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New Study Credits Shakespeare as Principal Author of *Edward III*, with Marlowe Collaboration
By Drooid · · How we work
New Computational Study Reassigns Authorship of *Edward III*
A team of scholars led by Dr Rory Loughnane of the University of Kent and Prof Brett Greatley-Hirsch of the University of Leeds used computerised textual analysis to evaluate the 1596 anonymous play *Edward III*. Their results indicate that 23 of the play’s segments most closely match Shakespeare’s linguistic profile, while nine segments align with Christopher Marlowe’s style. The researchers conclude that Shakespeare was the principal writer, with Marlowe acting as a significant collaborator.
Historical Context of the Play’s Attribution
*Edward III* was never included in the 1623 First Folio, and its authorship has long been debated. Earlier scholarship, including a 2016 edition of the New Oxford Shakespeare, suggested Shakespeare may have contributed a few scenes, but the new analysis provides the first systematic, statistically robust attribution. The study builds on prior findings that Marlowe co-authored Shakespeare’s three *Henry VI* plays, suggesting a sustained partnership in the late 1580s and early 1590s.
Linguistic Analysis and Findings
The team compared the play’s language against securely attributed works by ten dramatists active between the late 1580s and mid-1590s. Marker words typical of Marlowe—such as “martial”—were identified, while other linguistic features matched Shakespeare’s known corpus. Specific passages were highlighted: the opening of scene 13 (“A sudden darkness hath defaced the sky …”) is attributed to Shakespeare, whereas the final scene’s line about “Great servitor to bloody Mars” is assigned to Marlowe. The research will appear in *Shakespeare Quarterly* later this year, and Loughnane’s forthcoming book *Shakespeare at Thirty* will explore the playwright’s early career.
Official Reactions from Scholars
Loughnane described the findings as pushing the case “beyond any reasonable doubt” that Shakespeare was the main author and emphasized the novelty of formally recognizing Marlowe as a collaborator. Greatley-Hirsch added that the evidence is compelling because it does not rely on a single statistical test but on multiple, independent linguistic analyses. The exhibition “The Making of Marlowe,” curated by Loughnane, runs until 22 November at the Beaney House of Art & Knowledge in Canterbury.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Our new research suggests that Marlowe is Shakespeare’s collaborator on Edward III. This is the first time this case has been made seriously.” — Faustus. Loughnane, works include doctor
- “We have become accustomed to thinking of Marlowe and Shakespeare as rivals – two outstanding authors, born within a few weeks of one another, making their names in the same theatrical world of the late 1580s and early 1590s,” — Faustus. Loughnane, works include doctor
- “A sudden darkness hath defaced the sky …” — King Jean
