William Shakespeare served as the principal author of the historical play Edward III, which features a major collaboration with his contemporary rival Christopher Marlowe, according to computerised linguistic analysis.
The Bottom Line
- Advanced linguistic testing indicates Shakespeare wrote 23 segments of the anonymously published 1596 history, while Marlowe penned nine.
- The findings point to a sustained working relationship between the two playwrights during their mid-to-late twenties, shifting the understanding of their historical rivalry.
- The complete study is slated for publication in Shakespeare Quarterly later this year, following initial authorship companion research in 2016.
Computerised Textual Analysis Confirms Dual Authorship
Published anonymously in 1596 and omitted from the 1623 First Folio, Edward III has long intrigued literary scholars who suspected Shakespeare’s hand in isolated passages. Rory Loughnane, a reader in early modern studies at the University of Kent, told The Guardian that new computer-driven linguistic testing pushes the attribution past any reasonable doubt. Loughnane collaborated on the research with Brett Greatley-Hirsch, a professor of Renaissance literature and textual studies at the University of Leeds.
The researchers evaluated the text against securely attributed works by ten dramatists active between the late 1580s and mid-1590s. Using distribution patterns of specific marker words—such as “martial,” which appears frequently in Marlowe’s works but rarely among his peers—the team divided the historical play’s segments. Out of the tested units, 23 portions constituted the lion’s share and were attributed to Shakespeare, while nine segments were classified as Marlowe’s work.
Revisiting the Marlowe and Shakespeare Rivalry
The discovery of Marlowe’s hand in the text reframes the biographical narrative connecting the two dramatists. Born within weeks of each other, Shakespeare and Marlowe traditionally stood in historical accounts as fierce theatrical competitors before Marlowe’s death in 1593 at age 29 following a brawl in a lodging house.
The new linguistic data suggests a cooperative writing dynamic rather than mere antagonism. This finding builds on a 2016 study that identified Marlowe as a co-author on Shakespeare’s three Henry VI plays. Brett Greatley-Hirsch noted that the multi-test approach relies on varied linguistic features rather than a single verbal parallel, strengthening the case for sustained professional interaction between the two writers.
Upcoming Publication and Exhibition Timelines
The academic findings will appear in print within an upcoming issue of Shakespeare Quarterly later this year. Additional context regarding Shakespeare’s early career features in Loughnane’s book, Shakespeare at Thirty, published by Princeton University Press this week.
An exhibition titled The Making of Marlowe, curated by Loughnane at the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge in Marlowe’s native Canterbury, remains open to visitors through November 22.
