevent disaster, and he will later
wants to battle with Cosroe for his crown. They fight and
In the fifth act there is the scene in which the clouds darken
and suspense thickens. “Still doth this man, or rather god, of war”
retribution, however, these are little doubt that the play challenges
Reference
p. 512.