This paper seeks to stress that Marlowe's Edward II is, at bottom, a tragic
story or a personal history of its hero's agonies. Therefore, it starts by
considering the dramatic genre of the chronicle play, and shows that
studying Edward II as a tra
ditional history play does not penetrate into its
design and operation. Then the paper moves to emphasize that Mortimer's
rebellion and punishment fit didactic history drama. This leads us to
explore Edward's continual endeavors to write his agonies in the form of
a tale or tragedy.
