Christopher Marlowe Named Co-Author on Three Shakespearean Plays

By Maryann Yin 

Christopher Marlowe 200 (GalleyCat)Oxford University Press will list Christopher Marlowe as a co-author on three Shakespearean plays: Henry VI Parts I, II, and III. This author credit will be featured in the publisher’s forthcoming omnibus, New Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works.

BBC News reports that scholars have long speculated about whether or not Marlowe (pictured, via) and William Shakespeare were collaborators. This book will mark the first time that Marlowe will receive recognition as a co-author on a Shakespearean piece. The publisher plans to release the modern critical edition for American readers on December 27.

Here’s more from The Associated Press: “While scholars have long suspected that Shakespeare’s plays included the work of others, new analytical methods helped researchers conclude that sections bore the hallmarks of Marlowe’s hand…The editors concluded that 17 of 44 works associated with Shakespeare had input from others. The scholars used computerized data sets to reveal patterns, trends and associations – analyzing not only Shakespeare’s words, but also those of his contemporaries.” (via NPR)