I finished part II of Tamburlaine by Marlowe. I read these plays in my undergraduate days and must say I do not even remember them. It might be that the action of the play was usually halted with long speeches, especially by the titular character. This play was similar to part I, in that Tamburlaine is continuing to grow his empire through conquest, except now he is losing people around him. Hs wife Zenocrate dies, he kills his effiminate son, and then he succumbs to some sickness. In the plays "cruel Tamburlaine" is never defeated, but dies of a bodily sickness. I guess in the end he wasn't greater than Jove, and was mortal.
As far as main characters there is nothing likeable about Tamburlaine. In Part I his mockery of his victims was amusing, but by Part II he is beyond cruel, and a scourge of mankind. He is a disgusting character that torments and kills everything in his way. Por ejemplo, his wife Zenocrate dies of sickness in a town, so he burns the town so it is also wearing mourning colors. And of course everyone in the town is killed by drowning. Oh Renaissance drama, you really know how to make a guy feel good! I plan on starting Edward II this week, maybe I will hold off on that plan.
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