Marlowe, Christopher: - English playwright, poet, and translator Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593) lived during the Elizabethan period. He was educated at the King's School and afterwards Cambridge University after being born in Canterbury, England. His plays, such as "Tamburlaine the Great," "Doctor Faustus," "The Jew of Malta," and "Edward II," were well-known and ground-breaking at the time they were written. Marlowe's writings often dealt with themes of power, politics, and religion. His literary style was distinguished by his use of blank verse. Marlowe mysteriously passed away at the age of 29 during a scuffle at a London pub in Deptford. Despite having a brief life and career, he made a big contribution to the growth of drama and English literature.