Religious Fanaticism and Intolerance in Sixteenth Century Europe: A Contextual Analysis of the Protestant-Catholic Wars in Christopher Marlowe’s The Massacre at Paris

Abstract

This study presents a contextual analysis of Christopher Marlowe’s play The Massacre at Paris with an eye to the historical Protestant-Catholic religious wars in sixteenth century Europe, especially those in France and England. The play exposes the hypocrisy of both Protestants and Catholics, both of whom lay claim to righteousness and to be followers of the true teachings of religion while in fact they are both obsessed with the idea of asserting power over the other. Marlowe seems to be cynical of the idea that religion is a means to reform societies by presenting it as a tool of destruction in the hands of political leaders to maintain their powerful positions by exterminating their rivals. As a consequence of the reciprocal violence which was practiced by Catholic states such as France and Spain as well as Protestant states like England over minor religious groups, Marlowe seems to be suggesting throughout his play that a more secular humanist society that can accept all peoples’ differences and that works for the benefit of all is more preferable than a religious institution who commits itself to violence in order to assert its power at all costs.