ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book demonstrates the kinds of critical inquiry that a refashioned study of influence can generate, the role Marlowe played in encouraging Shakespeare's break with conventions and in developing ambivalence and ambiguity as a major artistic strategy. Among the many forces attributed to the fashioning of Shakespeare's professional life, the influence of Christopher Marlowe has long been considered indisputable. The book demonstrates some clearer than others, but also different degrees and kinds of Marlovian influence, the degrees ranging from specific to general to uncertain. It outlines the possible reach of Marlowe's influence, clarifying what in the past people have meant by "sources" and "influence" and what, because of advances in contextualizing dramatic works. The book examines the preconceptions and expectations of a study of Marlowe's influence on Shakespeare.
