How a fight took the British poet`s life

There are many suggestions as to how Christopher Marlowe departed this life. This dialogue was written for English class and is absolutely fictional, based on no historical proof whatsoever.

Characters:
-Christopher Marlowe
-Matthew Kenneth, the man with whom the poet had his last dinner
-Jack, the barman in the tavern where the scene takes place
-a by-stander

Marlowe:Matthew, my dear friend, be my guest. I`m paying this time.

Kenneth:That`s really kind of you but I don`t want to take advantage of your generosity.

Marlowe:No, really. I insist on it.

Kenneth:Well, if that`s so, thank you very much, comrade.


Marlowe:Jack, one of the usual for the gentleman here next to me.

Jack(the barman):Right away! Here you are.

Kenneth:Thanks a lot again. Where were we? Ah,yes! You were talking about your new piece of work. Why does it have to be a tragedy? The ending scene is really shocking! Aren`t you anxious about having written something like that?

Marlowe:No, absolutely not. As you know I`m an atheist. I have written this kind of text for two reasons mainly. One is my attitude towards religion. I have had a great time inventing this story about the devil named Mephisto, who seduces Doctor Faustus into swapping his soul in exchange for human pleasures and God hopelessly trying to prevent this. The second thing is that tragedies have always sold so well and there`s nothing I am rather keen on than having a good deal of money.

Kenneth:I know.

Marlowe:What do you mean by that?

Kenneth:Nothing, I was just saying that you really fancied money more than anything.

Marlowe:Do you want to maintain that I am greedy?

Kenneth:No, no, certainly not! You`re just the opposite. You`re very open-handed. Maybe even a bit too open-handed.

Marlowe:Is that your way of saying thanks for my treating you to a drink? Hm? Is it?

Kenneth:No! You`re getting me wrong. Totally wrong! Listen to me, companion.

Marlowe:I`m not your companion. Companions don`t call each other `spendthrifts´.

Kenneth:That`s not what I said! Don`t twist my words like that!

Marlowe:So now I`m a liar too, am I?

Kenneth:Stop it, or you`ll regret it!

Marlowe:Should I be afraid of you now? Well, I am not! What do you want to do now?

a by-stander:Excuse me, gentlemen, could you keep your voice down please? You`re disturbing the other guests.

Marlowe and Kenneth (both shouting at him): SHUT UP!

Kenneth:You`re not afraid, eh? Maybe I can make you tremble,though.

Kenneth's right fist landed in Marlowe's belly as fast as lightning.

Marlowe:No, a punch won`t make me fear you! It only shows how pitiful you are. You cannot make people fear you or even respect you without using your fists.

Kenneth:Take that back at once!

Marlowe:What if I don`t?

Kenneth:You asked for it!

After a short harsh fight Marlowe is lying on the floor and doesn't move.
Kenneth is standing over him, breathing hard and whispering:Oh my God what have I done? Christopher! No, please don`t die! You cannot die. I did not mean to... Really, I did never... Heaven, what am I going to do now? God, please help me.

Marlowe:Will you stop talking about GOD at my deathbed?! That`s the last thing I want to hear now. There is no God!

Kenneth:How can you say that? Now that you are dying, you still don`t believe in God?

Marlowe:Of course I don`t. And let me be right this time only.

Kenneth:Everything you want.

Marlowe:Only with this one thing I want to be correct. In all the other things you were right. I was angry with you only because you said the same things my father used to say. I really was too wasteful with money, I admit.

Kenneth:Aren`t you furious that I have just stabbed you--probably to death?

Marlowe:Furious? No. Everyone has to die. A few die sooner, a few later but everyone will pass away eventually. That`s the way it is. It was fate`s decision that I was one of the prior.

Kenneth:You don`t believe in God but you believe in fate?!

Marlowe:Yes, but why are you surprised about that? Do you think I do not believe at all? Everybody has to believe in something: Only not everyone believes in God.