Edward II by Christopher Marlowe

PRIMARY SOURCE: The troublesome raigne and lamentable death of Edward the second, King of England: with the tragicall fall of proud Mortimer: Written by Chri. Marlow Gent
Context

• Publication:
  Published by bookseller William Jones (2) and printed by Robert Robinson in 1594. Registered to Jones in 1593, though later transferred to Barnes, Bell, and Haviland & Wright: four editions with a different publisher or printer each time. Printed in a quarto format that dropped from 48 leaves to about 40 in later editions. Performed by Pembroke's Men in 1591-2, though Greg lists Queen Anne's Men and the Red Bull theater.
• "As it was sundrie times publiquely acted in the honourable citie of London, by the right honourable the Earle of Pembrooke his seruants."
• "Imprinted at London for William Iones, dwelling neere Holbourne conduit, at the signe of the Gunne. 1594."
• EEBO link.
• Scholarship: This is Marlowe's historical drama, drawing exact phrases from Holinshed. Formally, scholars appreciate the play's clarity and consistent characterization. Stylistically, there is less strutting and ranting than in Marlowe's antihero plays. The central homoerotic relationship exemplifies DiGangi's contention that transgressive class relations, rather than homoerotics, were seen as disruptive in early modern England. Despite Edward's failures as a king, he still draws significant sympathy in captivity.
• Why I'm reading it: The Canon

Content

• Form: Tragic History in 5 acts. 
• Genre: History (annals), tragedy.
• Summary:
1. 
   
1. Gaveston returns to England against the objections of the lords. Though they threaten rebellion, Edward loves Gaveston. A priest threatens to drive Gaveston back to France.
2. The bishop is in the Tower & Queen Isabella leaves for the forest. The lords decide to eject Gaveston and thus provoke Edward into civil war.
3. Gaveston marks his enemies at Lambeth.
4. The conspirators seize Gaveston from the king's side. They take him away and plan to rebel. Instead of overthrowing the king outright, they plan either assassination or popular rebellion.
2. 
   
1. Spenser aligns himself with Gaveston.
2. Edward obsesses over Gaveston's return rather than French invasion. Mortimer wounds Gaveston. Edward bans Mortimer from court and so begins the rebellion. Just then, Mortimer learns that the Scots are holding his uncle for ransom, a ransom that only the king could pay. Spenser becomes Edward's minion.
3. The conspirators plan to ambush the king.
4. The king's company flees the ambush. Edward overlooks Queen Isabella, who commends Mortimer to slay Gaveston.
5. The conspirators refuse to return Gaveston to Edward.
3. 
   
1. Warwick takes Gaveston back.
2. Edward makes Spenser his new favorite. France retakes Normandy. Edward hears that Warwick killed Gaveston and swears vengeance. The lords request that Spenser be banned.
3. They fight.
4. Mortimer and Kent are captured.
4. 
   
1. Kent and Mortimer leave for Queen Isabella in France.
2. Kent and Mortimer meet Queen Isabella.  The French promise aid but the young prince believes Edward will win.
3. Edward's spy reports the events of the last act.
4. Queen Isabella and Mortimer give speeches for invasion.
5. The King's party flees for the Queen Isabella.
6. Queen Isabella captures Kent and Spenser's father.
7. Queen Isabella's men capture the last of the King's party, e.g. Spenser.
5. 
   
1. Edward is imprisoned and laments haughtily. He refuses to resign, then relents.
2. Mortimer sidles up to Queen Isabella's authority. He installs a puppet as successor. The prince knows they're liars. Mortimer orders his seizure, and so loses both Queen Isabella  and the Prince as his allies.
3. Captors torture Edward. The Prince is seized.
4. Mortimer gloats. He orders Kent murdered.
5. Edward endures imprisonment. He fears for his life. Lightborn kills him and Gurney kills Lightborn.
6. Edward III swears vengeance on Queen Isabella and Mortimer. He orders a lord to kill Mortimer and sends Queen Isabella to the Tower.
• Other notes: