The influence of Marlowe on Shakespeare with a comparison of the dramatic and poetic merits of their works, and parallelisms in characterizations

In marvelling at the tremendous power and beauty of a master mind we are too prone to consider it the result of purely inward forces and inborn talent, rather than, as is often the case, the result of external forces and influences, great or small, which have acted in such a way as to call forth and incite hidden potentialities and possibilities and so make possible the development of powers that might otherwise be lost. Then, in viewing this polished, rounded mind, we too frequently forget or fail to give due credit to the influences that have, in a way at least, been responsible for its perfected existence.