Book Review: "A Dead Man in Deptford" by Anthony Burgess

Anthony Burgess is probably best known for his book A Clockwork Orange and yet, there is so much more to him than that. His final book A Dead Man in Deptford is about Christopher Marlowe - the Renaissance playwright and spy. Famously, Marlowe died in what people believe was a bar fight in 1594 at the age of 29. In Burgess' book, we see the life of the Cambridge graduate spy detailed in witty dialogue, references to Ovid and clandestine relationships. The copy I found at the library may be all tattered but I can honestly say that I probably enjoyed reading this more than the first time I read A Clockwork Orange at 17.

Christopher Marlowe (known as "Kit" in the book) starts his Cambridge university education in an act of rebellion against orthodoxy and piety. This defiance often contains his debate skills and his pursuits of a same-sex relationship. He is quite a character and honestly, I can imagine Christopher Marlowe having this level of rebellion in him. Back when I was reading his plays, they always had this edge where it felt like he wasn't supposed to be saying certain things at that particular time. A great example is the dark and witty prologue at the beginning of The Jew of Malta. The language of that is definitely reflected in Burgess' depiction of him.

The Queen's spymaster is named Sir Francis Walsingham and eventually Kit is recruited by him to travel Europe and infiltrate Catholic circles. This is in order to find out about strange conspiracies that threaten Queen Elizabeth I's throne such as the Babington Plot which sought to overthrow the Queen of England and free the imprisoned Mary, Queen of Scots. It is here where Kit is presented as his most complex: a man with a conscience but also with a slight naivety about the role. He is not fully prepared for the amount of deception that is involved and Burgess puts this forward brilliantly in Kit's often uneasy actions and speech.

He eventually develops a clandestine relationship with the younger cousin of Francis named Thomas. And thus, he also starts his writing career, penning plays such as Dr Faustus and The Jew of Malta. What we see here is a far more passionate Kit - a man who has great emotional range and often, puts his espionage career on the line for things he actually wants to do. On the periphery though is a rival in the theatre, the dark and enigmatic William Shakespeare. He is not presented so sympathetically but I understand that the book is about Kit Marlowe so of course, Shakespeare would be the enemy. It is also around here that the Babington plot is revealed and Kit witnesses the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots.

As his moral cynicism grows, Kit becomes increasingly alienated from everyone. He is disliked by the new playwrights and shoved aside by the noble elites. His want for freedom and his requirement for a furtive lifestyle often make him the mark of ridicule by those who learn about him. But it will be his inability to conform to the societal and political norms of the day that will mark him a dangerous man and ultimately lead him to his downfall and death. Burgess communicates this excellent in a series of events that leaves Kit distrustful of the state.

I think we all know how it ends for Kit Marlowe. In a tavern in Deptford, during a bar fight of some kind, Marlowe would take a stabbing to the eye at the age of just 29. The theories came around afterwards as to why. Burgess also leaves it hanging in the air a bit. I like the way he doesn't get overly involved in the act - it kind of just happens. There's very little emotional waiting around and its recounted once it does happen. However, the way in which Burgess describes the event is one of short, quick philosophy. He describes Marlowe knowing that his body hit the floor and then - nothing.

All in all, I thought this book was brilliant. The way it is structured, the way it is written and the way Burgess really fleshes out the character of Kit Marlowe. This has to be my favourite Burgess novel - it is truly fantastic.

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