"Tamburlaine the Great"

Term Paper # 101424

English > Analysis
Political Science
Political Science > Marx / Engels

An analysis of "Tamburlaine the Great Parts One and Two," edited by Christopher Marlowe, Edward Esche and David Fuller and how it can be taught in terms of Marxist literary criticism.

3,127 words () | 10 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the teaching of "Tamburlaine the Great Parts One and Two," edited by Christopher Marlowe, Edward Esche and David Fuller. It particularly looks at the play in terms of Marxist literary criticism. The paper describes Marx' views and presents the content of the play. It then discusses how the two can be related to one another, particularly in terms of their teaching. The paper includes an annotated bibliography.

Table of Contents:
Marxist Literary Criticism
Teaching Literature
Teaching Marxist Criticism
Teaching Tamburlaine
Politics
Power
Religion
Manly Men
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The second incident takes place when Tamburlaine burns the Koran, challenging Mahomet to punish him. Although he is later struck with illness, this act is a declaration of God's power and Mahomet's powerlessness: Mahomet can not prevent Tamburlaine from destroying the Koran, despite his ability to descend from the sky and interact with human beings (Dailey 158).
"These two passages can be read with an eye to Marxist literary criticism. In both scenes, religion is the source of conflict and destruction. A Marxist reading of this play would necessarily be compelled to examine these scenes, given Karl Marx's opinion on religion."

Sample of Sources Used:

Aberg, Maria. Tamburlaine Resource Pack. Young Genius. London: Young Vic, 2005. 20 Dec. 2006 <http://youngvic.org/assets/attachments/resource-packs/young-genius-tamburlaine.pdf>.
Brandvik, Mary Lou. English Teacher's Survival Guide: Ready-to-Use Techniques & Materials for Grades 7-12. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass-John Wiley & Sons, 2002.
Cope, David. "Marlowe's Tamburlaine: Unsettling Audience Loyaties." 1996. 20 Dec. 2006 <http://web.grcc.cc.mi.us/english/shakespeare/notes/marlowe.PDF>.
Dailey, Jeff. "Christian Underscoring in Tamburlaine the Great, Part II ." Journal of Religion and Theatre 4.2 (2005): 146-159.
Jago, Carol. Classics in the Classroom: Designing Accessible Literature Lessons. Portsmouth, NH: Heineman, 2004.