Tamburlaine the Great
Introduction
Christopher Marlowe’s Tamburlaine the Great
(Part I in 1587; Part II in 1588) is one of the earliest and most powerful
examples of Elizabethan drama. It marked a turning point in English tragedy by
introducing blank verse as the dominant dramatic medium. The play depicts the
meteoric rise of Timur (Tamburlaine), a Scythian shepherd who becomes a
world-conquering emperor. Marlowe explores ambition, power, human will, and
hubris in ways that anticipate later Shakespearean tragedy.
Summary
The play follows Tamburlaine’s journey from humble origins to world
dominion:
·
Part I shows his transformation
from a shepherd-bandit into an emperor. Tamburlaine defeats the Persian King
Mycetes, seizes his kingdom, defeats Bajazeth (the Ottoman Sultan), humiliates
him by using him as a footstool, and marries Zenocrate, daughter of the Soldan
of Egypt.
·
Part II deepens his imperial
cruelty. Tamburlaine burns religious texts, massacres inhabitants of cities
that resist him, and demonstrates ruthless ambition even after Zenocrate’s
death. He attempts to conquer more lands but eventually falls ill and
dies—unable to conquer death itself.
Major Themes
1. Ambition
and the Will to Power
o Tamburlaine
embodies the Renaissance idea of the self-made man, rising from obscurity
through sheer will and military genius.
2. Hubris
and Overreaching
o His
defiance of divine and human limits parallels the tragic flaw of Marlowe’s
other heroes like Faustus. His downfall is brought by mortality, which even he
cannot conquer.
3. The
Nature of Kingship and Tyranny
o Marlowe
questions what legitimizes rule—birth, divine sanction, or military strength.
Tamburlaine builds his empire through force, not lineage.
4. Religion
and Blasphemy
o Tamburlaine
mocks and defies God and religion, most vividly when he burns the Qur’an in
Part II. His attitude shows Marlowe’s interest in humanism and skepticism.
5. Love
and Power
o Zenocrate
represents love and humanity in Tamburlaine’s life, but her death intensifies
his cruelty, showing the imbalance between personal tenderness and imperial
ambition.
Structure and Style
·
Form: Written in blank
verse, it established Marlowe’s reputation for “mighty lines.”
·
Part Division: Two parts—Part I
focused on rise, Part II on excess and fall.
·
Imagery: Uses hyperbolic,
cosmic imagery (e.g., comparisons to gods, nature, the universe).
·
Characterization: Tamburlaine
is larger-than-life, less human than archetypal—serving as an allegory of
boundless human ambition.
·
Tragic Arc: Follows a classical
tragic pattern—rise, hubristic pride, and inevitable downfall.
Conclusion
Christopher Marlowe’s Tamburlaine the Great
remains a landmark in English Renaissance drama. Through Tamburlaine’s journey
from shepherd to emperor, Marlowe explores the grandeur and danger of
unrestrained ambition. The play reflects Renaissance humanism’s celebration of
individual will, while also warning of the destructive force of pride and
tyranny. Its soaring blank verse, powerful imagery, and uncompromising
protagonist reshaped English theatre, inspiring contemporaries and paving the
way for Shakespeare. Tamburlaine’s rise and fall dramatize both the potential
and the limits of human aspiration—he conquers empires but cannot conquer
mortality. In this way, the play functions both as a tribute to human greatness
and as a tragic reminder of human limitation.
Very Short Answer Questions (1–2 sentences)
1. Who
wrote Tamburlaine the Great?
o
Christopher Marlowe.
2. What
was Tamburlaine’s original occupation?
o
He was a Scythian shepherd.
3. Which
Sultan does Tamburlaine defeat and humiliate by using him as a footstool?
o
Bajazeth, the Ottoman Sultan.
4. Who
is Zenocrate?
o
Daughter of the Soldan of Egypt and
Tamburlaine’s beloved wife.
5. What
is the significance of blank verse in Tamburlaine?
o
It revolutionized Elizabethan drama and became
the standard form for serious plays.
