Step into the tumultuous world of ambition and conquest with Christopher Marlowe's classic, "Tamburlaine the Great, Part I." Witness the rise of a shepherd turned tyrant whose insatiable drive for power shakes the very foundations of the known world. As Marlowe's dramatic tale unfolds, follow the meteoric ascent of Tamburlaine as he defies the gods and challenges empires. The play’s intense narrative delves into themes of power, ambition, and destiny, offering a raw portrayal of a man who refuses to be bound by fate. But here's a provocative question to ponder: Can one man's unrelenting ambition reshape the destiny of entire nations? Will Tamburlaine's ruthless quest for dominance lead to his ultimate glory or inevitable downfall? Discover the grandeur and brutality of Marlowe’s world, where every battle and betrayal paints a vivid picture of ambition’s cost. This is not just a story of historical conquest but a timeless exploration of human nature's darker impulses. Are you ready to witness the epic rise and relentless drive of the legendary Tamburlaine? Dive into "Tamburlaine the Great, Part I" and experience the thrilling blend of drama and intrigue that only Marlowe can deliver. Embrace the challenge and immerse yourself in Marlowe’s riveting narrative. Don't just read about history—be part of the dramatic saga. Purchase "Tamburlaine the Great, Part I" today, and engage with the explosive ambitions that shaped a legendary era.

One of the smash hits of the late 1580s and 90s, Tamburlaine established blank verse as the poetic line of English Renaissance drama, Edward Alleyn as the first English star actor and Marlowe as one of the foremost playwrights of his time. The rise and fall of a Scythian peasant-warrior who conquers the Middle East and is struck down by illness after burning the books of the Koran is presented in two parts crammed with theatrical splendour and equally spectacular cruelty. Marlowe's original audiences were delighted with the blasphemous and ruthlessly ambitious hero; the introduction to this edition discusses the problems that such a character poses for modern audiences and highlights the undercurrents of the play that lead towards a more ironic interpretation.

"Arguably the single-most important play of the Elizabethan era, Tamburlaine did more than any other to transform an insignificant form of public entertainment, barely distinguishable from the juggling, fencing, and animal-baiting with which it shared its performance space, into an art of national importance. . . . Tamburlaine cranks the excitements of language and spectacle to an unprecedented pitch, not simply to indulge the fantasies of the audience but as an exemplary demonstration of poetry's dangerous potency."-The New York Review of Books. Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) has been called the founder of English drama and the perfecter of dramatic blank verse. He is known as a poet and translator of Lucan and Ovid, and as a guide and leader for Shakespeare and the other Elizabethan poets and dramatists. Tamburlaine the Great was his most ambitious work and the first play written in English blank verse. John Davies Jump was professor of English at the University of Manchester.