Dichotomously distinguishing whether Christopher Marlowe's The Massacre at Paris advocates Protestantism makes it difficult to objectively appreciate this play. If we avoid such distinctions and read this work in the general context, we can discover the universal nature and values of human society. The central characters, the French Catholics, in this play justify their distorted desires with their religious beliefs and thoroughly otherize others’ religion in the name of protecting the state and religion. However, this discrimination and oppression occur in the UK in the same way. Both Protestants and Catholics otherize each other only through self-centered judgment. Marlowe looks cynically at both sides who use religion as a tool to maintain their power and achieve distorted desires. Therefore, we had better stop trying to analyze Marlowe’s own religious views in this play. By doing so, we can find that uncontrolled power and distorted ambitions lead to irreversible tragedies. In conclusion, apart from the religious orientation of Marlowe and his work, I will find out the lesson that distorted desires and dichotomous distinctions lead only to tragedy.
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