Short Answer Questions (40–50 words)
1. How
does Tamburlaine reflect the Renaissance ideal of the self-made man?
o Tamburlaine
rises from a lowly shepherd to world emperor, relying on his intellect,
courage, and willpower rather than birth or divine right. This reflects
Renaissance humanism’s belief in individual potential and ambition.
2. Discuss
the role of Zenocrate in Tamburlaine’s life.
o Zenocrate
softens Tamburlaine, representing love and humanity amidst his conquests. Her
death in Part II intensifies his cruelty, showing how personal loss deepens his
obsession with power and conquest.
3. How
does Marlowe present the theme of hubris in Tamburlaine?
o Tamburlaine
challenges kings, gods, and even religion, embodying excessive pride. His
refusal to recognize limits culminates in his attempt to conquer death, which
ultimately defeats him—making his hubris his tragic flaw.
4. Why
is the burning of the Qur’an in Part II significant?
o It
highlights Tamburlaine’s blasphemy and rejection of divine authority. This act
represents his ultimate defiance of religion, but also signals his moral
decline and spiritual emptiness, which foreshadow his downfall.
5. In
what ways does Tamburlaine exemplify a
Marlovian tragedy?
o Like
Doctor Faustus, it centers on an overreacher driven by ambition and
pride, expressed in soaring blank verse. Tamburlaine’s relentless pursuit of
power, disregard for divine order, and inevitable death fit Marlowe’s tragic
vision.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Tamburlaine the Great is divided into how many parts?
a) One
b) Two
c) Three
d) Four
Answer: b) Two
2. Who was the Persian king defeated early by Tamburlaine?
a) Cosroe
b) Mycetes
c) Bajazeth
d) Orcanes
Answer: b) Mycetes
3. Who describes Tamburlaine’s poetry as the “mighty line”?
a) Ben Jonson
b) William Shakespeare
c) Thomas Nashe
d) Edmund Spenser
Answer: c) Thomas Nashe
4. Which dramatic form did Marlowe popularize through Tamburlaine?
a) Prose comedy
b) Blank verse tragedy
c) Masque drama
d) Miracle play
Answer: b) Blank verse tragedy
5. Zenocrate is the daughter of which ruler?
a) Sultan of Turkey
b) Soldan of Egypt
c) Emperor of Persia
d) King of Arabia
Answer: b) Soldan of Egypt
6. In which part of Tamburlaine does Zenocrate die?
a) Part I
b) Part II
c) Both Parts
d) She survives till the end
Answer: b) Part II
7. How does Tamburlaine treat Bajazeth after defeating him?
a) He pardons him
b) He makes him his general
c) He cages him and uses him as a footstool
d) He exiles him
Answer: c) He cages him and uses him as a footstool
8. What ultimately causes Tamburlaine’s death?
a) Battlefield wound
b) Poisoning
c) Sudden illness
d) Assassination
Answer: c) Sudden illness
9. Which religious text does Tamburlaine burn in Part II?
a) The Bible
b) The Torah
c) The Qur’an
d) The Vedas
Answer: c) The Qur’an
10. What quality best defines Tamburlaine as a “Marlovian hero”?
a) Humility
b) Overreaching ambition
c) Loyalty to the state
d) Devotion to God
Answer: b) Overreaching ambition
11. Which of these rulers does Tamburlaine defeat during his conquests?
a) Caesar
b) Bajazeth
c) Richard II
d) Alexander
Answer: b) Bajazeth
12. What is the significance of Tamburlaine in English drama?
a) First printed comedy in blank verse
b) First tragedy to use blank verse extensively
c) First English history play
d) First play to be performed at the Globe
Answer: b) First tragedy to use blank verse extensively
13. Who succeeds Tamburlaine after his death?
a) His eldest son Calyphas
b) His son Amyras
c) Zenocrate’s brother
d) The Persian prince Cosroe
Answer: b) His son Amyras
14. Which of Tamburlaine’s sons refuses to fight and is killed by him?
a) Amyras
b) Calyphas
c) Celebinus
d) Bajazeth’s son
Answer: b) Calyphas
15. Marlowe’s Tamburlaine was first performed in which year?
a) 1564
b) 1587
c) 1592
d) 1600
Answer: b) 1587
